To Police or Not To Police?

barnable · April 2008

Last night, when I came home and stopped off at Hoodhing for a late night dinner, there were no police (cars or officers) at St. Johns and Underhill. And here is the thing, colors were flying, specifically blues (St. Johns) and reds (Lincoln) and I suspect that the colors are going to fly this summer.

Here is what I think, if shit goes down, which it will, it is obviously going to go down when the police take the night off and so their presence begs the question: why even stay on the corner and in the van? why not get out of the car or scooter-mobile? why not walk the beat? why not talk to the locals? With all due respect, it just looks like they are protecting that ugly Richard Meier building. In sum, what's the point?

Any thoughts?

underhill_mt · April 2008

I agree with you that it's probably got a lot to do with the RM bldg and less with the crime stats in the nabe lately. Walking the beat (which they do, just not seemingly regularly - I could be wrong, please let me know if you have info to the contrary) would be a welcome change and I know we're not the only 2 people who would be happy to see that kind of a presence.

brownie · April 2008

How do you know that the"blues" are on St. John's & the "reds" on Lincoln? How old are these kids? Where do they go to school?

denvernougat · April 2008

Well, the police were gone tonight and there was a fight and lots of screaming underhill and St. johns, so yeah, I'd say the presence helps when it's around.

paraderest · April 2008

The police presence has nothing to do with the Meier building. The extra presence on the west end of the precinct was to combat the rise in robberies which was occuring on particular days of the week. The van and scooter provide a more visible presence and deterent then does a beat cop. There have now been more robberies to the east and some cops have been put there as well. There are only so many cops to go around and they can't be everywhere all the time.

There was a push last year to have cops on foot with steady beats. Unfortunately that didn't last very long due to a lack of manpower. It doesn't seem like there is going to be any increase in staffing anytime soon. The 77 lost half a dozen cops and a sgt in the last two weeks to other units in the dept.

To Police or Not To Police?

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