August 19..Detroit had nine active shooting locations - 15 people shot - six dead,
bloody bloody day into night, 24 hours of violence that continues, 215 homicides (as of August 8, add 6 more at least - 221) at this pace Detroit will have the highest homicide rate this decade.
Mayor Dave Bing, continues to say that Public Safety is #1 priority - but but he hasn't commited the resources to make it so, and he is hindered by Police Chief Godbee, who is not respected by DPD officers and who announces 'smoke and mirror' programs (a DPOA rep comment) but one that I have used over and over to try and get the media to hold Bing and Godbee accountable. Read - Questions that should be asked..please leave your comments.
Ask the Mayor... who has said 'Public Safety is Priority One' ....over and over and over again and again...BUT
* has he authorized 'unlimited overtime' for DPD...?
12 hour shifts will not solve the homicide issue...
12 hour shifts have been tried before and failed...morale issue among others..
Allowing supervisors to use 'overtime' or even mandatory overtime allows for 'flexibility'in utilizing officers...
* has he gotten more jail space....?
if officers can't arrest people because 50% of jail space was closed (EBC) ...what good is extending POs hours...?
* has he authorized priority repair of police vehicles (also fire / ems)?
* why hasn't he meet with police unions to seek their advice ...?
dpoa / lsa / cou / may have good suggestions for use of personnel...
* has he talked to Gary Brown / James Tate - to get his perspective on improving
the dpd?
Ask the Chief:
* why hasn't he replaced Crisnet report system
(keeps officers off the street too long - wrong system for dpd...ebc / evans said they would replace it - years ago)
* what other plans has he thought about - other than 12 hour shifts...?
* what arrests are being discouraged - because of lack of jail space?
* what specific officers are being put on the street ( Inside - Out program)?
Some officers are needed in the station to service officers and the public - are they being endangered or not properly serviced by this program....?
* why does dpd need 21 commanders...5 deputy chiefs...?
what are their duties..why can't they utilize inspectors more... 50% of precincts were closed - was there a corresponding downsizing of police executives??? (NO)
* why is there no additional jail space available...?
* what is the average costs for prisoner medical treatments at emergency room visits..?
what is the total yearly medical costs for dpd prisoners....?
* what is the chief doing to improve morale..?
re: after contract, improving equipment, working conditions...
* how often does the chief visit police stations and talk to offices / supervisors?
* what is his plan to get more money - to hire more officers?
average age of dpd officer is 42 -
Jim wrote: "hey dave did their plans include 5-6 hundred new cops and working equipment????"
* is he going to recommend raising the hiring standards, eliminate discrimination in hiring...? A GED is not enough education for a modern progressive police department...better background investigations...raising the hiring age...
* has he talked to Gary Brown who says he could save $8m in the dpd budget..?
Brown was a dpd executive...an insider...what are his plans to improve dpd and reduce crime...
You must hold the Mayor, the Council and the Police Chief accountable for their
actions and more importantly their inactions and statements that don't really improve public safety, but meant to fool the public.
supplementary questions...ASK THE MAYOR...ASK THE CHIEF...
* will they suspend Secondary employment program to make more officers available to work overtime...?
* how many officers are working Secondary employment?
* list of all businesses that are using officers (bars / liquor stores / clubs - etc)
* can these officers be ordered to work OT vs. secondary jobs..?
* how much overtime is dpd using each month?...?
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS...THANK YOU...DLM
