...And So, It Continues...

Well, that sounds like it could pertain to most anything these days, but I've managed to narrow it down to a few items that I feel deserve our attention.
Maybe we should make a MOVIE about it...LOL.
I'll be getting to those shortly, but let's see what the weather is doing outside.
The picture of that city truck I showed you (yesterday) was the ONLY vehicle I saw come by, unless another truck came through while I was asleep (yes, even I have to succumb to the sandman at times), which is what I think happened, although the plow job left a LOT to be desired.
It still looks like the blade wasn't even on the ground (which is usually where the SNOW is also found).
Today's weather will be cloudy again (any sun will be a blessing), with temps still trying to reach 30 degrees, and the possibility for a few MORE light snow showers throughout the day, but little accumulation to add to the 1-2 inches we got on top of the OTHER 6-7 inches.
Now, with that out of the way for the time being, let's jump right in and get this show on the road.
*** First out of the hangar today is the "official" official announcement of Garry Hamilton as the new FWPD "capo", effective as of 1 Jan 2014.

He DOES have wonderful eyelashes

And, with your indulgence, I would like to offer my commentary on what I feel the real story might be.
Our reigning monarch, King...I mean "mayor" Henry held a presser yesterday (downtown), because the forum which was to be held at the PSA on Saturday was called off...guess the weather had something to do with that...not enough "cheerleaders in the stands", apparently.
Still, yesterday's feel good lovefest had lots of hand-pressing, rounds of applause, and many pats on the back (yes, the G.O.B. - Good Old Boy party is still in the right hands).

The "gang" is all here...lockstep anyone?

And for what? The appointment of someone who has proven that although he's a nice guy, hasn't the effectiveness to handle his OWN quadrant, let along the ENTIRE city?
Yeah, just another typical day downtown, folks.
And I'll bet there are lots of ears "burning" there today...lol.
(buy hip-waders...the BS there is getting DEEP)
Here are some links to the story, and these are a good read, if you know HOW to read between the lines.
This is from the News Sentinel:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131216/NEWS/131219707/1005
This is from WPTA:
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/New-Police-Chief-Officially-Named-VIDEO-236116581.html
Both have video, so you can get a feel for Hamilton's demeanor...which sounds a LOT like York's, in that it's not authoritative enough (for me).
(Where's R Lee Ermey when you NEED him?)

Now Gunny has the RIGHT approach!

I prefer someone who has the kind of voice that when you hear it, you KNOW this person means business, and that there will be NO BS.
Kinda like Ken Fries, the outgoing sheriff of Allen Cointy (probably also soon to be replaced by a black man...like Mike Joyner?)
Since a SHERIFF is a COUNTY position, and cannot be "appointed" (Sorry King Henry), they are ELECTED, and that means some democrat will run, and if he's black, it could likely mean another "first" for the area.
Sometimes, the fix cannot be as "in" as the leaders of THIS city would want.
But, back to Hamilton...

THIS man has leadership skills.

All the stories talk about his years on the force, and all the positions in different divisions he has held.
I can tell you that moving all over the department does NOT necessarily mean that a person has become accomplished in ANY of those positions held for any length of time...just that perhaps they needed to "find a place" for that person where they do the LEAST amount of damage.
King Henry stated that Hamilton  has the "LEADERSHIP SKILLS"...
Would sire care to elaborate as to WHAT particular skills they might be?

THIS is a great police chief.

And Henry said he (Hamilton) "will be a GREAT police chief"...why?
Because he won't find out how BAD the city really is?
Every time you hear of some "answer" from these Good Old Boys, there pops up MORE questions...and THOSE never get answered.
York stepped in it when HE stated that Hamilton "has some really interesting ideas about changes of procedure, and with his background in the investigative area some really good ideas there, too."
Well what was the LAST year for then, Rus? Why didn't THOSE "ideas" surface over the time since Garry took charge of the SE quadrant as D.C.?
Also, If he had those ideas, WHY didn't HE either implement them himself...or bring them to YOU?
Something sure doesn't ring true here - a year with no change, except for the worse on the SE side...and now "suddenly" there is this epiphany related to new IDEAS...

(as Dan Carvey's SNL Church Lady would say)
Karen Richards, Allen County's prosecutor (and bottle blonde extraordinaire) even weighed in on Hamilton.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131217/LOCAL/312179982
From this story, she says she and Hamilton go WAY back, and that "I don't think a better appointment could have been made."
Maybe that's part of the problem...you DON'T think (as much as the job requires)...just a thought, dearie.
And this story from WANE reflect some residents' reaction to the new police chief:
http://www.wane.com/news/local/fort-wayne-residents-react-to-chief-garry-hamiltons-promotion-
Of COURSE the black population would see this "favorably"...and I'd bet we'll hear much like we heard when Obama was elected president...
Like that one woman who felt SO entitled when he took office...and that her mortgage would be paid for from Obama-money  (his "stash" as she put it).
I suppose the black population will soon be saying to everyone else "we own this city now", and that they will believe they can get away with things they couldn't before...and that some will turn a blind eye and deaf ear to things.

Just retire, Marty.

I thought it was EXACTLY THAT mindset which GOT us to this point in time...gangs saying "we own this city", and the like...
What I'd like to hear and what I AM hearing seem to be diametrically-opposed.
And, like deputy chief (and city council log-bump, who is also the eyes and ears of the mayor in council) Marty Bender said that Garry has a good relationship with the community, so...if Hamilton has such a GOOD rapport with the "community", then WHY have the homicides (and sundry OTHER crimes) NOT been going down (as we've been led to believe through creative manipulation of statistics and changing the nature of certain crimes to fit other catedgories?
You have to understand, that when it comes to certain minority communities, it's not as much a BLACK AND WHITE issue...as it is a BLACK AND BLUE issue.

The Thin Blue Line

I told our former quadrant chief that we could have 100% of BLACK officers on the SE side, and the minority community would STILL be adverse when it comes to dealing with the po-po. The community would STILL want to handle things "their way", so that shoots THAT logic in the damn foot.

Police ranks

One curious thing about Hamilton...if you read the J-G story, you find he went from SGT to CAPTAIN...(in a flash), with NO rank of LT along the way...helluva promotional system they have in the FWPD, isn't it?
In the PPD (Philly), they also have corporals (stepping stone to SGT), and you have to TEST for each position, uinless chosen by the district captain of commish, and any specified promotion there is attached solely to THAT position, and can often mean NOT being a ranking officer, in spite of the bars on the collar, or stripes on your sleeve.
With the FWPD, it apparently means that IF the chief likes you and you're a good ass-kisser, and don't "make waves" (like stirring the pot by doing GOOD police work), you get shot UP the ladder faster than a shuttle headed for orbit...even if you don't have the experiences or deserve the rating.
Simply A-F$cking-Mazing!
Now, some people feel that Hamilton won't make changes overnight (or in 20 years in MY opinion), but to expect crime to suddenly go away, or see the SE side magically transform into a jewel in King Henry's crown is blowing smoke out one's a$$.
It would take a much TOUGHER approach to stop crime and yes, even reverse the trends were seeing, and the way downtown "works", if you're not part of THEIR cadre, you're out in the cold, so screw you and your part of town...at least that's what I've seen over the years.
Right now, the FWPD can''t EVEN rid my area of boomcars. litterbugs, fights, random gunfire (not connected to crimes) homicides, domestics, and such...so what makes ME think anything will change under Hamilton that didn't change under York?
Abso-f$cking-lutely NOTHING, people.
And THAT should bother a lot of people, and not just me.
*** Lastly today, there was a quote from a great man...one Abraham Lincoln that went:

"You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time".
Well, I'm sure Lincoln is smiling, for in THIS city, you CAN indeed fool ALL the people...and a lot more than SOME of the time.
If we had more REAL investigative journalists in this city, and not a bunch of young-ass media news readers right out of college with their "communications" degrees, who seemed more entranced with sensationalistic tripe than REAL news, wanting to make a name for themselves in the process, we might get to see what is REALLY going on under foot in the hallowed halls of "Downtown Abbey"...
But like crime in this city, THAT will not change anytime soon.
Fool us all ONCE...shame on US...fool us all TWICE...shame on YOU.
And if we are to assess any REAL crime here in Fort Wayne...THAT would be near the top of an ever-growing list.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.