Chief wants police in cruiser, not on bike

Monday, June 14, 2004
Chief wants police in cruiser, not on bike


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The Associated Press


COLUMBUS - The police chief wants to get rid of foot, bicycle and mounted
patrols to put more officers in cruisers.

Police Chief James Jackson, who also wants to take officers out of high
schools, outlined the proposal last month in a memo to Safety Director
Mitchell Brown.

He said he has tried repeatedly to put more officers in patrol cars but
has been overruled by Brown and Mayor Michael Coleman.

"A walking officer is good within about 50 feet of where he's walking or
standing," Jackson said.

Brown said his office is evaluating whether certain units can be
eliminated, adding that the city eliminated the DARE program last year and
an anti-crime rock band in 2001 at Jackson's urging.

City Councilman Michael Mentel, chairman of the council's safety
committee, said the mounted, bicycle, high-school and foot patrols should
be retained. Mentel said they encourage more direct contact between police
and citizens.

But an expert on community policing said it's more important that police
be available promptly.

"The highest priority for any police department is adequate response to
calls for public service," said Hubert Williams, president of the Police
Foundation, a nonprofit research organization in Washington, D.C. "If you
don't have adequate resources to do that, you have to make decisions about
cutting back in other areas."

Jackson cites a consultant's 2001 recommendation that the city deploy 420
cruisers a day. The city has 337, Jackson said.

Jackson announced last month that he won't allow nonpatrol positions to be
filled because of the need for more officers in cruisers.

"We have shortages out there, no doubt about it," said Bill Capretta,
president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9. "But not everybody
can be in a cruiser. You need support people, you need people
investigating homicides and rapes."




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Hmmm. If I had put a call in for help and the nearest cop was a mile away
I'd want him in a squad car and not on a bike, too. I think anyone would.

--

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist,
Visual Basic programmer)
"Garrison Hilliard" wrote in message
. org...
Monday, June 14, 2004
Chief wants police in cruiser, not on bike


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------


The Associated Press


COLUMBUS - The police chief wants to get rid of foot, bicycle and mounted
patrols to put more officers in cruisers.

Police Chief James Jackson, who also wants to take officers out of high
schools, outlined the proposal last month in a memo to Safety Director
Mitchell Brown.

He said he has tried repeatedly to put more officers in patrol cars but
has been overruled by Brown and Mayor Michael Coleman.

"A walking officer is good within about 50 feet of where he's walking or
standing," Jackson said.

Brown said his office is evaluating whether certain units can be
eliminated, adding that the city eliminated the DARE program last year and
an anti-crime rock band in 2001 at Jackson's urging.

City Councilman Michael Mentel, chairman of the council's safety
committee, said the mounted, bicycle, high-school and foot patrols should
be retained. Mentel said they encourage more direct contact between police
and citizens.

But an expert on community policing said it's more important that police
be available promptly.

"The highest priority for any police department is adequate response to
calls for public service," said Hubert Williams, president of the Police
Foundation, a nonprofit research organization in Washington, D.C. "If you
don't have adequate resources to do that, you have to make decisions about
cutting back in other areas."

Jackson cites a consultant's 2001 recommendation that the city deploy 420
cruisers a day. The city has 337, Jackson said.

Jackson announced last month that he won't allow nonpatrol positions to be
filled because of the need for more officers in cruisers.

"We have shortages out there, no doubt about it," said Bill Capretta,
president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9. "But not everybody
can be in a cruiser. You need support people, you need people
investigating homicides and rapes."




--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------

"GRL" wrote in message
...
Hmmm. If I had put a call in for help and the nearest cop was a mile away
I'd want him in a squad car and not on a bike, too. I think anyone would.

True, but I'd also want an officer who can silently sneak up on a situation,
pursue the suspect down an alleyway and through the park, and outrun him
while toting 25 lbs of gear.

Bike mounted cops are also more personable. More neighborhood friendly. In a
car, they're more isolated from the environment and the citizens.

Some situations cars are better, some bikes are better. Sometimes horses are
better.

Pete

"GRL" wrote in
:

Hmmm. If I had put a call in for help and the nearest cop
was a mile away I'd want him in a squad car and not on a
bike, too. I think anyone would.


Which was the argument of the Monson, MA police officers.
I really can't blame them. Additional patrols by bicyle
and foot are really great when you have enough man power
in cruisers already.

--
William H. O'Hara KB1LEH

"Pete"

wrote:

True, but I'd also want an officer who can silently sneak up on a situation,
pursue the suspect down an alleyway and through the park, and outrun him
while toting 25 lbs of gear.

Bike mounted cops are also more personable. More neighborhood friendly. In a
car, they're more isolated from the environment and the citizens.

Some situations cars are better, some bikes are better. Sometimes horses are
better.

Pete

All of that is true but it seems that the city in question (Columbus where?) is
faced with an either/or proposition- keep the foot beats, bike patrol, and
mounted patrol and suffer slower response times because of a shortage of beat
cars or eliminate them to maintain adequate staffing in motor patrol. Reading
between the lines, I'd guess there's a political element to the proposed cuts
as well. It sounds like the chief is painting the public safety director and
mayor into a corner to force them to hire more officers. That may or may not be
a bad thing. It depends on the accuracy and reasonableness of their proposed
minimum staffing goals.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

True, but I'd also want an officer who can silently sneak up on a situation,
pursue the suspect down an alleyway and through the park, and outrun him
while toting 25 lbs of gear.

That's why they're called 'foot patrols' g.

Some situations cars are better, some bikes are better. Sometimes horses are
better.

Indeed. Check out how the New Orleans Police Department uses its Mounted
Division during Mardi Gras. Ironically, the Bike Division is worthless in the
French Quarter at that time, because of pedestrian density.


James S. Prine
http://hometown.aol.com/jsprine/

"Hunrobe" wrote


All of that is true but it seems that the city in question (Columbus
where?) is
faced with an either/or proposition- keep the foot beats, bike patrol, and
mounted patrol and suffer slower response times because of a shortage of
beat
cars or eliminate them to maintain adequate staffing in motor patrol.
Reading
between the lines, I'd guess there's a political element to the proposed
cuts
as well. It sounds like the chief is painting the public safety director
and
mayor into a corner to force them to hire more officers. That may or may
not be
a bad thing. It depends on the accuracy and reasonableness of their
proposed
minimum staffing goals.

Right. Overall response times shouldn't suffer so a city can have bike or
foot patrols, but they do have their place.

Pete

(Hunrobe) wrote:
All of that is true but it seems that the city in question (Columbus where?)

Columbus, Ohio

On 15 Jun 2004 03:24:56 GMT in rec.bicycles.misc,
(Hunrobe) wrote:

All of that is true but it seems that the city in question (Columbus where?) is
faced with an either/or proposition- keep the foot beats, bike patrol, and
mounted patrol and suffer slower response times because of a shortage of beat
cars or eliminate them to maintain adequate staffing in motor patrol. Reading
between the lines, I'd guess there's a political element to the proposed cuts
as well. It sounds like the chief is painting the public safety director and
mayor into a corner to force them to hire more officers. That may or may not be
a bad thing. It depends on the accuracy and reasonableness of their proposed
minimum staffing goals.

if the goal is *preventing* crimes, then it's far better to keep
officers on foot and on bikes, where they get to know the
neighborhood and aren't isolated in cages.

if the goal is responding to crimes because the community doesn't
practice good crime prevention policing (including providing an
adequate budget for officers in schools and in neighborhoods), it
won't make much difference how many cars of cops are out riding
around, if they don't get out and talk to the folks they
supposedly work for at times other than when responding to a
crime.

this is yet another area where the cheap guy spends more ---
prevention is almost always cheaper than spending more later to
catch the criminals and keep them locked up.

On 15 Jun 2004 03:48:30 GMT, othanks (James S. Prine)
wrote:

True, but I'd also want an officer who can silently sneak up on a situation,
pursue the suspect down an alleyway and through the park, and outrun him
while toting 25 lbs of gear.

That's why they're called 'foot patrols' g.

Some situations cars are better, some bikes are better. Sometimes horses are
better.

Indeed. Check out how the New Orleans Police Department uses its Mounted
Division during Mardi Gras. Ironically, the Bike Division is worthless in the
French Quarter at that time, because of pedestrian density.


James S. Prine
http://hometown.aol.com/jsprine/


I got used to seeing mounted policemen in Central London. They'd clop
away, two abreast in the bus lane, and everyone had to yield to the
horses. The horses themselves were remarkably well-behaved and
well-disciplined animals: they would stop obediently at the
stoplights, and were not alarmed when overtaken by even the loudest,
clattering London doubledecker bus.

I also got to know them in their crowd-control capacities, at large
demonstrations and occasionally breaking up potential fights between
football supporters at pubs. They're quite imposing.

From a cyclist's point of view, they really compel you to use
mudguards on your bicycle . Having to ride at speed over a fresh
horseapple will convince you quickly of the value of mudguards.

=-Luigi