Deep cuts to SPD - crime rises (San Jose, Sacramento: real estate, neighborhood)

[Mr. Opinionated]

Street patrol is the best deterrence there is. You don't need experienced officers to do it really. All you do is drive around or park your patrol car in view. Criminals will take their business somewhere else when they see a police car. ---Sounds practical, sensible.

Police calls for air support in most pursuits. Search and rescue is done by helicopter also. It is every expensive to fly a helicopter to do this. A drone can do it for a fraction of the cost without putting officers at risk. ---Sounds practical, sensible.

Criminals can be dealt with by a little old-fashioned street justice. Don't have to beat them up. Just chain them to the power pole in pink underwear in their hood for a day. ---Sounds like a recipe for lawsuits. Community service; picking up trash, removing tags might be more productive, depending on the offense.

Let law-abiding citizens open carry and make CCW available to all qualified law-abiding citizens. ---Guns and martial arts are like hammers; once in hand, one tends to seek reasons to use them. Lately, it seems true that for the abundant serial psychos, reported to have no police record, any excuse will do.

[junie136]

People are so stupid. They cry and complain about lack of services, but NO, they can't pay increased taxes. Heaven forbid!

[Youthanasia]

Originally Posted by junie136

People are so stupid. They cry and complain about lack of services, but NO, they can't pay increased taxes. Heaven forbid!

That's what folks who say "do more with less" don't get, you give less then you will get less, it's really pretty simple.

You take a city with 300,000 people and a police force of 800, cut it down to 500 then crime goes up and you point the finger at the cops for not doing their job and turning it into a "dangerous place" seems legit..

[Think About It!]

Originally Posted by davidt1

Since the police control crime data, they can make it look as bad as they want to. Scare tactics are nothing new. The police will cry, "But there will more crimes...blah...blah...blah." The Stockton PD put out billboards advertising that their city is the second most dangerous. In doing so they also tell the world what an incompetent PD they are. If they have been doing a good job, that city would not be a dangerous city now, would it?

1. Cities can put more police on the streets by hiring new officers with a lower pay scale and less absurd benefits. Some old timers will whine and cry. Let them. In this economy they will quickly be replaced by hungry young people willing take their place with less pay for a chance to serve.

Ahhhhhh, the refreshing breeze of ignorance....

Were the billboards a good idea? Probably not. Does it show the PD is not doing its job? No.

Now as far as police being directly related to the danger of living in a city is not necessarily true. I am sure there are many less competent and less staffed police forces that have less crime than Stockton. It also comes down to the populous and several other factors. Now if a city has more police out on the streets and visible, yes, that is a visual deterrent but it is just that, a deterrent. It does not prevent crime it keeps an "honest man honest" in a way.

To help prevent crime you need a strong community that does not harbor or promote crime or criminals. You need a competent and well staffed police force. You will also inevitably need jails that actually hold onto and house criminals since that is our modern way of "punishing" criminals. There are more things that would help with keeping crime rates lower as well...

If you look around the region Sacramento PD is one of the lowest paid agencies in the area.

A little history for you...

The corruption within the department was systemic. It permeated nearly every phase of operations and encompassed officers at all levels -- from rookie patrolmen to high-ranking deputy superintendents. To begin with, New Orleans's police officers at that time were woefully underpaid. Starting salaries for patrolmen were only slightly above $15,000 a year at a time when the average American workingperson's salary was in the mid-30s. Even veteran officers were barely making $25,000-30,000 annually. Mere pittances for the occupational hazards they faced every time they went out on patrol.

taken from — The Road to Corruption: Part 1 -- 'The Big Sleazy' — Crime Library on truTV.com

I'm not saying Sac PD is paid at that low of a wage but just think about what you are really asking for? Is it opening the door for corruption?

[Youthanasia]

Originally Posted by Think About It!

I'm not saying Sac PD is paid at that low of a wage but just think about what you are really asking for? Is it opening the door for corruption?

"I want everything and don't want to pay for any of it" - said most Californians

[davidt1]

Originally Posted by Mr. Opinionated

Street patrol is the best deterrence there is. You don't need experienced officers to do it really. All you do is drive around or park your patrol car in view. Criminals will take their business somewhere else when they see a police car. ---Sounds practical, sensible.

Police calls for air support in most pursuits. Search and rescue is done by helicopter also. It is every expensive to fly a helicopter to do this. A drone can do it for a fraction of the cost without putting officers at risk. ---Sounds practical, sensible.

Criminals can be dealt with by a little old-fashioned street justice. Don't have to beat them up. Just chain them to the power pole in pink underwear in their hood for a day. ---Sounds like a recipe for lawsuits. Community service; picking up trash, removing tags might be more productive, depending on the offense.

Let law-abiding citizens open carry and make CCW available to all qualified law-abiding citizens. ---Guns and martial arts are like hammers; once in hand, one tends to seek reasons to use them. Lately, it seems true that for the abundant serial psychos, reported to have no police record, any excuse will do.

Good points!

Sometimes I forget that CA is such a lawsuit-happy state.

[ryuns]

If it makes anyone feel better, measure U passed and should get a few more cops back on the street.

[Youthanasia]

Originally Posted by ryuns

If it makes anyone feel better, measure U passed and should get a few more cops back on the street.

As a general tax, Measure U revenues would be deposited into the City’s General Fund and
could be used for any municipal purpose, including police and fire services, 911 response, park
maintenance, gang and youth violence prevention, youth services, senior services, libraries,
and other programs.

I wouldn't count on much, if any, being used to fund police positions on the street. Many social services have been cut during this "recession" and those are the priority people focus on.

[davidt1]

Now public safety, along with education, can be used as pawns to extort money from tax payers.

If you don't pass this, the kids will suffer.

If you don't pass this, crimes in increase.

These are neat ways to make money if you are a government addicted to spending other people's money.

[Youthanasia]

Originally Posted by davidt1

Now public safety, along with education, can be used as pawns to extort money from tax payers.

If you don't pass this, the kids will suffer.

If you don't pass this, crimes in increase.

These are neat ways to make money if you are a government addicted to spending other people's money.

Well Jerry knows that California doesn't have an interest in public safety, we as a state LOVE criminals.. fascinated, want to give the lil fellas a big hug and hug them into being law abiding good lil guys, enough hugs and people will stop killing and raping babies. Prop 30 was a 2 for 1 for Jerry, he threatened people with education cuts if he didn't get money to fund public safety realignment and he got it. No money is actually going to schools, it's going to local Sheriff's depts but he convinced people that education would face deep, drastic cuts if he didn't get his money and people bit.