It's amazing to me how people would find my
questioning of what we pay almost offensive for our
policing services in St. Paul. Some say that I have a
vendetta. They're right. My vendetta is not directed
towards the police. I do have a vendetta against
over-paying for service levels that I don't feel we
need. Admittedly, I don't like some of things that
they do, but I don't a vendetta per se.
I don't understand how we could pay a cop in St. Paul
a comparable salary to what cops are paid in larger,
tougher and more crime ridden cities like Chicago and
New York. I still maintain that policing services
inherent for Chicago and New York City are simply not
needed in tame popcorn town like St. Paul where major
crime almost nonexistent.
For the last fifty years we have handing the cops
everything on a silver platter and for what? Media
glorification of police work? For what COULD BE?
We don't have shootouts on every corner on Saturday
night. Show me where whole neighborhood business
sections are barred up for the night. You can't
because it doesn't exist in St. Paul.
For most areas of the city you can still walk around
your neighborhood without a cop in sight and,
personally, I would feel totally safe in most of your
neighborhoods as well as my own.
In fact, I leave my house completely unlocked as I do
with my car and I have never had a problem. I have
never called the cops in my life in St. Paul. Never
needed to. I travel all over the city and still never
lock my car and done so for over 40 years! Walk around
downtown St. Paul on any night. If you feel
threatened, then you must be threaten by your own
shadow or you have been watching too many cop shows on
television.
A short story.
{One time on one of my many trips to Chicago, I
completely forgot to CLOSE MY FRONT DOOR and when I
got home I was upset with myself for my forgetfulness.
After a quick check, I found that everything was just
as I left it and no problem. If my house were located
in Chicago, I wouldn't have anything left, I would
have been cleaned out! When I'm in Chicago there are
areas where I wouldn't DRIVE THRU much less stop in.
In some areas of that city, I feel restless even
stopping for a red light! Yes, I do lock my car doors
in Chicago. I also double-check it!}
Comparing St. Paul to Chicago or NYC is like comparing
Mike Tyson to Pee Wee Herman. So I still maintain that
we don't need to pay Mike Tyson salaries for St.
Paul's Pee Wee Herman style job.
With respect to my fellow posters who have responded I
will answer their post(s) on list, however, this will
be my last post on the issue as the group has seemed
to move on to other subjects. If anybody would like to
continue the discussion, please do so off list.
Rowdy Russ Hanson.
The Truth in St. Paul.
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