I ended up calling the police and filing a report that the "thugs" in the corner threatened to shoot up my house and burn it to the ground.
The responding officer was one of the "beat cops" from Nicollet Avenue last summer. We knew each other. He cautioned my against yelling at them like I did last Thursday when they shot up the block. I knew that was stupid but I was so mad I just went off on them. He went to the "thug" house and informed them that if I was harmed they would be looking at them as the culprits. I also received a call at home from the police commander and a late night knock on my door from the watch Sargent assuring my husband they were out there and we shouldn't worry. Quite frankly, the police have been absolutely exemplary in this thing. Over and above the call of duty. Their attempts to ensure my safety brought me to tears last night. I keep getting back to the judges in all of this. Tell me, how does one have 42 arrests for felonies and still be running the street? They continually abdicate sentencing guidelines. Those of us who work with this stuff see it everyday in every way. The main gangster (with the 42 felonies) in that house was picked up on an open warrant on May 25th. Yesterday, one juvenile picked up in the raid had 4 open warrants for other crimes. I didn't catch the criminal histories of the rest of them but I suspect none of them are new to the legal system. They seem pretty seasoned. This isn't an anomaly. This is the way it is. Weed and Seed and the Court Watch folks can show you the rap sheets from criminals they are tracking in Phillips. The one that has been terrorizing one volunteer over there for years had over 200 felonies on his rap sheet. He did a little jail time but not much. "Gramma" used her section 8 certificate to rent the house across the street from me came with a personal recommendation from the section 8 worker herself. When she got her eviction notice after several police calls to the property did that make her straighten up and keep her grandkids in check? No. The "gangster" behavior escalated. Between the 1st of June and now there was a fight in the street involving over 26 men, the gunfight at the O.K. corral last Thursday and the drug raid yesterday and threats on my house from her and her grandkids. On top of that she maneuvered the legal system to get some kind of paper to try to keep her from having to move out. The landlord has acted genuinely concerned. Is that concern legitimate? Time will tell. As I said, before they rent to anyone else I want to make sure they have been informed with appropriate tenant screening procedures and a lease with the new crime addendum. As Luther Kruger the wonderful CCP/SAFE civilian in precinct 1 says "You don't have to rent to criminals". The ability to check for criminal history and track arrests for crimes that violate leases is now available and only a few keystrokes away. It's a really neat system. If you are a landlord I suggest you call CCP/SAFE and find out what it is. I am sure going to make sure the landlord on my block are provided with this information. By the way, I am not condemning all rental property owners. I have 6 2-1/2 story walk-ups and 7 or so duplex to fourplex properties on my block. I do not have any problems with any of them. This is the only poorly managed rental property we are dealing with right now. I am hoping they will straighten up and fly right and we can all go back to the real treasures of urban living. Anyway, like a fine martini I am shaken but not stirred this morning. I don't feel defeated just a little jumpy and tired. I do feel a stronger resolve to ensure that the landlords on my block are informed about the wonderful new tenant management techniques available and that this information is spread to the entire neighborhood. I am encouraged by the spirit of the new precinct captain at the 5th. She soooooo gets Community Oriented Policing. She should just write the book. Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
