David Brady Writes:
Don't you agree that this "need" to have our elected officials take care of things attitude is what led the neighborhood to this predicament? On one end you belittle the neighborhood watch groups by saying they wear capes, tights and what not but then speak of "social justice" is this not the highest form of social justice when the people take back there neighborhood(and no not with machetes,machine guns and cannon balls so lets not misconstrue my comments again) I mean you can't get your politics more local than that!
Dennis Plante Responds:
Quite to the contrary david, I don't know of anyone in my neghborhood that is asking the "leaders" to take care of things which they should not be taking care of. The whole basis of this discussion, at least in the beginning, was whether or not adequate policing exists in neighborhoods such as mine. It does not.
The plan which the Police Chief is rolling-out is very similar to the policing many of us have been asking to have implimented for the last 4-5 years. Foot patrols and proactive policing (e.g., confronting and arresting a teenager for low-level narcotic sales and taking away their gun - BEFORE they use it).
There are three types of neighbors in my neighborhood:
1) those that are infuriated to a point of throwing their own personal safety to the wind and are already involved with bettering the neighborhood (a minority)
2) those that maintain a low-profile and don't get involved for fear of getting getting hurt, or having their property destroyed (the majority)
3) those that are causing the problems ( a very small minority).
I find it infuriating to have, on numerous occaissions in the past, watch several individuals deal pot on a nearby street corner, call 911 to report it and be told that there is not a squad available to respond in the next hour or two. And an hour or two later, watch the SAME individuals stop in front of MY house and throw dice to gamble their hard-earned drug money.
Do you suggest I go out and confront several individuals at once, by myself and tell them to leave, knowing full-well that police protection if I do so does not exist?
two years ago, we talked a younger african american, single mother into the need to not let teens throw dice in her front yard (drug earnings). They had become brazen enough to where they were taking her lawn chairs, so they'd have something to sit it. Well, one day, upon arriving home from work she did confront them and was assaulted (punched in the face & required stitches). Needless to say, she became one of the "silent majority" again.
Self-determination only goes so far, if you do not have the tools to accomplish it. That is very simply, all the residents on the northside are asking for.
dennis plante jordan
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