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My husband and I had been considering moving from our little town of Dade City to Bradenton, for a change of scene and an easier commute. We were just down there on Saturday having a lovely day, walking around, eating on the beach, etc. Then I come to the forums and read about SHOOTINGS at the beach in broad daylight on Easter!!!! WTH??????
This is very disturbing. I always remembered Bradenton as a sleepy little town, not much going on. My in-laws stay for a month each year on the beach - we all have been totally unaware of any of this! I am upset to read about this much crime, but I will definitely have to rethink wanting to move there! We were looking in the far north part of town (close to the river) and far northwest, but maybe no where is far enough away. It all still seems overpriced to me, too, especially with all this crime!
This is a scary time we are living in, for sure!
I think you'd be just fine in the north/northwest part of town. Along the Manatee River? That's one of the nicest areas around. Not much crime and those neighborhoods are beautiful. They have that "old Florida" look. Most of the homes there are large and well kept. Heh.
Get a bullet proof vest and learn Spanish and creole.
And get a shotgun too, because there may be more than 1 gangbanger trying to rape/kill/carjack you. With a 12 gauge pump, you can hit more than 1 gangbanger/crack head with 1 shot.
I've been in Bradenton for almost ten years now. In that time I have seen: gangs increasing, violence increasing, shooting increase, insurance increasing ( ) and it greatly concerns me. I wouldn't say that this a "bad" town, but it needs to get back on track.
Last edited by FloridaNative09; 04-09-2007 at 07:59 PM..
You are right. My wife's family lived in Bradenton and it's become an MS-13 gang haven and the gangs are fighting like they are back in El Salvador or in Los Angeles.
In Orlando, crime is getting out of hand too and gang graffitti has been appearing. The difference here is that people in Orlando answer to their "owner": Disney. And Disney doesn't like tourists coming down to FL and seeing gang grafitti in every corner... in Bradenton, you guys are on your own against the drug and crack dealers, gangs, and gang turfs. In Orlando, we have Disney turning up the heat on Orlando Pocide (OPD).
Also, OPD has initiated a crackdown on durg dealers downtown Orlando. MetroWest (the area where I grew up and USED TO BE very nice) are hiring off-duty cops on their own to curb the crime problem.
But honestly, I think people who are even considering moving to Bradenton should RE-CONSIDER the new reality of an area of the country that has been taken over by violent street gangs and move elsewhere. This is the new America... a decadent country being run by gangs and illegal aliens.
I can also relate to what you are talking about with Orlando. I grew up there and lived there for a good 20 years. Orlando is Disney. Disney wants Orlando to look good for tourists.
Bradenton, you're right, it's turning into an MS-13 gang hunt. But, I belief if we can get some good, descent leaders in Bradenton, maybe we can get it back on foot and get it up there. It will take time. But, trying to be as postive as possible, I believe it could happen.
Another Thing, In order to remotely get the gang issue settled, the MCSO, BPD, whomever deals with gangs needs to get there behinds on the streets, look for the gang members. Look for the idiots spraypainted gang signs on posts and handcuff them. Get them in jail and OFF the streets. That might tame it down a little bit.
You can put all the cops you want out there, until they have a State Attorney that isn't in bed with criminal defense lawyers, arresting people is a huge waste of time when the SAO won't file. The huge police presnece didn't deter some Easter shootings at the beach, and half of those scumbags would shoot a cop anyway.
You would also need to address the imigration problem. Those two things are quickly getting worse, they won't get better anytime soon. Chucky Wells retired in the nick of time. He's leaving the area, too. What does that tell you?
I can also relate to what you are talking about with Orlando. I grew up there and lived there for a good 20 years. Orlando is Disney. Disney wants Orlando to look good for tourists.
Bradenton, you're right, it's turning into an MS-13 gang hunt. But, I belief if we can get some good, descent leaders in Bradenton, maybe we can get it back on foot and get it up there. It will take time. But, trying to be as postive as possible, I believe it could happen.
Another Thing, In order to remotely get the gang issue settled, the MCSO, BPD, whomever deals with gangs needs to get there behinds on the streets, look for the gang members. Look for the idiots spraypainted gang signs on posts and handcuff them. Get them in jail and OFF the streets. That might tame it down a little bit.
Fl Native:
Thanks for the posts. You are right, Orlando has become really violent recently. I have been calling the local PD and helping raise awareness to the local violent crime. I want cops to start not just driving around neighborhoods, but to stop their cars and briefly talk to some suspicious-looking types on the street (NOT arrest or harrass them) just to talk to the individual to let them know there there is an active police presence in the area. That way these guys will go back to the ghetto and stay there. That is the only way nice ares like MetroWest will get their act together again.
OPD has started a crackdown in downtown Orlando, but it has not been hardly enough. We have a much bigger crime and drug problem for 2 sweeps a month (that's how often OPD is doing the downtown sweeps). What they are doing is not hardly enough, but it is a start.
The other problem with the Orlando police is that they do NOT ask people w/o a driver's license or documentation about their immigration status (this is usually a clear indication that they are here illegally). So these illegal criminals really get a pass while Americans get arrested.
As for the US (not just Orlando and Bradenton), the MS-13 gangs are made of the majority of illegal aliens from El Salvador. That is what happens when we have open borders, no enforcement of immigration laws, and offers of amnesties (these people are increasing their flow into the US because of the mere talk to amnesty).
I think alot of people do exadurate about the gang problem but at the same time there are people who come on and say, "hey ive never seen anything in Bradenton happening"......Well if you are really aware of the world around you then you will notice the groups of gang members that are just standing in groups hanging out on some of the side streets of Bradenton.....
Perfect example: I live in Orlando and went to Siesta key for a day at the beach with my girl and her son.....she is from Long Island NY and i am from Miami....well on our way back we drove on that main highway that goes north through Bradenton and Sarasota and as it turned about 5 pm we made it near Bradenton and i noticed as i looked down the side streets that alot of them in the main part of town looked like they had groups of dirty thugish latins standing around in groups...
being from Miami i can usually tell if there's something going on and it looked as though it was gang activity on some streets like they were trying to stand out and sell some drugs and other streets looked like people that were look outs for the cops so they could alert the drug dealers.......well every time i told my girlfriend she was so into her own world and not the surroundings that she didnt notice a thing that i saw.........
so the people on here who say hey is it really that bad ....well yes but its usually not on a main highway or a place that you know that every tourist in town will drive through....just check the backstreets out and look for yourself....now i know crime is bad in orlando now cuz i live there but its mostly because Alot of people arent prepared like when i lived in miami ....i see people leaving cars running at gas stations in orlando....
i never saw that in miami.....i dont see as many people with bars on the windows of thier houses in orlando either so i think its just alot easier to commit certain crimes in orlando ...hopefully the spike of crime in orlando will make all people hear know not to leave car doors unlocked "anywhere" and buy a handgun for your protection...most people that you wouldnt expect in miami to have a gun ...do have a gun and i knew alot of people that did when living there compared to orlando...
now i wouldnt go to pine hills and just act like it wasnt bad but im just saying that most in the suburbs out here in orlando complain about the crime but dont do things like put your cash in your shoe when walking or even take other precautions.....
I think alot of people do exadurate about the gang problem but at the same time there are people who come on and say, "hey ive never seen anything in Bradenton happening"......Well if you are really aware of the world around you then you will notice the groups of gang members that are just standing in groups hanging out on some of the side streets of Bradenton.....
Perfect example: I live in Orlando and went to Siesta key for a day at the beach with my girl and her son.....she is from Long Island NY and i am from Miami....well on our way back we drove on that main highway that goes north through Bradenton and Sarasota and as it turned about 5 pm we made it near Bradenton and i noticed as i looked down the side streets that alot of them in the main part of town looked like they had groups of dirty thugish latins standing around in groups...
being from Miami i can usually tell if there's something going on and it looked as though it was gang activity on some streets like they were trying to stand out and sell some drugs and other streets looked like people that were look outs for the cops so they could alert the drug dealers.......well every time i told my girlfriend she was so into her own world and not the surroundings that she didnt notice a thing that i saw.........
so the people on here who say hey is it really that bad ....well yes but its usually not on a main highway or a place that you know that every tourist in town will drive through....just check the backstreets out and look for yourself....now i know crime is bad in orlando now cuz i live there but its mostly because Alot of people arent prepared like when i lived in miami ....i see people leaving cars running at gas stations in orlando....
i never saw that in miami.....i dont see as many people with bars on the windows of thier houses in orlando either so i think its just alot easier to commit certain crimes in orlando ...hopefully the spike of crime in orlando will make all people hear know not to leave car doors unlocked "anywhere" and buy a handgun for your protection...most people that you wouldnt expect in miami to have a gun ...do have a gun and i knew alot of people that did when living there compared to orlando...
now i wouldnt go to pine hills and just act like it wasnt bad but im just saying that most in the suburbs out here in orlando complain about the crime but dont do things like put your cash in your shoe when walking or even take other precautions.....
Great points in this post. I grew up in Tampa, in the inner city so I am very used to making myself aware of crime and possible crime. People who are coming to certain towns in Florida from safer areas REALLY need to open their eyes and make themselves aware of things, not just be charmed by beaches and palm trees.
We used to live in Sarasota but left 10 years ago. Our downtown neighborhood was PLAGUED by crime. We recently visited Bradenton and Sarasota as we were considering relocating to Bradenton, but as we headed north of downtown Sarasota the run-down aspects and crime were still evident - lots of prostitutes, gangs and thugs to be seen. As you head north on this road into Bradenton it gets progressively worse. Also around downtown Bradenton - not very thriving, and filled with undesirables. There is a charming "Village of the Arts" where artists live and work, just to the east of downtown but it borders the GHETTO! Lots of thuggish types walking around, we were uncomfortable. Cortez Blvd. very bad, too. Honestly, we were dismayed, as Bradenton has so much charm, it's like quaint "old Florida" and has beautiful beaches. The further northwest you go, the better it is, but I understand Anna Maria and the beaches have a lot of drug problems now, and then there are the aforementioned shootings and gang activity on Coquina.
Bottom line, please come with EYES WIDE OPEN and don't view things through rose-colored glasses.
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Bradenton Issues
) and it greatly concerns me. I wouldn't say that this a "bad" town, but it needs to get back on track.
