urbanSTL

doug, why do you always defend these criminals?

Well one can't deny that there is a portion of truth in what Doug suggests.

Doug wrote:I am not defending criminals. I'm indicating that society isn't producing upstanding citizens when we stack the deck and deny them equal opportunity.

huh? If this is a slant about equal opportunities for minorities, we have the highest office about to be handed over to a black man. He pursued the dream and got it. Many hours of labor over school work and intelligence to know right from wrong is an opportunity that you have and black or white (or any other color), you have what is needed to be successful.

The criminal element is a spawn of laziness and broken families which feels they are entitled to all that people who work hard have. I think the time to make excuses in terms of equal opportunities is gone. I can also safely say that there are many a criminals in the country side (or as we say in the boonies) who are not minorities, but are criminals due to the same causes mentioned above.

Unless it's totally random, there is a green Grand Am parked across the street from my house with the license plate "U2 ACRO." Just an fyi, I think someone tried breaking in to your car. My Grand Prix's lock was popped and I can't open the door, but they didn't get in. My Grand Am's lock was popped, they got in, but I didn't have anything to steal. I knocked on a couple of doors but couldn't find you.

^are there any teenage punks in the neighborhood that might just want to razz the new family? I think you are probably right that it's just coincidence. I just hope you guys haven't soured on Dogtown or anything. My friend's mom has lived on Mitchell for decades and hasn't had a problem. My sister and brother-in-law had their house broken into on two separate unrelated occasions (well the one time it wasn't breaking in since a back door was left unlocked) and had their truck stolen on the second occasion.



and where did they live? St. Charles.



Ironic thing is the same week my sis lost her truck my car got stolen from in front of my apt. on Shaw.



I found it funny that people asked me if I would move from the city after that happened but didn't ask my sister if she would leave St. Charles after something worse happened to her--it's one thing to have your car jimmied into and started with a screwdriver. It's another to have someone get into your house when your family is sleeping and steal the keys off the kitchen table!

I know this is a $$ option, but you can get a motion sensing camera with spotlights for < $100. I am sure you have spent more on repairs and this is something you and some neighbors may be able to pitch in. Worth a try. Lights scare stupid people

Well there's always this deterrent...

The inventor claims it is unlikely to kill but would "definitely blind" the assailant.

As far as gunshots, fights, and other sundry things I believe the following state law would apply.



For the aggressive bum issue see specifically sections:

1-(a),(b),(d), and specifically, my personal favorite (e).

and

2-(a),(b)



From: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5740000010.HTM

Peace disturbance--penalty.

574.010. 1. A person commits the crime of peace disturbance if:



(1) He unreasonably and knowingly disturbs or alarms another person or persons by:



(a) Loud noise; or



(b) Offensive language addressed in a face-to-face manner to a specific individual and uttered under circumstances which are likely to produce an immediate violent response from a reasonable recipient; or



(c) Threatening to commit a felonious act against any person under circumstances which are likely to cause a reasonable person to fear that such threat may be carried out; or



(d) Fighting; or



(e) Creating a noxious and offensive odor;



(2) He is in a public place or on private property of another without consent and purposely causes inconvenience to another person or persons by unreasonably and physically obstructing:



(a) Vehicular or pedestrian traffic; or



(b) The free ingress or egress to or from a public or private place.



2. Peace disturbance is a class B misdemeanor upon the first conviction. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, peace disturbance is a class A misdemeanor. Upon a third or subsequent conviction, a person shall be sentenced to pay a fine of no less than one thousand dollars and no more than five thousand dollars.

Now to the more difficult part... we need to actually go to jury duty and do our part. I've sat through jury selection and some of the people in there are complete idiots.

First, add me to the list of people who believes that Crime should have its own group. There are too many facets to this conversation to shove into a single thread.



Now, on to the police helicopter. It's circling nearby right now. It was circling elsewhere earlier in the evening. It's an almost daily nuisance in South City. Now, I don't know much about helicopters but I do know for certain that they are profoundly expensive to maintain and operate.



I've seen testimonials from the police department about just how useful the thing is. However, in any line of work there is always some bigger better tool that would make life easier. Within private industry, basic economics generally prevent an organization from employing resources beyond its means. As we all know, however, the economics of reason are often tossed out the window in civil government.



My question is this...in a perpetually cash strapped city where everyone seems to agree that more cops walking the beat (or any cops walking the beat, for that matter) would be beneficial to our crime problem, is anyone taking a good hard look at the cost/benefit of keeping that thing up in the air every night? It doesn't seem to do much for deterring crime and that should be, IMO, the number one priority. Further, I propose that its nightly presence perpetuates the feeling of a war zone and acts as a psychological trigger, of sorts, for the criminal element.

Expenses for the helicopters are currently shared with the county. It patrols within both areas. I think St. Charles was or is buying in for responses as well.

Looks like they caught the Glendale robber. 63122 can sleep a little better at night now.

JasonBlack wrote:Now, on to the police helicopter. It's circling nearby right now. It was circling elsewhere earlier in the evening. It's an almost daily nuisance in South City. Now, I don't know much about helicopters but I do know for certain that they are profoundly expensive to maintain and operate.



I've seen testimonials from the police department about just how useful the thing is. However, in any line of work there is always some bigger better tool that would make life easier. Within private industry, basic economics generally prevent an organization from employing resources beyond its means. As we all know, however, the economics of reason are often tossed out the window in civil government.



My question is this...in a perpetually cash strapped city where everyone seems to agree that more cops walking the beat (or any cops walking the beat, for that matter) would be beneficial to our crime problem, is anyone taking a good hard look at the cost/benefit of keeping that thing up in the air every night? It doesn't seem to do much for deterring crime and that should be, IMO, the number one priority. Further, I propose that its nightly presence perpetuates the feeling of a war zone and acts as a psychological trigger, of sorts, for the criminal element.

As Matt already pointed out above, the costs are shared with other jurisdictions. I've also heard that the police do nightly practice runs over south St. Louis, although I don't know whether that's really true. That said, I completely agree with you about how the helicopter makes this part of the city feel like a war zone. Don't get me wrong, as I'm sure there's plenty of evidence that supports its use as a crimefighting tool, but on the ground it just seems like a nuisance that may or may not have a real impact on crime.

Helicopters are the way to go when tracking a fleeing suspect.

^

Yea... that is crazy!