Pathetic Spoiled Crybabies

[SRP76]

I just saw this on the tv news, and found this article that goes with it. It pisses me off to no end:

http://www.helena-arkansas.com/news/x1570384758/Ark-city-neighborhood-under-24-hour-curfew

On the tv, they interviewed a family that all sleeps in the same room, due to gunfire ripping into their home on a nightly basis. They make a smaller target for the hoods outside. They mention that going outside at night = your ass gets shot. That's how bad the neighborhood violence is.

Yet, when the police impose a curfew to round up the violent jackasses, people COMPLAIN! "Oh, I want to be able to go outside, so I can get my ass shot off!"

I say, no more police. Let these "perfect world" jackasses fend for themselves. They'll last two ****ing minutes.

[Bub666]

People love to complain about gangs and gunfire.But the same people complain when the police try to do something about it.

[acealive1]

I just saw this on the tv news, and found this article that goes with it. It pisses me off to no end:

http://www.helena-arkansas.com/news/x1570384758/Ark-city-neighborhood-under-24-hour-curfew

On the tv, they interviewed a family that all sleeps in the same room, due to gunfire ripping into their home on a nightly basis. They make a smaller target for the hoods outside. They mention that going outside at night = your ass gets shot. That's how bad the neighborhood violence is.

Yet, when the police impose a curfew to round up the violent jackasses, people COMPLAIN! "Oh, I want to be able to go outside, so I can get my ass shot off!"

I say, no more police. Let these "perfect world" jackasses fend for themselves. They'll last two ****ing minutes.

thats how it is in my hometown

[Publius]

Yet, when the police impose a curfew to round up the violent jackasses, people COMPLAIN! "Oh, I want to be able to go outside, so I can get my ass shot off!"

A 24-hour curfew? I would complain too. The fact that some of my neighbors are criminals does not take away my constitutional rights.

[DubiousComforts]

So we have this area where the police and local government claim to know of rampant drug dealing, shootings, gang violence, repeat criminal offenders committing further crimes, etc., etc.

So instead of rounding up the bad guys, the solution is to impose martial law and treat all law-abiding citizens like criminals?

I don't get it, so maybe someone can explain it to me.

[Publius]

I don't get it, so maybe someone can explain it to me.

It's easier than legitimate police work and locking up the criminals and throwing away the key? Same idea behind gun control.

[Yojimbo]

It's easier than legitimate police work and locking up the criminals and throwing away the key? Same idea behind gun control.

You're damn right.

Parts of Los Angeles are this bad, and the police are at least equally inefficient!

[SRP76]

So, you think the police should be Superman, since they apparently need to get a warzone under control while civilians refuse to get the hell out of their way and allow them to do their jobs?

Easy to say when you aren't the one tasked to do that.

[Tricky]

If i was in charge i would get the names of all the gangbangers because people know who they are,send the police backed by the army in to round them all up by whichever means are appropriate & have them all locked up or sent to labour camps!then once the gangs are removed put some major regeneration into the neighbourhood to make it a nice place to live,and make it known that if the gangs re-emerge the same will happen again.sometimes you need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut :sneaky:

[SymphonicX]

Hmm not sold on this one, sorry. There's a fine line between criminalising everyone and dealing with widespread crime, unfortunately curfews cross that line...however sometimes, they are very necessary, which in this case seems to be so - it's not the end of the world for those residents, they'll ride it out and hopefully experience less crime in the future.

[Arcades057]

Curfews make it easier to arrest the criminals, see.

Outside = you are a criminal. In a few weeks the inefficient police department that allowed this area to degrade to the point it now is can come in and say "we've arrested 235974589768636543786 criminals over the past six weeks! We are GREAT SUCCESS!!" and get a bunch of federal money for it.

Flash forward about a month and the crime wave will likely begin again.

ETA: Unless Jesse Jackson or some other race-baiter holds a march there.

[Publius]

So, you think the police should be Superman, since they apparently need to get a warzone under control while civilians refuse to get the hell out of their way and allow them to do their jobs?

I don't think the police should be Superman, I think they should follow the law. The civilians don't have to get out of their way, if that means being under effective house arrest. Just like they don't have to submit to warrantless searches, have troops quartered in their homes without consent, waive their right to counsel, or allow their property to be commandeered by law enforcement without compensation. It's a free country. That can make law enforcement's job harder in some ways, but that's the job they signed up for. I'm a law-and-order conservative in most respects, but I believe in the Constitution too.

[Skippy911sc]

I think more police on the street is always a good answer...then more strict punishment for offenders. Having a Cop walking the neighborhoods and some video surveillance would be nice. As long as it is not my neighborhood... ;)

[AcesandEights]

I've been following this off and on for a little while now, mainly due to this thread bringing the matter to my attention. For clarity's sake, I thought I'd quote the ordinance that was invoked, which I pulled off of the Mayor's Valley Blog (http://jfvalley.blogspot.com/2008/08/executive-order-8-2008-order-declaring.html):




Executive Order

8-2008

ORDER DECLARING AN

EMERGENCY CURFEW IN A LIMITED AREA OF THE

CITY OF HELENA-WEST HELENA, ARKANSAS

1. Whereas, the City of Helena-West Helena, has the duty to provide protection to its citizens and visitors; and

2. Whereas, certain areas of our city has been under seige with repeated gunfire, loitering, drug dealing and other general mayhem; and

3. Whereas, the Police Department acting through Colonel Fred Fielder, Chief of Police, Major Ronald Scott, Assistant Chief of Police; Captain G. Paul Baldwin, Captain Carl Vann, Lieutenant Bennie Phillips, Detective Roy Covington, Detective Dennis Cox, Detective Brian Holloway, Detective Thomas Bivens, Officer Manager Evelyn Pool and Mayor James Valley met and developed a plan of action; and

4. Whereas, without these drastic measures, the citizens in the affected areas will continue to live under seige; and

5. Whereas, Detective Roy Covington has prepared a map outlining the affected area; and

6. Whereas, the next city council meeting is set for August 19, 2008;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDERED, DIRECTED AND DECREED in accordance with Section 7.12.01 of Code of Ordinances for the City of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a mandatory curfew is imposed and ordered for the next 48 hours and re-imposed after each expiration until the problem is resolved or the city council can meet and decide on the appropriate course of action.

The Police Department has been directed to treat the Curfew Zone as a zero tolerance zone. No loitering, standing or “hanging-out” will be permitted. All traffic on foot, bicycle, automobile, horseback, moped, motorcycle, riding mower or other mode of travel will be subject to stop and investigation.

The Street and Sanitation Department has been directed to clean all alleys in the area and remove all debris and low lying shrubbery that impedes the view of the police officers and general public.

The Mayor’s office has been directed to order additional lighting for the telegram poles in the dark places in the affected area including the alleys.

The affected area is as follows: Starting at the easternmost corner of the intersection of Fourth Street (aka Hwy 242) and Anderson Street and traveling west on Anderson street to the westernmost corner of the intersection of Anderson and South Sebastian Streets then traveling south on Sebastian street to the southernmost corner of the intersection of Sebastian Street and Garland Street and then east on Garland street to the easternmost corner of the intersection of Garland Street and Fourth Street and then traveling north to the point of the beginning at the intersection of Fourth Street and Anderson Street.

The affected streets include:

Center Street (Totally)

The 200 and 300 Blocks of:

North Sebastian Street

North 2nd Street

North 3rd Street

North 4th Street

The 100, 200 and 300 Blocks of:

East Garland Street

East Baldwin Street

Anderson Street

A copy of the map is attached to this order and is available for viewing and inspection during normal business hours at 98 Plaza Street in the Mayor’s office, City Clerk’s Office or Chief of Police’s Office.

The Curfew shall be and hereby is in force and effect for 24 hours per day.

The Code Enforcement Department has been directed to pursue Nuisance Abatement (Evictions) for those persons residing in homes, in the affected areas, where at least three (3) criminal violations have occurred within the most recent time period allowed to be considered by law.

The Records subdivision of the police department has been directed to gather all necessary information for the Code Enforcers, City Attorney and Police Department to take swift, direct and most impacting action against the wrongdoers and offenders.

The police department will use both diplomacy with the “ring leaders” and saturation of the affected area to bring resolve to this matter. Diplomacy with the ring leaders will entail the issuance of a cease and desist order. Saturation will entail additional manpower, overtime, extra hours, long shifts and the issuance of tickets. Saturation also entails serving warrants and subpoenas.

The police department has been directed to give no warning other than this order itself.

IT IS SO ORDERED ON THIS 7TH DAY OF AUGUST IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2008.

Some of the more disturbing things that people are pointing out have to do with worries about a clause for forced eviction and the idea that people in these neighborhoods also have to be on the look out for not only the usual hoods and the new officers taking an interest in their blocks, but possibly criminals who will be tempted to use the cover of police authority to gain entry to their homes...


Unless you know who the person is it is a good idea to find out who’s outside before opening your door to just anyone,” said Col. Fred Fielder of the Helena-West Helena Police Department.
Fielder’s warning comes after a Helena-West Helena police officer recently had some of his uniforms and vests stolen during a break-in and fire at his home.

Source (http://www.helena-arkansas.com/news/police_and_fire/x833728012/Police-warn-citizens-about-stolen-uniform)

[Yojimbo]

So, you think the police should be Superman, since they apparently need to get a warzone under control while civilians refuse to get the hell out of their way and allow them to do their jobs?

Easy to say when you aren't the one tasked to do that.

I know the police have a very difficult job, however I do not know that the solution is to make folks prisoners in their own homes so that the police have an easier time spotting the criminals. While I respect police officers, I do see a lot of inefficient use of their manpower which, although it may not be their fault, certainly does not help their cause against crime.