The vision of how we want our police to work for us isn't just about
analysis of the statistics. My personal experience is that as a volunteer
for the police department, there have been times when the police department
(actually the city) wasn't there for me. I've kind of felt it was a one way
street. I've witnessed pedestrians trying to cross an intersection with
speeding cars and the police do nothing. I've witnessed a drunk driver get
into a car in front of a police officer and drive away - again nothing.
I've experienced the mishandling of a sex offender identification in my
neighborhood. I've had a complaint into the 911 system that has never been
investigated. I reported drug paraphernalia and nothing happens. I've also
witnessed the police expertly catch a robber in front of my house and the
courts throw it out with probation. And I've had officers write tickets to
offenders and the City Attorney doesn't respond until they are prodded over
and over again by citizens. I do not believe my experiences are unique.
Although we may have reduced crime according to Ms. Becker and reduced
complaints as well, there is something a brew with our system when we have
the kind of rights violations many have experienced in this city, when
citizens complaints are not sufficiently responded to, when petty crimes are
completely ignored (Isn't one of the philosophies of reducing big crimes
starting at the petty level?), when mentally ill people are killed, when
the City Attorney doesn't backup a police volunteer, or when the court
system waffles about with first and repeat offenders.
I think we are all glad that the big crime numbers our down in the city.
The deal is: It isn't good enough. If we continue to rest on our laurels
and not move forward, we will only fall behind. This is the responsibility
of our elected officials. I don't know whether our Chief of Police needs to
go or not - that also seems to be for our elected officials to decide. But
those officials should realize we are watching and it is their performance
that we are most concerned about.
Russ Peterson
Ward 9
Standish
R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N
"You can only fly if you stretch your wings."
Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID
Founder
3857 23rd Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-724-2331
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Carol Becker
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 8:06 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Chief Olson's Got to Go! (fwd)
