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Steve Myers
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Council president wants crime summit
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
By Robert Snell
rsnell@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6302
FLINT - City officials want to conduct a summit on crime with the U.S. Department of Justice and the local NAACP to find solutions to the violence plaguing Flint and the growing dissension within the city's police ranks.
City Council President Darryl Buchanan is trying to arrange the summit within 60 days. The push comes as the city struggles with an increase in violent crime and the police officers union prepares a no-confidence vote against acting Police Chief Gary Hagler, whose hiring practices have been criticized.
Buchanan also has contacted New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's office about his approach to crime, which included saturating trouble spots with police.
"It's vital. We need to make the city safe through education," Buchanan said. "I want to bring different partners in to talk about specific crime issues."
The summit effort coincides with Flint Mayor Don Williamson's effort to hire 50 new police officers and assign them to overnight shifts Thursdays through Sundays.
Large cities across the country are struggling with violent crime, which was up 2.5 percent nationwide last year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Violent crime in Flint dropped between 1999 and 2005, but the rate of crime in relation to the number of police officers has increased.
Flint had an average of 9.2 violent crimes per officer in 1999, but the rate rose to 11.1 violent crimes per officer last year.
The city had 49 homicides last year, the most in more than a decade. That could be surpassed this year since there have been at least 40 killings to date, according to a Flint Journal analysis.
There are a few anti-crime tactics that have been tried elsewhere.
Police in Washington, D.C., imposed a 10 p.m. curfew on juveniles this summer, assigned officers to high-crime areas and installed security cameras in troubled neighborhoods, according to The Associated Press.
Those might be radical ideas, but they're worth trying here, said east side neighborhood activist Dale Scanlon.
"I see nothing wrong with that," he said. "The cameras might not last long, they may be blasted out with an AK-47. But if they stay there, I'm not opposed if they're on the street and not looking into people's private yards."
U.S. Attorney Robert Haviland said the Detroit office is in discussions with Buchanan regarding a crime summit.
Buchanan also is involving the Flint branch of the NAACP, whose leaders want to fix what they call a disproportionately low number of black officers and superiors in the police department.
Since Hagler was appointed in July 2004, he has hired 27 white officers and only nine blacks, said Flint police union President Keith Speer.
Hagler said the criticism is unfounded, noting that 44 percent of the 41 officers hired during his tenure were other than white males.
But the department does not reflect Flint's population, which is majority black, said Frances Gilcreast, president of the Flint NAACP chapter.
"The racial mix is not right," she said. "You don't solve crime just by osmosis. They need the community to help. The conditions have to be good enough for people to feel comfortable helping solve crime."
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-39/115936523775400.xml&coll=5 |
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Steve Myers |
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Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:21 am |
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TRB
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Crime summit.
I suggest we give him one.
A room full of politicians will resolve nothing except create more nonsense press.
The role of the politicians is to find the best people to develop the best plan and then build a coalition of support creating a political will in this community to risk change and then to fund the program and change ordinanance , labor contracts, community expectations and forge intergovernmental relations to make it happen.
Don't hold your breath. Our politicans bring us experts like Milton and Early.
This should be fun to watch. I'd rather be in the fight but I lost my bid for position.
Terry Bankert
09/27/06 |
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Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:26 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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Wow, I was reading that and thought this NEW guy really has a grasp on the situation at hand. Then, when I seen the Signature. I should have known who it was. That was I believe the best post I've seen you write on here! Short, Sweet, and to the Point. This is definitely what I need to learn to do. I always get to the point. But think I loose people along the way.
Keep posting, I need the examples!
I was going to chime in with, More Officers, More Tahoes, More Task Forces, More violence Marches, more Forums on Violence, More prayer vigils.... Hmm But none of that has worked so far. Nothing but another “feel good”… make people think we are really concerned …. and working on the problem. Just remember we are focusing effort on doing something and being very concerned. Our leaders think we don't care about results. They've kept this charade up for years now. I’m sick of the BS We deserve results! We’ve let this Mayor through his lackluster leadership to demoralize the Police force and turn it into a Don Williamson personal enforcement squad. Only able to respond timely to the Don’s Cell phone calls for such horrendous crimes as attempting to get signatures to recall the Mayor. While leaving Citizens hanging for hours waiting on a police response. |
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Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:12 pm |
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Adam Ford
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My ideas for the crime summit are:
1. Mayor Appoints Official Police Chief
2. Council Approves Official Police Chief
2. Police chief comes up with and submits a crime plan to the mayor, then the council and finally upon approval to the citizens of Flint.
Oh wait hasn't everyone already been telling our council president this already?
On a more negative note. Is this simpy so Buchanan can look better for voting that we don't need a police chief?
Flint is the only city I know of with an interim or "acting". We should have an official police chief and also a deputy police chief. |
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Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:18 am |
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Milka
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| With all the killings we need the crime summit. has it been scheduled? If so where? |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:27 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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| I ask Ehren and Buchannan everytime I see them. |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:28 pm |
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Biggie9
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Adam, you are spot on.
what the hell do you need a summit for?
its only being suggested to delay and stall because the primary parties are at each others throats...do you really think any of the sides are going to compromise on their positions?
the donalds 26 point punishment program for cops? the council's..."name a chief already", the union's "anybody but Hagler" the NAACP's "can't solve crime unless black officers are investigating in the black community" and whomever else.
really.
ok, if we must have a summit. BUT. It should be no sooner than say 5-6 weeks from now. Why?
Because it takes that long for learned men to grow the beards they will need so that when they attend the summit, they can sit, silent and profound, around the summit table, stroking their **beards** as they ponder the situation. Clearly history tells us, that wise, learned men [sorry ladies, only bearded ladies should be allowed to attend] are bearded and its for good reason. Its the stroking of the beard that allows them to pull an answer out of their ASS! And that is the culmination of a successful summit meeting.
Wake me up when its over.
The school board has already shown us what can be accomplished when a group of well-intentioned but over-matched people get together and after much stroking...**EUREKA*** lets select our new Super......
oh by the way, Terry, the definition of a summit IS "a room full of politicians creating more nonsense". |
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Biggie |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:16 am |
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rapunzel
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Want to hold a crime summit? jail overcrowding issues?
Listened to Weiss today...what is causing this cycle of crime?
Neglect? Lack of family? Values taught to early age children?
By the time they get to the court system...it is to late.
Some of the judges have met with the School board members but that was a different board. Beagle has affected change in Truancy.
Encourage the judges to speak again with this newer school board.
Nothing to be lost... failure is what we already have.
We can only rise up from the point we are at. He talked about grants for age 1-3 . We need programs age 5 -10. This is where we can make a change. The rest is just a cycle.
RAP |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:33 am |
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rapunzel
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Heard the 26 point police plan is now in the trash.
Got a better plan? Submit it, NOW!
It was just put in to action..
heard the dogs and others coming back...
make a positive difference...
Or Shut UP!
SMILE! |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:43 am |
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Biggie9
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quote:
rapunzel schreef:
Heard the 26 point police plan is now in the trash.
Got a better plan? Submit it, NOW!
It was just put in to action..
heard the dogs and others coming back...
make a positive difference...
Or Shut UP!
SMILE!
well Judge Neithercutt missed an opportunity to break the log jam.
he should have held the mayor to his requirement to name a police chief, as he was ordered to.
instead, he told both sides to shut up and stop fighting and play nice.
Only thing is, the donald isn't going to cooperate or acceed to Judge Neithercutt's admonitions. He just isn't going to do it, if past performance is any indicator. I think the good Judge has underestimated the donald's resolve to have it his way or no one gets anything.
That was the opportunity for a plan to move ahead. It would have had the potential to defuse the situation and move it along. Thats the plan. its gone now.
Gentlemen start your stroking!!!! [beards only please]
Prepare the mighty round table for the crime summit!! |
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Biggie |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:01 am |
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Ted Jankowski
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code:
well Judge Neithercutt missed an opportunity to break the log jam.
YEP! He sure could have. So it's fairly simple to see. If you've got money. the justice system cannot be used to force you to follow the LAW! Is this judge appointed? Or can we vote him out at some point. (My Opinion) Judges should be settling differences, making judgements, rulings, not encouraging or playing politics. The people are demanding the Mayor follow the Charter, Follow city ordinances. The People or the Council shouldn't have to "Give and take", "Compromise", "Play Politics" in order to make an elected official follow the Law.
So what the point of having a Judge tell the Mayor a year ago to follow the charter. If today the Judge isn't going to enforce it!
I sure hope he doesn't attempt to run again! I'll be campaigning against him! |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:56 am |
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Biggie9
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quote:
Ted Jankowski schreef:
code:
well Judge Neithercutt missed an opportunity to break the log jam.
YEP! He sure could have. So it's fairly simple to see. If you've got money. the justice system cannot be used to force you to follow the LAW! Is this judge appointed? Or can we vote him out at some point. (My Opinion) Judges should be settling differences, making judgements, rulings, not encouraging or playing politics. The people are demanding the Mayor follow the Charter, Follow city ordinances. The People or the Council shouldn't have to "Give and take", "Compromise", "Play Politics" in order to make an elected official follow the Law.
So what the point of having a Judge tell the Mayor a year ago to follow the charter. If today the Judge isn't going to enforce it!
I sure hope he doesn't attempt to run again! I'll be campaigning against him!
Circuit court judges do run for their positions. It is a county wide office, vice district court.
Least ways, thats my understanding.
Keep in mind, that Judge Neithercutt was once a city councilman himself.
I do believe that he is giving both/all? sides the upmost opportunity to solve the problem like the responsible gov't leaders that they are supposed to be.
He's perhaps giving them more credit than they deserve...and perhaps like pushing on a rope....no results to be expected.
But lets face it, he's exhibiitng judicial restraint, trying very hard NOT to inject the court into a situation that is MUCH MORE political than it is legal. |
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Biggie |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 3:18 pm |
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Adam Ford
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I disagree Biggie. The charter is a legal document. If the mayor refuses to follow the legal guidelines then court seems like a logical next step. Since the judge refuses to enforce the charter then it is up to the council. Neithercut is also basically ignoring his previous ruling he made that the mayor follow the charter and appoint an official police chief. I really fear Judge Neithercut. If he can ignore city laws so easily I wonder if he ignores state and federal laws as well?
For the solution to Flint's crime my suggestion is punishment. I know we have a desire to think "outside the box" unlike in a normal city, but in cities like Lapeer if you kill someone you're pretty much guaranteed to rot in jail for the rest of your life. That is not the case in Flint as much. Some people do get convicted but many times that is not the case. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we have 100 unconvicted killers on our streets. I heard there have been 2 murders in Lapeer COUNTY this year.
In Flint we do not enforce the charter, we do not enforce ordinances and I don't believe we even have "justice for all". I know this may be extreme for the liberals out there but I have a feeling if we actually bothered to enforce our own city's rules we might begin to see some results as opposed to the hundreds of our liberal community meetings. Community meetings are not a bad thing but they are no substitute for good government. |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:17 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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Will the real Adam Ford Please stand up?
Wow, pretty good response. If we can get you to speak that elequantly. I'm betting your next run for senate will really be a race to see! Just leave out the dig on liberals and your in there!
Nice job! |
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Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:27 pm |
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Biggie9
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Adam,
i am speculating of course, but in general its my take Judges,' while not ignoring the laws [though, I think they do quite a bit more of interpeting, maybe too much...whats termed activist judges by some] have a lot of discretion in how and when they apply the law.
I hadn't seen anything on Neithercut's position regarding his earlier order, have you? Since the council is interested in getting a chief named, did they press that issue here in court recently? If not why not? did the media ask the court about the situation regarding the order and the mayor's lack of action [I believe even Ms Young, the city attorney admitted there hadn't been the nation-wide search the Mayor said he was conducting, something that was purely a stall tactic] ?
You'll see judges ignore "city charters" and the like.....they are all about of reaching compromises as solutions. You may find it surprising, even threatening...I just chalk it up to business as usual.
I stand by my what I said earlier, I think he is trying not to open Pandora's box of escalating the litigation between the donald, who is very stubborn, and the council who may also become that way. Then we are back to where we were a year ago with the laast council. Internicene war, nothing gets done, waste, negative spirit in the community....
at some point though, he'll have to protect the integrity of the court and compel the mayor to respond.......perhaps after the current elections?
Again, just a guess. Perhaps we should call the Judge and ask?
What exactly do we disagree on though? |
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Biggie |
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Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:21 am |
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