Detroit to Put Desk Cops on the Street

[HistoryNotHisStory]

The Detroit Police Department is rolling out a program this week to move officers from behind desks onto the streets, as the city is on pace to log the highest per-capita murder rate in a decade.
Operation Inside Out: Night Angels requires officers assigned to desk jobs to put in eight hours on street patrols each week, Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee said.
"That will put an extra 40 to 50 officers on the street per shift," Godbee said. "We're going to saturate targeted problem areas, so we can have a strong police presence around these places: liquor stores, gas stations and other high-crime areas."
Others, including Councilman Gary Brown, argue the force of nearly 2,800 still has far too many officers in administrative jobs.
"The department has about 1,000 officers doing desk jobs," said Brown, a former deputy chief.
"I don't want to pour cold water on what the chief is doing; I applaud his efforts to use every tool at his disposal to get more officers out there. But eventually I'd like to see those administrative officers on the street full-time and replace them with civilians."

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110808/...#ixzz1URwSAjkv

I concur with Coucilman Gary Brown. We need more of an effort than this.

All 1000 desk jockeys need to be on the street. If they do not want to be on the street then retire or quit.

[bailey]

"The department has about 1,000 officers doing desk jobs," said Brown, a former deputy chief.
"I don't want to pour cold water on what the chief is doing; I applaud his efforts to use every tool at his disposal to get more officers out there. But eventually I'd like to see those administrative officers on the street full-time and replace them with civilians

Why the hell are there that many behind a desk in the first place?

[rb336]

I just got a visual of a bunch of cops sitting at desks in the middle of intersections

[Detroitnerd]

So is this going to be like "The Other Guys"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN9sPuKKz-Q

[agirlintheD]

Really? Godbee had to come up with a program [[Operation Inside Out) to have them get out there to do their job? He should have them walking a beat like some used to!

[rjk]

How long before they fall behind on the paper work and they're put back behind the desks?
Doesn't getting police on the streets and out from behind desks come up every few years?

[Buy American]

There are approximately 50 people who have gone through the MCOLES, medical, psychological exams, pee tests, fingerprinted, taken written and oral exams waiting to be called. The DPD has put these recruits through hell for 3-5 years telling them that they'll be in the next class...oh, wait, no money but keep everything up to date because you'll be called next time. A lot of these tests are costly to the recruit. A class was supposed to start this month but again the City of Detroit is procrastinating.

Does Godbee really seriously think that most of the guys working desks are going to the streets? Most are on light duty because of injury, or are at the desks because they are so close to retirement they can taste it. There will be a number of those desk jockeys handing in their paperwork because they are no way able to handle the streets any longer.

Godbee is a talking head....he says what he thinks the mayor wants to hear and what he thinks the public wants to hear.

[internet_pseudopod]

So is this going to be like "The Other Guys"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN9sPuKKz-Q

I think about that too whenever they resurrect this plan. I always wonder why they are behind they desk in the first place? Are the injured? Are they under investigation? Do they have some specialty that requires that they be behind a desk? Did they apply to be behind the desk in the first place? If so they probably dont want to leave.