Another standoff?

[Mark Reinhold]

Ryan,

Foot Patrol.... you are absolutly correct.

also responability and accountability for patrol areas...

coordination with citizens...

cooperation with other agencies...

Are we doing these things? I hope so.

As far as giving up I don't think so. This quote is from a web site with bias and there is some amount of questioning that lower crime rates related mainly to non-violent crime rates.

Safety was made paramount in Giuliani's term as mayor.

Fighting Crime
Under Rudy Giuliani’s leadership as Mayor of the nation’s largest city, murders were cut from 1,946 in 1993 to 649 in 2001, while overall crime – including rapes, assaults, burglary and auto-thefts – fell by an average of 57%. According to the FBI, New York was transformed from the crime capital of the country into the Safest Large City in America, while becoming the global model for excellence in law enforcement. Rudy Giuliani believes that “Public safety is a fundamental civil right…when you reduce crime, you restore people’s freedom.â€Â￾

We don't have a problem any where N.Y. in the ninties but the methods used by the mayor might provide insite.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Photos from Observer Dave Skolyak


SWAT team releases the pigeon.

more coming.

Found this to answer some questions. What a small world indeed!

From Wikipedia



Homing pigeons were still employed in the 21st century by certain remote police departments in Orissa state in eastern India to provide emergency communication services following natural disasters. In March 2002, it was announced that India's Police Pigeon Service messenger system in Orissa was to be retired.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homing_pigeon

From Russia



more out there...



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[Ivor Karabatkovic]

I think I should invest in a pigeon, so the next time I need something from Jim I'll just send that fluffy creature over to bother the heck out of him. hehehe

A parrot would make more sense, because when you can teach it to talk. So when it brings urgent messages, it can say "You've got mail!"


at least the latest technological advances in the past..oh 100 years...haven't put the pigeon out of work.

this is some fascinating stuff.

[ryan costa]

It is interesting that today we are much more susceptible to a breakdown in communications infrastructure than in the past.

In the TV show "Jericho", a nuclear attack KOs much of America. Yet there are no HAM radio operators in town to jury rig up something to broadcast far and wide, or to receive from other HAM radio operators.

Even Wolfman Jack managed to broadcast into the entire United States over 40 years ago.

In today's era of Just-In-Time Inventory management goals we are more vulnerable to crippling gridlock and supply shortages following breakdowns in advanced communications or transportation infrastructure.

[David Lay]

There are plenty of HAMs in Lakewood...I'm one of them.

[Mark Timieski]

I’ve been reading this thread with great interest. Crime stats, the block watch, the NYC angle, and the pigeon.

I hope I can add something useful.

The story goes that back in the 1970’s the NYC police decided to go after the big dogs of organized crime (think the “French Connectionâ€Â￾). While resources were applied to bring down the king pins, resources were removed from the streets. Residents soon became apathetic when police were not able to respond to smaller and less important criminal actions. This sent a message to the small time thugs that NYC was open season, and another message to the people of NYC that they were helpless. Crime ran rampant (think “Escape from New Yorkâ€Â￾). I’ve spoken with a few NYC residents about the changes, and it would seem that the positive change has come with the police now taking care to handle the small problems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Windows
http://www.cjcj.org/pubs/windows/windows.html

This may sound odd, but I believe that there has been little interest in the formal block watch because we have an excellent informal block watch program. People here do get involved, and the police do respond. To suggest that an individual needs training or some sort certification (implementing a formal block watch program) to help prevent crime would seem counter productive.

[Jim O'Bryan]

This may sound odd, but I believe that there has been little interest in the formal block watch because we have an excellent informal block watch program. People here do get involved, and the police do respond. To suggest that an individual needs training or some sort certification (implementing a formal block watch program) to help prevent crime would seem counter productive.

Mark

Once again you nail it. When Ken can raise very good arguments for more police on the street, most of which I agree with. Which raises the question that is now being floated from the board of a "Police Levy." I think we can all do more, and it does not have to be tedious, actually it can be fun.

This is what Mark and I had tried to launch over a year ago. Simply more eyes on the streets. While man of us are out walking int he walking city anyway, why not mix it up a little and get some exercise.

All that had been proposed was "Observers" with cell phones, cameras, note pads, and the good sense to stay out of it. Mark had actually taken the idea further with his background in law enforcement. A base station with a knowledgeable person, to help decide. Get out there, we will call police.

While some worry about "lynch mobs" we know our neighbors. What we were suggesting was nothing more then friendship, exercise, and a little more attention to what is going on. I think we would all be surprised how fast word would spread amongst the criminal element, 90% not from Lakewood. Please look at stats.

The Observer has kept in contact with the businesses ready to fund such an effort, if the eyes can be found.

Thanks for the post.


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[stephen davis]

I think we would all be surprised how fast word would spread amongst the criminal element, 90% not from Lakewood. Please look at stats.

Jim,

Are you suggesting that Lakewood-on-Lakewood crime represents 10% of the available crime statistics?

If so, is there anything the Observer can do to encourage those in that 10% group to redirect their efforts to the East, West, and South of our borders?

Maybe you can get the Chamber of Commerce to sponsor a program to say, "Bring your Rocky River robbery money home to Lakewood." Or maybe, "Visit your fence, THEN shop on Detroit and Madison this holiday season."

I think it could work, as long as the County Commissioners don't try to regionalize our crime base.

Release the S.W.A.T. pigeon!

Steve

[Jim O'Bryan]

I think we would all be surprised how fast word would spread amongst the criminal element, 90% not from Lakewood. Please look at stats.

Jim,

Are you suggesting that Lakewood-on-Lakewood crime represents 10% of the available crime statistics?

If so, is there anything the Observer can do to encourage those in that 10% group to redirect their efforts to the East, West, and South of our borders?

Maybe you can get the Chamber of Commerce to sponsor a program to say, "Bring your Rocky River robbery money home to Lakewood." Or maybe, "Visit your fence, THEN shop on Detroit and Madison this holiday season."

I think it could work, as long as the County Commissioners don't try to regionalize our crime base.

Release the S.W.A.T. pigeon!

Steve

Stephen

I believe that Charyn is still in school and working on other projects, in an effort of goodwill and respect for her time bank let me rephrase. It seems to me as I go over the court docket each week, that a majority of the crimes going to trial would appear to be from people without addresses in Lakewood. Again, this is an unofficial survey, looking at court dockets. They might live her and not have changed their legal documents. I will go over the dockets on Monday to make sure. I might once again have on my rose colored Lakewood goggles.



.

[DougHuntingdon]

Lakewood-on-Lakewood crime? Where is Art McCoy when you need him?

http://wtam.com/pages/06bios/mckoy.html

Seriously I'd be interested in his feelings on Lakewood crime.

Doug

[stephen davis]

It's just great to see such a rare photo of an actual SWAT pigeon release in print. Only the Lakewood Observer has the guts to go in and get a shot like that. Volume 3, Issue 3 makes history. Keep up the good work.

[Mark Crnolatas]

When I re-read this thread, it just becomes more frustrating, that so few people are willing to simply keep their eyes and ears open, and join together in a non-vigilante sort of way, just peace and fun-loving Observers, doing just that, observing, without trying to find some evil/lynch-mob/negative reason inside of it.

Is it a political thing? Is it a "I'll let someone else do it, and sit back and be a critic mentality?" While there are several of these type groups in Cleveland, that took all of a few days to pull together, and here, it seems there is a lot of lip service, but zero willingness to form a club called "I'll be alert and take part in the city I have so much to say about in my postings".
Ok, maybe a different name might be better. : )

Smokey the Bear said "The life you save, may be your own".

[DougHuntingdon]

I know a lot of people do not want to get involved if they have to submit all their personal information, get subjected to background checks, go through "training," and who knows what else. That does not make them criminals. They would rather do their own unofficial block watch. They also may not want to be included on the LPD porn email list. ): I also know of some "crime watches" in other communities that have allegedly turned into gossip rings. Berlin Center comes to mind. "Did you see that girl who entered Doug's rental unit? Let me radio the 4 others in the crime watch group. Let's get a car and a video camera over there. etc."

Doug

[Grace O'Malley]

How exactly would a citizen crime watch have averted this situation?

[Mark Crnolatas]

It wouldn't have, but if a crime watch cut back just one crime however small, in a month or a year, just because it was known that our citizens have one, then it would be worth it.

Yes there are other crime watches that have turned into all sorts of useless groups. There are many that are fantastically successful too. ( There also are less than capable people in every endeavor.}

It's the same as news on TV and the majority of media. No one is really interested in success stories.