I recieved an e-mail from a trusted source that tells me Chief Bladel would like to shut down the blogs. I'd believe that even if I didn't trust the source. Well Chief, here's why you label me an againster-
Ten years ago three punks entered my house with the intention of killing my family and myself. We fought in our kitchen until I felt I was in trouble, grabbed my five year old son who I was shielding and ran upstairs locking doors as I went. The police were very efficient and arrived here within a few minutes. The punks were caught, tried for attempted murder, convicted and sentenced. I recieved death threat calls from jail and prison, and I said nothing. Now I do. My son was in therapy for years, and still has some troubles every October. Of the three jerks one was on probation with a rap sheet as long as my arm, one was in the Boot camp at Annie Wittenauer, and one was a tag-a-log. Yeah, probation works. We found after the fact teachers overheard these kids planning this and thought it was just 'talk'.
Then five years ago we lost our only daughter and and only grandchild in an auto accident. The one who caused it was a drunken illegal alien without a driver's license who fled to Mexico. There is no extradition for this charge. So you might say I have some pre-concieved notions on what's wrong with some of our laws.
I don't want sympathy, just understanding, there are two sides to the story and we know others have had the same experience. If that offends, or scares you, Chief Bladel, I am sorry. I also will not stop if one other person on God's green earth can benifit from our ordeal.
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12 comments:
He can't legally shut down the blogs.
No, he can't shut down the blogs. I thought it was funny that he talked ill of bloggers in a recent newspaper article. What's wrong chief, didn't want all the dirty laundry aired? Seems many residents aren't happy with what they are hearing about crime. He's skated along without accountability for too long.
I liked the 'city council junkies' comment also. I don't like the idea of censure even being talked about. I trust my source on this. He's avoided the issues long enough, time to get something done. Tomorrow I'm going to do a positive post on another subject. It'll be interesting to see which way the comments lean.
It really bothers me that shining a light into an area of government citizens aren't happy with is met with the reaction it has. Just leaving out your e-mail as speculation, the quotes from the other days QCT article were sad. He owes some apologies!
Funny thing is, I'm friends with people in the department and people who have had contact w/ the chief professionally. The general opinion is that he is a nice guy. People are just not happy with his job performance.
I like Chief Bladel, and the officers I know say basically the same thing. He just doesn't like it when anyone disagrees with him. Lately he's been taking a lot of heat, but I also think he stepped over the line. I don't see an apology in our future, or him giving up on the cameras so I guess we'll hear more.
The police dept should have their own blog. They may have to take some (most?) comments in stride, but they'd at least be able to get their side of the story out. It would help citizens understand the limited resources at their disposal, and how they are being deployed. It would give them a chance to suggest ways they might be deployed better. It's not that big a stretch - some aldermen have their own blogs.
You'd have to ask one of them why they don't have a blog. I know about the limited resources. I also know about the 'no pursuit' policy, and a few others. If their feelings are hurt, or they feel they are misrepresentated, they are more than welcome to comment or start a blog.
The police are a lot like rescue workers headed out to crash. They don't they do not fix incidents they just wait and clean up afterward. The saddest truth of all is that the criminals have had more rights than the victims for more years than I can remember.
I don't fault the officers on the streets. Well, not most of them. I get pretty frustrated when I see them drive by situations where they should stop. Friends who live SOLO say it happens all the time. The police I know will even admit there are a few officers they would rather not show up to a scene.
I DO blame management. I don't think they are doing enough to combat the problem. If they are treating this like a rescue worker that's the problem. Community policing is just one area where they can be preventative. There are alot of things they can do, management just doesn't choose to change their ways.
Snarky, your right about blaming the management. The chief does what he does because of what he is given (if that makes sense). And you are right about community policing, but only if you have the right officers in place. I know for a fact that it is a full time, 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job and if you let up for any reason, the patroled area will revert to day one. Call stacking is a problem and it will get worse if we don't ask for more officers. This summer will prove to be a very busy and interesting one.
One of the problems I see with Bladel is his priorities. He fought pretty hard for the new police station, he has been "passionate" about the police cameras. I know he has requested more officers, but he hasn't really made waves about it. If he were to really start looking for innovative ways to do more with the staff he has he might convince more people to give him more resources. The people I talk to (including a handful of officers) think there are too many in the department who are not expected to do their fair share.
It all comes down to politics, unions, and resentment. Each elected official has their own agenda, be it to keep down taxes, cut the fat, or pay back election promises. It is commont sense that you don't mess with public satety. If you do, you will receive a public lashing, that's why the former NEO was put up against the police and fire department. So why would you?
Ther is only so much you can do with restructuring the DPD due to the strong union presence. And if you try, there will a resentment from within the ranks. And when you piss off a cop, you will not get as much productivity out of him. Trust me, there is resentment with the VIP and CRT's because its taking away more cops.
If the council wants and sees a way to give police more dough, they will. Until then, this council see nothing wrong.
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