The most difficult crime to defend a
community against has to be murder. It is random, spontaneous or
just without reason. Sometimes it happens in a
robbery, sometimes during or after an argument, sometimes
it is a part of a drug war or in some cases a family dispute. It
usually comes without warning.
I have seen drive bies. I know people who have been murdered and
I know people who have killed. Could these killings have
been prevented. In many cases using hindsight yes. Some are
due to the failure of the system in dealing with the mentally
ill. Some are due to the failure of the parole system. From
what I have seen the parole system seems to let people out who will
commit more crimes. It is like a planned failure of the
system.
I live downtown, in the Foxtown area near Comerica Park and Ford Field
off of Grand Circus Park. The city wants you to think that it is
a low crime area. It is not. Less than a block away a new
Subway Restaurant was broken into and soon after robbed. It is on
Grand Circus Park less than a block off Woodward. The Brown
Bean Cafe on the other side of Woodward has been broken
into three times in a month. The other night some people I know
were in the park. Another person we knew came in the park with a
gun waving it around and threatening the others. He started
shooting and killed on of the others. The police were there fast
but it was too late.
Many nights I hear shooting. About three blocks away is the Cass
Corridor. It has a new name because they are converting the
flophouses into lofts and luxury apartments. You still have the
street people. Drug dealers, addicts, hookers and the
homeless. You still have robberies and murders. Is it going
to work. We have new luxury housing surrounded by slums.
You move out into the neighborhoods and the crime continues. The
murders keep adding up. The police are doing what they can
but there are not enough to handle the problem. I have faith in
he chief and I feel she can do the job. It is a tough job and she
needs our support.
All of our police need to know that we are thankful for what they
do. When you see a cop on the street smile and say hi. Wish
them a safe day. If they are in a car smile and wave to
them. Support the good cops of Detroit. Report the bad
cops. There are a few bad apples in the department. I think
most are gone.
These murders do not mean that this is a bad City. It is a city
with a big problem. I still feel relatively safe. I try not
to be in a situation that puts me in danger. Sometimes I can not
help it. That is where the crazy old white man comes in.
Lee
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