More cops should call Detroit home - Let WWW III Begin

[jj84]

No, No, No!!!! Not until you change the/a city to a Ward election system, When you make people live in the City -- they become VOTERS in the City, you have a faction of workers that can get people elected that can further their own agendas. Example -- The Police and Fire Retirees at 50 that have $80,000+ Pensions which are much more common than most think in both the City and the Suburbs.

This is problem in the suburbs where voter turnout is low for elections and having everyone on the department and their families vote can easily walk away with the election. You basically are putting the fox in charge of the hen house. The Finance department may also have to live in the city – they don’t exactly have the people or the public standing to gain a lot of votes.

[aprilgirl33]

Having been on both sides of this argument, I still don't have the answer. When the residency law was lifted, we were part of the mass exodus who pulled up stakes and left. We tried to stay. It wasn't until too many things happened [[being the spouse of a DPD officer) that we made the decision to move out. My sense of security had been shaken to the core. I have always loved Detroit, will always love Detroit. Part of my heart still lives there [[probably the reason I frequent DYes). Saying it has changed is no huge revelation and that's probably what boils my blood th most!!! How, in what seems like a short period of time, could a city like Detroit [[with all it once had to offer) become what it is today? There WAS no better place to live as a kid and yes, you did feel safe with an officer [[or more ) on your street. We lived on a dead end and had 4 officers and 3 firefighters on our street alone. When there was residency, it appeared [[IMHO) that there was a different sense of family. Much of that camaraderie has left. The morale is different [[sometimes non-existent). There are those who say that public servants should live where they serve and that has many valid points, but where is the line drawn [[teachers, officials, janitors???). As I said, I don't have the "right" answer. I can say, if Detroit were to turn around today, I'd pack my bags and come back!!!

[SWMAP]

It appears from Wayne County Land Records that Gerritt owns a condominium in the Riverfront Towers - a gated, secure community. Most cops paid at Detroit salary levels would have to live in the neighborhoods.

For the record, I own a home in the Junction/West Vernor neighborhood.

[kraig]

Who is at fault? The landlord that doesn't fix anything that's broken or the tenant that moves out.

The City of Detroit needs to be as dedicated to the people as the people are to the residents.

As far as all of this residency requirement/dedication crap. It's just that, crap. There's never a call for residency requirement for Motor City makeover or Angel's night, is there?

If the City wants more people living here then it needs to make itself more livable. Period.

[iheartthed]

It appears from Wayne County Land Records that Gerritt owns a condominium in the Riverfront Towers - a gated, secure community. Most cops paid at Detroit salary levels would have to live in the neighborhoods.

For the record, I own a home in the Junction/West Vernor neighborhood.

So... He owns a home in the city of Detroit, pays taxes to the city of Detroit, but for the purposes of your argument he isn't a resident of the city because he doesn't live in the ghetto? Am I understanding this correctly?

I'm just curious, but where exactly do you think police officers would live if they were all required to live in Detroit? I don't think most would choose to live in the more notoriously crime-ridden neighborhoods of the city. They would likely flock to a select few communities which would allow them to balance a middle-class lifestyle with what they could afford.

In fact, this is exactly what they did before residency rules were outlawed. There is a neighborhood off of either Plymouth Rd. or Joy Rd., not far from the Redford Twp border, that was predominantly populated by families of white firefighters and police officers about 10-15 years ago. I visited this neighborhood several times with my parents who had friends in the area. The area was fairly well kept, and the housing stock was ranch or bungalow style. There were several other neighborhoods in the city that were also enclaves for [[white) police and firefighters before the residency rule changes.

And Riverfront Towers aren't that expensive. I'm almost certain that there are residents in there who work for the DPD.

[bobby wobby]

Detroit had residency laws and what good did they do? A good cop is a good cop and a bad cop is a bad cop no matter where they live.Residency laws just put stress on cops their family's and on the departments that have to spend resources trying to enforce them.Residency laws are gone and buried and will never come back ,good riddance.

[kraig]

Detroit had residency laws and what good did they do? A good cop is a good cop and a bad cop is a bad cop no matter where they live.Residency laws just put stress on cops their family's and on the departments that have to spend resources trying to enforce them.Residency laws are gone and buried and will never come back ,good riddance.

Here, here.