Question for Supersport

SS,

Chief Evans has been in the news a lot recently and the press has been pretty positive.

From your persective as an officer that is actually on the street what are your thoughts about the following:

1. Do you think that murders are prosecuted more than in the past [[or referred to the prosecutor)
2. Do you think things are improving at the clip that Evans and the press indicate?
3. Are residents more willing to work with DPD now than in previous years.

Of course you aren't obligated to answer anything I just thought your opinion would be good in light of the positive articles lately. Just curious if there is substance behind them or if Evans is just great at PR/fluff.

1. I would say that murders are likely being prosecuted at the same rate as they have in the past. You must understand, the weight of the evidence is going to determine whether or not a prosecutor follows through with charges. If the evidence isn't there, then it isn't there. No prosecutor worth his weight in gold is going to trial without sufficient evidence, thus placing double jeopardy in play.

2. Whether or not things are improving depends on what you consider an improvement. With nearly a decade under my belt, I've come to realize that Detroit often fluctuates fairly signifactantly in regards to homicides, rising and falling anywhere from 75-100 each year. That being said, I think things are off to a good start, and we are heading down the right path, and from my perspective, things have improved. It should be noted, each year around this time I also think "THIS is gonna be the year for the Lions." Take for what it's worth. As for the media coverage, any positive coverage that the department/city can get out there helps offset the long history of negative stories. Let's face face it, the media would much rather run negative stories on Detroit 9 times outta 10. I'm sure they cringe at having to report good news. Good news doesn't sell.

3. As for residents, I would say this is a much deeper issue. People don't just all of the sudden decide they are going to start cooperating with police. What you see out there are generations upon generations of distrust for police. Why? When you consider the alarming number of people who have been locked up in their lives, they pass that hatred onto their children from the day they can walk. Who else puts the idea of mumbling "Fuck the police!" coming out the mouth of a 10 year old?

I wish there was a program in school that could be taught to every child in Detroit at an early age, regarding when and when not to call the police. First and foremost, explaining landlord/tenant troubles are a matter for the courts, not police. Same goes true for child custody. If you don't have court ordered documents with spelled out custody rights, then "going to court" didn't mean you were awarded custody. Many of the runs that simply aren't police matters are the reason we get backed up on runs.

In closing, I will say that moral is probably much higher than Kwame's days. While we still lack some much needed equipment, we'll get it eventually. The rumors of layoffs seem to have subsided, and a proposed 50 new officers a 1/4 is much better news than no hires. There are still many things that need to happen before crime comes down to a more "acceptable level," but you have to realize that a lot of these criminals started out in their early teen years, and it's all they know. They aren't going to close up shop and become a fine upstanding citizen over night. A good number will either simply end up dead or in prison.

While school plays a huge roll, home life is the trump card. Parents need to step up to the plate, or Detroit's crime will never come under control. We can only do so much, failure to discipline a child, then calling us when they're 14 years and out of control isn't the solution. While single parent families can work, all to often they fail because the single parent is working their ass off to make it, and aren't there to keep and eye on their child.

I hope this offers some insight, and remember, it's simply my broad stroke of the brush. The city's problems run deep and could probably have dozens of books published about them. Instead, we tend to be the nation's forgotten step-child.

Very insightful, Supersport. I enjoyed hearing things from your perspective. Keep up the good work!

JT1,

Now, a few questions for you regarding the article below. What is your gut reaction after reading it? How do you feel? Both still kids, both likely highschool dropouts or simply taking up space in the classroom, how do you think we solve these types of crimes? I'm sure the shooter was about the same age, 14-22 I'd say. How does society rope these "lost causes" back in and create a person who can contribute to society? Perhaps more importantly, how do you get somebody use to making the "big chedda" to working for $6 an hour at a fastfood joint?

2 Teenage Boys Found Shot To Death

Boys Found In Vacant Detroit Home


POSTED: Friday, April 16, 2010
UPDATED: 8:33 am EDT April 16, 2010

DETROIT -- The Detroit police are investigating a gruesome discovery made on the city's west side.
The bodies of two Detroit teens were found Thursday night inside a vacant home on Patton Road, near Westfield Road.
Police said the victims are 16-year-old and 17-year-old boys. One teen is a suspect in a shooting that occurred earlier this week.
Investigators said they believe the boys were killed in a retaliation shooting.
Police are not releasing the teen's names.
No arrests have been made.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/23170267/detail.html

Interesting to hear the DPD insider perspective. Keep it coming. Ever thought about maybe a blog centered on your day to day experiences on the force?

Supersport, thanks for your perspective. I come from a long line of friends/family members of DPD officers [[as werll as other departments), I find all too often that the negative far outsells the positive. Seems police officers are one of the only professions where people can publicly belittle how you handled/didn't handle your job on any given day. You certainly don't see it happening in an office...or fast food chains...or....well, you get the point. Thanks for what you guys do. It's sometimes [[probably too often) a very, very thankless job, but there are still those of us who respect/admire what you do. Yes, we are aware that every profession has it's "bad apples", but then there are those you actually pull their weight and therein lies a big difference. Be safe.

Thanks Supersport. Your perspective has always been appreciated on this forum -- the thinking man's/woman's cop. Stay safe.

Supersport, I will second Lowell thanks. I find your opinion very insightful, and appreciate the service you provide to the city.

I have one question as well. Do you get any sense that the department has made good use of data-driven resource allocation in its policing? I saw an article indicating that the DPD had not used GIS-data systems at all in the past bunch of years, despite its success in NYC and elsewhere. I know the DPD was going to try to use this approach more, and I noticed that they have teamed with the folks who run crimemapping.com to provide better crime maps, so I am curious to get your opinion as to whether you think it is making any difference on the ground.

You can't really rope these lost causes back in. Once they go far enough down that path then they have to find their own way back, if they ever make it at all. Too many don't. The best thing to do is stop them before it happens. However, that requires many more responsible adults being involved with these kids when it really counts in the pre-teen years. Unfortunately, these days too many responsible adults just to complain about crime instead of doing something to stop it, like volunteer for the Boy Scouts or a sports team or Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Supersport

I wish there was a program in school that could be taught to every child in Detroit at an early age, regarding when and when not to call the police. First and foremost, explaining landlord/tenant troubles are a matter for the courts, not police. Same goes true for child custody. If you don't have court ordered documents with spelled out custody rights, then "going to court" didn't mean you were awarded custody. Many of the runs that simply aren't police matters are the reason we get backed up on runs.

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I like your idea of a class on when to call the police when not to. However, one should also be aware that this problem is not indigenous to Detroit.

The case of a Florida woman who called 9-1-1 after not getting her McNuggets comes screaming to mind. http://www.newsnet14.com/2009/03/03/...ts-9-1-1-call/

I know that in many jurisdictions, it's a misdemeanor to call 9-1-1 for stupid stuff like this. I've often wondered what it would be like to prosecute those who do it.

Quote:

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In closing, I will say that moral is probably much higher than Kwame's days. While we still lack some much needed equipment, we'll get it eventually. The rumors of layoffs seem to have subsided, and a proposed 50 new officers a 1/4 is much better news than no hires. There are still many things that need to happen before crime comes down to a more "acceptable level," but you have to realize that a lot of these criminals started out in their early teen years, and it's all they know. They aren't going to close up shop and become a fine upstanding citizen over night. A good number will either simply end up dead or in prison.

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Is that a net gain of 50 new officers per quarter? Or is DPD simply replacing the officers who leave the department?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Supersport

JT1,

Now, a few questions for you regarding the article below. What is your gut reaction after reading it? How do you feel? Both still kids, both likely highschool dropouts or simply taking up space in the classroom, how do you think we solve these types of crimes? I'm sure the shooter was about the same age, 14-22 I'd say. How does society rope these "lost causes" back in and create a person who can contribute to society? Perhaps more importantly, how do you get somebody use to making the "big chedda" to working for $6 an hour at a fastfood joint?

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My gut reaction was that it was tragedy; one made even worse by the fact that this won't be the last time such an article appears in the Freep.

I'm not an expert on such things, but I've often wondered if one could scare a lot of these kids straight by taking them on a tour of the Wayne County Morgue to see where their life is heading.

Of course, we also have to make sure that - even if their career starts at a min. wage fast food joint - they understand that they have better options down the road if they stay in school, study hard, and play by the rules.