Would writing and putting pressure on your congressmen and representatives help? Obviously the department needs more money to be safely staffed and able to get a handle on this stuff before it gets out of hand. If law enforcement doesn't step in right away it will only get worse. :unsure:
Sorry, I am not the greatest typist anyway, and I may have broken my finger -- or at least injured it.
So, when I mess up, sorry.
We talked about getting more police with the policeman. But even so, we need help now, not after some budget is passed in the future. But that is a good IDEA. I will write the Govenor's office and see how a county goes about getting more police.
About 13 years ago we moved in. At that time people still left their doors unlocked. My co-worker in a county closer to the city was having horrible problems. I kept thinking I was so glad I was in the country.
if those little sons a whores were haunting my neighbor hood i would do a drive throuh thing by a hand granade toss{me with the granade} it would be appropo
Sorry, I am not the greatest typist anyway, and I may have broken my finger -- or at least injured it.
So, when I mess up, sorry.
We talked about getting more police with the policeman. But even so, we need help now, not after some budget is passed in the future. But that is a good IDEA. I will write the Govenor's office and see how a county goes about getting more police.
About 13 years ago we moved in. At that time people still left their doors unlocked. My co-worker in a county closer to the city was having horrible problems. I kept thinking I was so glad I was in the country.
Okay, I'll bite.
Here's my two cents worth... (it's actually worth substantially more, but what matters is what YOU do with it)
Overworked and understaffed is a "PAT answer."
It is BOTH true AND not true.
All government functions/agencies have to fight for funding.
What that means to you is: They are trying to get away with NOT responding to your group's demand for stepped up patrols. They are HOPING you buy their line (of crap), because for them, it is the path of least resistance IF you accept it. Frankly, they ARE (most likely) both overworked AND underfunded/understaffed. BUT it's up to whoever speaks for your group (the vocal leader) to effectively put the burden BACK on the police chief/department. That's done by making it clear that your group refuses to accept that they have too few resources to do their job.
On the contrary, you tell them, IF they CANNOT do their job, then they get two choices: your group presses for changing in agency leadership/oversight (possible actions range from replacing a police chief to recalling the city council); OR they (the agency management) gets the city council to provide the resources.
While my insight might seem overly simplistic, I'm only summarizing it for you.
The fact is there is a plethora of publications available to give you specific guidance on HOW to effectively organize neighborhood groups for political action. And what you have described is a need for organized political action on the neighborhood level.
Perhaps one good place to start would be your local library.
Find a book entitled "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky. Read it. Do it. It WILL work. Time would fail me to expound on how I know.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, US anthropologist (1901-1978).
When we were living in a very nice suburb of Seattle, my son, in middle school (6, 7, 8) became very enamoured of joining one or the other of these gangs, I forget which. He had a 6th grade friend whose older brother was a Crip, so I think that was the one. He went around for a while with one pantsleg pushed up. My husband came home and found him shooting baskets with a stocking cap pulled on his head in 80 degree weather and hit the roof.
I just made him as miserable as possible. I called them "the creeps and the cruds". Back then none of it seemed very real.
I think you have to be a real LOUD squeaking wheel in this situation. I would write e-mail and call my congressman. I would e-mail, write and call the chief of police, the mayor, the city council, and I would hold a neighborhood meeting and consider hiring a private organization of bodyguards or something to defend against these little buttholes. There is NO excuse for their behavior, no social issues merit thuggery.
The police are most likely waiting for the little darlings to murder a few of your neighbors, Dot. Just maybe, they will then have to do something about them.
A book I recommend: "Let's Take Back Our Streets" by Reuben Greenburg, who was chief of police of the City of Charleston, South Carolina for many years. One of my personal heroes. He's got the right attitude in that book. Crime is wrong. Period. Law abiding citizens should NOT have to tolerate this kind of crap.
That's really unfortuntate in regards to that happening in your neightborhood, I feel for you. To answer your question, there are gangs here in the major cities like Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto but not to the extent the US has them. I live in a small town population of about 6,ooo so there is nothing like that going on here. For the most part when I have lived in the big cities, I felt pretty safe walking the streets by myself in the evening. But I'm sure there are places that I am unaware of that I wouldn't be showing my face at. Our gun laws are very different from yours so that might have something to do with having a lesser crime rate and the population is alot less in Canada, around 28 million, which is about the same number of people that just live in California so you'd have to figure out the ratio of people per capita. All in all I've heard many times that Canada is a pretty peaceful living country. Hope that helps answer your question
Rocky, when I wrote to the Govenor he wrote back "it sounds like a local problem."
Who do I start with? The library is where these KIDS are hanging. And then walking over to our area (some live here) and causing problems. Do I go to the city counsel and tell them we need change? To whom do I address this?
The schools, when they asked for the police to go in, the cop said it was up to the teachers and the principal.
How nuts is that? They can't go in and have a lecture?
In the 70's the teachers were afraid of the hoods and hippies and our only weapons wee rumble chains. We had school racial riots and the teacher were frightened just like us. They can not expect the teachers to be the parent, the teacher, the police and some kind of world changing guru without the parents doing anything.
The one woman who kept blaming society, I think one of her kids might be a member of the gang, she kept saying society has to do more. And she was a recent move-in.
I do have a license to carry and that is what someone else brought up, start packing heat ourselves because the police are only there to write reports after a crime has happened.
I really would love to see that, but whomever does it will go to jail. It is better to move -- but where? Where do you go? If a sleepy little town like ours is hit, then anyone can be.
We cannot afford to move right now. I am the only one working.
Things are a mess.
Watered Garden
A book I recommend: "Let's Take Back Our Streets" by Reuben Greenburg, who was chief of police of the City of Charleston, South Carolina for many years. One of my personal heroes. He's got the right attitude in that book. Crime is wrong. Period. Law abiding citizens should NOT have to tolerate this kind of crap.
I mean most agree with that statement but how do you take the streets back? It is like war, someone will get hurt. Like the 4 or 5 big guys that walk the neighborhood -- doesn't that put them at risk? These kids are armed. We need the police to sit in our neighborhood.
But if one of those guys shot a teen it would be all over the news some 44 year old man killed a 13 year-old little boy.
So sorry for these problems. Those two books suggested above sound like good reference sources. Is there another library nearby where you could check them out? Could you get them online?
I agree, your neighborhood has to continue to squeak and keep calling the police whenever you see anything out of the ordinary - like a group of kids forming, strange cars in the neighborhood, etc.
I'll keep you and your neighborhood in my prayers.
Rocky, when I wrote to the Govenor he wrote back "it sounds like a local problem."
Who do I start with? The library is where these KIDS are hanging. And then walking over to our area (some live here) and causing problems. Do I go to the city counsel and tell them we need change? To whom do I address this?
The schools, when they asked for the police to go in, the cop said it was up to the teachers and the principal.
FIRST... I'm SURE there are plenty of NUTS that will advocate arming the entire neighborhood. I do NOT believe that will make you SAFER. You kill one of those kids and unless there are numerous witnesses who can truthfully attest to it being in self-defense or in addressing someone UNlawfully using lethal force, YOU RISK A LIFE IN PRISON.
As to the underlying issue of community safety, THAT is a LOCAL issue. Which elected official(s) is/are responsible for your community safety? Probably the city council and the county board of supervisors (or whatever it's called in your state).
You MUST effectively:
ORGANIZE your neighbors FIRST.
ESTABLISH communications/relationships with editors and reporters working for your local newspaper(s). Start with the ones who reach the largest portion of your community.
THEN you have leverage to influence the city council and the executive management of the city government and police department.
Some of these things can be done simultaneously, but I listed them in order of importance, and must emphasize that NONE of those first three keys can be left out.
IF you have the ear of even a handful of your neighbors, and if they are stirred up as much as you, then it will grow.
With journalists, you can both give them news items (such as events that illustrate the problems you are concerned with, who and why you have met to begin organizing your neighbors, what you believe needs to be done) AND ask them for their insights on contacts for organizing and advocacy (to the elected and hired city officials). You'd be surprised what these people know beyond what they've even been able to publish in their collective body of news articles published. All they do is RESEARCH things and write about them. And they learn more than they get to include in their published articles.
AND do not cease to LEARN, LEARN, LEARN. Learn from books/websites. Learn from experienced advocates. Learn from your mistakes (which WILL happen some, but if you don't let your mistakes stop you, you WILL learn and become more effective advocates).
A couple more keys to leverage with elected officials -- they ALL want to be re-elected/want supporters. So they WANT to demonstrate that they are tough on crime, for example. They want to be able to demonstrate that neighborhood activists support them. They only get that support by helping YOU. So, the first approach is to show THEM how your group can get them that support. It's called quid pro quo... or you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Forget what Wierwille said about that concept. It is a fundamental principle in activism and in working with elected officials.
THEN if the cooperative approach doesn't work (and you have to give it some time... do NOT issue threats, especially at the start of a relationship with a councilman), a committed group of naysayers can put the "fear of god" in a politician real quick.
Anyway, you'll need to know and do more than I can provide you in this forum. Your best bet is to connect with other thoughtful, committed, smart people and tap their insights and resources too.
I think that if you have a gun, and someone tries to kill you or your family, then it is better that you kill him first instead of you or your family member being killed. Because you and your family member's are not killers and if even if you go through hell with the law, at least you or your family members are not dead but still alive. And it is better that a potentiel murderer dies instead of you or members of your precious famly. This world is really evil it seems. I hope I never have to do that though. I think I would rather be like Enoch who didnt want to see someone die. And I sure hope I live my life without killing someone. But if I had to save my family from a killer I would kill them if he didnt kill me first. I killed a dove on a wire once and I felt bad about even that!
Dot you should check into this program part of the program is a grant for money to hire extra police based on community support. One of the things they will do is basically harass the criminals until they leave through traffic stops and patrols. Of course you will also be inconvenienced as well during these stops. They will ticket them for any car violations lights, broken glass, no license on person and so on. If they have no license on them they impound the car also on the spot as well resulting in towing and impound fees. Kids on the street will be stopped and checked for records and moved along For the most part it is a intense concentration on an area until the criminals have no room to move.
I agree with White Dove... IF you can make the connection somehow to get your community funded for a federal grant like that, I'd bet those gangsters would move on pretty quickly...
In his book Chief Greenburg tells how to take back the streets. We moved to Charleston about the same time he did. In the "projects" and poorer neighborhoods, there was quite a bit of purse snatching. The perp would knock down a little old lady, sometimes breaking bones, grab her purse and run. The citizens were outraged; where were the police? They got there too late to do anything except paperwork. Chief Greenburg's reply was "Hey! YOU were there? What did you do?"
A couple weeks after that, in the same neighborhood, a lowlife scumbag attempted to rape a woman. The citizens of that neighborhood chased the jerk down, cornered him in an abandoned building, and then called the police to come get him.
Rocky and a couple others have made the point that properly organized, neighborhood watches do work. The neighborhood watches in Columbus, Ohio have cleaned up several neighborhoods.
Keep records. Write down the license numbers of automobiles cruising the neighborhoods looking to buy drugs, hire a prostitute, start a fight. You can learn to do this subtly. Buy a big, loud dog and take it for a walk after supper, before it gets really dark, but so people can see you have a big loud dog.
And Chief Greenburg made some points about what the police CAN do. Once in Charleston the police shut down a house of ill repute by looking up their utility records, finding their water bill overdue, and getting the water shut off. Next, they starting writing down license plates and issuing parking tickets when they could. They made the point that this was business in a residential district and they were violating the zoning laws. Charleston was very creative; that helped move out the bad guys.
Sounds like getting folks organized, (which you will be excellent at, Dot) and making some unified noise, requiring, encouraging and helping elected officials to step up to the plate will really make a huge difference in the safety of your neighborhood.
In addition to the upgraded police work which they like as they get extra shifts at overtime pay. There is much more one of the first things they did here was installed triple the streetlights to light the place up so no more lurking around in the dark. they also went after the slum lords with the fix it or it gets leveled plan. Once the wrecked houses were down they work with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild new low cost housing in its place. They also offer some low cost loans to repair housing and a 50/50 plan to repair sidewalks owner pays half the city pays half. Business in the area partners with the police in offering free or discounted meals to on duty police so that even if they are not on patrol in the area they drive through on the way to and from eating so there is a constant cycle of cars through the area. It is a whole package of lighting ,patrols, community involvement, loans, code enforcement, housing upgrades, and development. Of course like I said the downside is you have to play by the same rules so your vehicle better be in order as well. They are firm but fair for the most part. I swear I did see a stray cat in cuffs the other day being busted for jaywalking and attempted assault on a bird so nobody gets missed. I was driving through the area after working late the other night and they stopped my work van, for a burned out license plate light. Once they saw the businesses signs on the van they were a little less on guard but they still ran a check on the van and license, insurance and so forth. They also as part of the program get the new flashlights with the alcohol detectors sniffers in the ends so when they shine the light in the car they also sniff it for DUI. Fortunately the Dovevan passed the test and they just told me to get it fixed or rather than the dollar light bulb I would be paying a larger fine and court costs which you pay in Kansas whether you go to court or not. I'm not much on government programs and this one is not a total cure all either but it has turned around this area of town.
Also, if you and other neighbors get a survailance system that can monitor the neighborhood, that would act a deturrent. Usually, gang members don't like to be on camera.
I like what 2 of my nieces are doing to help eliminate crime where they live. They teach other women how to use handguns and then once the women pass the courses help them get their conceal carry permits. Imagine safe streets for women to walk even after dark,
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(((((Dot)))))
Would writing and putting pressure on your congressmen and representatives help? Obviously the department needs more money to be safely staffed and able to get a handle on this stuff before it gets out of hand. If law enforcement doesn't step in right away it will only get worse. :unsure:
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Dot Matrix
Sorry, I am not the greatest typist anyway, and I may have broken my finger -- or at least injured it.
So, when I mess up, sorry.
We talked about getting more police with the policeman. But even so, we need help now, not after some budget is passed in the future. But that is a good IDEA. I will write the Govenor's office and see how a county goes about getting more police.
About 13 years ago we moved in. At that time people still left their doors unlocked. My co-worker in a county closer to the city was having horrible problems. I kept thinking I was so glad I was in the country.
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Dot Matrix
I responded hit enter and it vanished.
Okay now it came back -- go figure
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coolchef
if those little sons a whores were haunting my neighbor hood i would do a drive throuh thing by a hand granade toss{me with the granade} it would be appropo
send them up
it would be my pleasure
freaking punks
and i don't want to hear oh poor them
it's not thier fault.bad home life ,etc
blast the little barstards
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coolchef
gee the more i think of this the more i get upset
eradicated is what these punks deserve
if they want to screw around your neighborhood
bomb the little pukes
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Rocky
Okay, I'll bite.
Here's my two cents worth... (it's actually worth substantially more, but what matters is what YOU do with it)
Overworked and understaffed is a "PAT answer."
It is BOTH true AND not true.
All government functions/agencies have to fight for funding.
What that means to you is: They are trying to get away with NOT responding to your group's demand for stepped up patrols. They are HOPING you buy their line (of crap), because for them, it is the path of least resistance IF you accept it. Frankly, they ARE (most likely) both overworked AND underfunded/understaffed. BUT it's up to whoever speaks for your group (the vocal leader) to effectively put the burden BACK on the police chief/department. That's done by making it clear that your group refuses to accept that they have too few resources to do their job.
On the contrary, you tell them, IF they CANNOT do their job, then they get two choices: your group presses for changing in agency leadership/oversight (possible actions range from replacing a police chief to recalling the city council); OR they (the agency management) gets the city council to provide the resources.
While my insight might seem overly simplistic, I'm only summarizing it for you.
The fact is there is a plethora of publications available to give you specific guidance on HOW to effectively organize neighborhood groups for political action. And what you have described is a need for organized political action on the neighborhood level.
Perhaps one good place to start would be your local library.
Find a book entitled "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky. Read it. Do it. It WILL work. Time would fail me to expound on how I know.
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Watered Garden
When we were living in a very nice suburb of Seattle, my son, in middle school (6, 7, 8) became very enamoured of joining one or the other of these gangs, I forget which. He had a 6th grade friend whose older brother was a Crip, so I think that was the one. He went around for a while with one pantsleg pushed up. My husband came home and found him shooting baskets with a stocking cap pulled on his head in 80 degree weather and hit the roof.
I just made him as miserable as possible. I called them "the creeps and the cruds". Back then none of it seemed very real.
I think you have to be a real LOUD squeaking wheel in this situation. I would write e-mail and call my congressman. I would e-mail, write and call the chief of police, the mayor, the city council, and I would hold a neighborhood meeting and consider hiring a private organization of bodyguards or something to defend against these little buttholes. There is NO excuse for their behavior, no social issues merit thuggery.
The police are most likely waiting for the little darlings to murder a few of your neighbors, Dot. Just maybe, they will then have to do something about them.
A book I recommend: "Let's Take Back Our Streets" by Reuben Greenburg, who was chief of police of the City of Charleston, South Carolina for many years. One of my personal heroes. He's got the right attitude in that book. Crime is wrong. Period. Law abiding citizens should NOT have to tolerate this kind of crap.
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Cowgirl
Hi Dot!
That's really unfortuntate in regards to that happening in your neightborhood, I feel for you. To answer your question, there are gangs here in the major cities like Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto but not to the extent the US has them. I live in a small town population of about 6,ooo so there is nothing like that going on here. For the most part when I have lived in the big cities, I felt pretty safe walking the streets by myself in the evening. But I'm sure there are places that I am unaware of that I wouldn't be showing my face at. Our gun laws are very different from yours so that might have something to do with having a lesser crime rate and the population is alot less in Canada, around 28 million, which is about the same number of people that just live in California so you'd have to figure out the ratio of people per capita. All in all I've heard many times that Canada is a pretty peaceful living country. Hope that helps answer your question
Take care
Cowgirl
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Dot Matrix
Thanks everyone.
Rocky, when I wrote to the Govenor he wrote back "it sounds like a local problem."
Who do I start with? The library is where these KIDS are hanging. And then walking over to our area (some live here) and causing problems. Do I go to the city counsel and tell them we need change? To whom do I address this?
The schools, when they asked for the police to go in, the cop said it was up to the teachers and the principal.
How nuts is that? They can't go in and have a lecture?
In the 70's the teachers were afraid of the hoods and hippies and our only weapons wee rumble chains. We had school racial riots and the teacher were frightened just like us. They can not expect the teachers to be the parent, the teacher, the police and some kind of world changing guru without the parents doing anything.
The one woman who kept blaming society, I think one of her kids might be a member of the gang, she kept saying society has to do more. And she was a recent move-in.
I do have a license to carry and that is what someone else brought up, start packing heat ourselves because the police are only there to write reports after a crime has happened.
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Dot Matrix
Cool chief
I really would love to see that, but whomever does it will go to jail. It is better to move -- but where? Where do you go? If a sleepy little town like ours is hit, then anyone can be.
We cannot afford to move right now. I am the only one working.
Things are a mess.
Watered Garden
I mean most agree with that statement but how do you take the streets back? It is like war, someone will get hurt. Like the 4 or 5 big guys that walk the neighborhood -- doesn't that put them at risk? These kids are armed. We need the police to sit in our neighborhood.
But if one of those guys shot a teen it would be all over the news some 44 year old man killed a 13 year-old little boy.
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Dot Matrix
The mistake is we let them refer to these criminals as "kids" that minimizes things. A crazy gang kid with a gun is a dangerous criminal.
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Suda
(((((Dot)))))
So sorry for these problems. Those two books suggested above sound like good reference sources. Is there another library nearby where you could check them out? Could you get them online?
I agree, your neighborhood has to continue to squeak and keep calling the police whenever you see anything out of the ordinary - like a group of kids forming, strange cars in the neighborhood, etc.
I'll keep you and your neighborhood in my prayers.
Suda
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Rocky
FIRST... I'm SURE there are plenty of NUTS that will advocate arming the entire neighborhood. I do NOT believe that will make you SAFER. You kill one of those kids and unless there are numerous witnesses who can truthfully attest to it being in self-defense or in addressing someone UNlawfully using lethal force, YOU RISK A LIFE IN PRISON.
As to the underlying issue of community safety, THAT is a LOCAL issue. Which elected official(s) is/are responsible for your community safety? Probably the city council and the county board of supervisors (or whatever it's called in your state).
You MUST effectively:
ORGANIZE your neighbors FIRST.
ESTABLISH communications/relationships with editors and reporters working for your local newspaper(s). Start with the ones who reach the largest portion of your community.
THEN you have leverage to influence the city council and the executive management of the city government and police department.
Some of these things can be done simultaneously, but I listed them in order of importance, and must emphasize that NONE of those first three keys can be left out.
IF you have the ear of even a handful of your neighbors, and if they are stirred up as much as you, then it will grow.
With journalists, you can both give them news items (such as events that illustrate the problems you are concerned with, who and why you have met to begin organizing your neighbors, what you believe needs to be done) AND ask them for their insights on contacts for organizing and advocacy (to the elected and hired city officials). You'd be surprised what these people know beyond what they've even been able to publish in their collective body of news articles published. All they do is RESEARCH things and write about them. And they learn more than they get to include in their published articles.
AND do not cease to LEARN, LEARN, LEARN. Learn from books/websites. Learn from experienced advocates. Learn from your mistakes (which WILL happen some, but if you don't let your mistakes stop you, you WILL learn and become more effective advocates).
A couple more keys to leverage with elected officials -- they ALL want to be re-elected/want supporters. So they WANT to demonstrate that they are tough on crime, for example. They want to be able to demonstrate that neighborhood activists support them. They only get that support by helping YOU. So, the first approach is to show THEM how your group can get them that support. It's called quid pro quo... or you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Forget what Wierwille said about that concept. It is a fundamental principle in activism and in working with elected officials.
THEN if the cooperative approach doesn't work (and you have to give it some time... do NOT issue threats, especially at the start of a relationship with a councilman), a committed group of naysayers can put the "fear of god" in a politician real quick.
Anyway, you'll need to know and do more than I can provide you in this forum. Your best bet is to connect with other thoughtful, committed, smart people and tap their insights and resources too.
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papa-gee
I think that if you have a gun, and someone tries to kill you or your family, then it is better that you kill him first instead of you or your family member being killed. Because you and your family member's are not killers and if even if you go through hell with the law, at least you or your family members are not dead but still alive. And it is better that a potentiel murderer dies instead of you or members of your precious famly. This world is really evil it seems. I hope I never have to do that though. I think I would rather be like Enoch who didnt want to see someone die. And I sure hope I live my life without killing someone. But if I had to save my family from a killer I would kill them if he didnt kill me first. I killed a dove on a wire once and I felt bad about even that!
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WhiteDove
Dot you should check into this program part of the program is a grant for money to hire extra police based on community support. One of the things they will do is basically harass the criminals until they leave through traffic stops and patrols. Of course you will also be inconvenienced as well during these stops. They will ticket them for any car violations lights, broken glass, no license on person and so on. If they have no license on them they impound the car also on the spot as well resulting in towing and impound fees. Kids on the street will be stopped and checked for records and moved along For the most part it is a intense concentration on an area until the criminals have no room to move.
Here
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Rocky
I agree with White Dove... IF you can make the connection somehow to get your community funded for a federal grant like that, I'd bet those gangsters would move on pretty quickly...
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Watered Garden
Dot,
In his book Chief Greenburg tells how to take back the streets. We moved to Charleston about the same time he did. In the "projects" and poorer neighborhoods, there was quite a bit of purse snatching. The perp would knock down a little old lady, sometimes breaking bones, grab her purse and run. The citizens were outraged; where were the police? They got there too late to do anything except paperwork. Chief Greenburg's reply was "Hey! YOU were there? What did you do?"
A couple weeks after that, in the same neighborhood, a lowlife scumbag attempted to rape a woman. The citizens of that neighborhood chased the jerk down, cornered him in an abandoned building, and then called the police to come get him.
Rocky and a couple others have made the point that properly organized, neighborhood watches do work. The neighborhood watches in Columbus, Ohio have cleaned up several neighborhoods.
Keep records. Write down the license numbers of automobiles cruising the neighborhoods looking to buy drugs, hire a prostitute, start a fight. You can learn to do this subtly. Buy a big, loud dog and take it for a walk after supper, before it gets really dark, but so people can see you have a big loud dog.
And Chief Greenburg made some points about what the police CAN do. Once in Charleston the police shut down a house of ill repute by looking up their utility records, finding their water bill overdue, and getting the water shut off. Next, they starting writing down license plates and issuing parking tickets when they could. They made the point that this was business in a residential district and they were violating the zoning laws. Charleston was very creative; that helped move out the bad guys.
WG
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WhiteDove
.
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Belle
Great ideas and feedback here.
Sounds like getting folks organized, (which you will be excellent at, Dot) and making some unified noise, requiring, encouraging and helping elected officials to step up to the plate will really make a huge difference in the safety of your neighborhood.
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WhiteDove
Hey Dot
In addition to the upgraded police work which they like as they get extra shifts at overtime pay. There is much more one of the first things they did here was installed triple the streetlights to light the place up so no more lurking around in the dark. they also went after the slum lords with the fix it or it gets leveled plan. Once the wrecked houses were down they work with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild new low cost housing in its place. They also offer some low cost loans to repair housing and a 50/50 plan to repair sidewalks owner pays half the city pays half. Business in the area partners with the police in offering free or discounted meals to on duty police so that even if they are not on patrol in the area they drive through on the way to and from eating so there is a constant cycle of cars through the area. It is a whole package of lighting ,patrols, community involvement, loans, code enforcement, housing upgrades, and development. Of course like I said the downside is you have to play by the same rules so your vehicle better be in order as well. They are firm but fair for the most part. I swear I did see a stray cat in cuffs the other day being busted for jaywalking and attempted assault on a bird so nobody gets missed. I was driving through the area after working late the other night and they stopped my work van, for a burned out license plate light. Once they saw the businesses signs on the van they were a little less on guard but they still ran a check on the van and license, insurance and so forth. They also as part of the program get the new flashlights with the alcohol detectors sniffers in the ends so when they shine the light in the car they also sniff it for DUI. Fortunately the Dovevan passed the test and they just told me to get it fixed or rather than the dollar light bulb I would be paying a larger fine and court costs which you pay in Kansas whether you go to court or not. I'm not much on government programs and this one is not a total cure all either but it has turned around this area of town.
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nolongerlurking
How bout writing to "60 Minutes" or "Dr. Phil" or some other tv show that exposes stuff like this? That might get them off their butts.
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coolchef
dot
it is your home in your neighber hood
down let the scum bags get you.
fight the pukes
wish i could help you with more than prayers
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Zshot
Also, if you and other neighbors get a survailance system that can monitor the neighborhood, that would act a deturrent. Usually, gang members don't like to be on camera.
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Ductape
I like what 2 of my nieces are doing to help eliminate crime where they live. They teach other women how to use handguns and then once the women pass the courses help them get their conceal carry permits. Imagine safe streets for women to walk even after dark,
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