Detroit police stop pillow fight

[hockey_player]

You forgot to bolster your argument by mentioning donuts again.

[Det_ard]

Fnemecek's done an amazing job of evaluating the police chief, analyzing the department's shortcomings and figuring out how to fix the city's money problems. He's demonstrated he knows more about policing than a policeman. Bravo! What an asset he is.

Six months is more than enough to solve Detroit's crime and financial problems. Fnemecek could have done it in three months, and fixed the schools in the remaining three. Fnemecek for Supreme Technocrat '09!

[detroitchef]

Hey, be nice to Fnemeck!

I'm sure that his e-mails to Cockrel and Barren are dissected to the nth degree, and all his genius is what is responsible for whatever glimmer of hope we have regarding the future of Detroit!

I am with you, dude! Please, tell us more! Maybe when you have fixed Detroit, you can shine the laser of your brain onto Lansing, and then DC! I hear that if you write Obama, someone actually answers you!

[Fnemecek]

Ah, sarcasm. I could post a witty reply but I'm too busy re-reading emails from neighbors who have been served so well by all of those mini-stations.

[Alfie1a]

oh man, why would they want to stop this type of thing?
link for the fellas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwC0K...om=PL&index=68

[Fnemecek]

God bless you for posting that link!

[Toolbox]

Fnemecek

Why don't you do something like run for council, join DPD or move to Toledo.

You sound like part of the problem and not the solution.

[spiritofdetroit]

Frankie boy is just getting schooled.

It's about time people respond to his libelous comments.

How the hell would you know what Chief Barren does on a daily basis? What makes you think he isn't tackling these problems?

In 6 months, Barren has opened a precinct, graduated officer academies, opened mini stations, increased foot patrols, etc.

Kwame? Cut half the precincts, postponed the academy, removed all remaining mini stations while hooking up his pals to lucrative police contracts.

I have no idea what Ken Cockrel or Chief Barren ever did to you, but Jesus Christ you have got some problems.

[Fnemecek]

Blah, blah, blah. I want an effective police department, therefore, I have issues.

I've explained my point a couple dozen times now and you folks still don't get it. I'll try one more time.

Yes, Chief Barren and Mayor Cockrel have opened a few mini-stations. I brushed my teeth this morning. Both things are about as relevant to police work.

The only advantage to having a mini-station is that makes filing a police report more convenient for some people, usually people for whom the mini-station is closer than their current police district headquarters and who are available to stop by the mini-station during the hours that it is open.

Please answer one question, though. What's the point of making it easier to file a police report if there isn't a police officer available who can investigate the alleged crime and make an arrest when appropriate?

This is especially important because every officer who assigned to a mini-station is one who isn't available to respond to a 9-1-1 call or investigate a crime. DPD is already has a tremendous shortage of officers. Barren and Cockrel are making it worse with the love affair for mini-stations.

The fact that James Barren is going along with Mayor Cockrel's political desire to open these mini-stations means that, in my opinion, he isn't qualified to run a donut shop next door to a police station, let alone one of the largest and most important police departments in the nation.

[Toolbox]

I guess the short amount of time KC jr has been mayor is pleanty of time to totaly revamp the DPD and get a second job to erase the deficit. While he is at it he should have had 30 new highrise buildings built too!

There is a lot of shit to fix and if you think it can be done in ten minutes with a finger snap, a pencil and a napkin I want what you are smoking.

Here is an idea. Why don't you do a film doc on how bad Cokrel and Barrens suck.

[Fnemecek]

It doesn't matter whether Ken Cockrel has been in the Mayor's Office for 6 months, 6 years or 6 decades. The mini-station idea is simply a cheap political ploy, one that Chief Barren should have opposed because pulls our limited supply of police offers away from fighting crime.

If Kwame Kilpatrick had been in office for 20 years, would his use of City funds to hide his affair have become a good idea? Would steering contracts to his friends and family become acceptable if he had waited a few years so he had a longer tenure in office?

I'm sorry, but a bad idea is still a bad idea. It doesn't matter how long one has been in office, it's just a bad idea.

More importantly, when a mayor proposes a bad idea that ultimately makes the people of Detroit less safe then he or she should be kept around any longer. When a chief of police allows his department to be used for a political stunt - whether your name is James Barren, Ella Bully-Cummings or Jerry Oliver - then he or she shouldn't be kept around either.

A bad idea is simply a bad idea.

[Bloomfield Pills]

I have sat at the Police Commission meetings on Thursdays and heard the citizens ask for either a return to the precinct system or mini-stations in their neighborhoods. So this is something the people -- some of them anyway -- apparantly wanted. Yes, they wanted to make it easier for them to file a report, etc.

And I don't suppose it would matter if I told you the mini-stations were being manned by a combination of sworn officers, reservists and community volunteers, thus mitigating the loss of officers in the neighborhoods. It doesn't matter since you so obviously have a personal issue with James Barren.

If you're going to complain about anything, complain about how many officers are assigned to the Casino Unit. In a city that needs officers in the neighborhoods, having more officers assigned to that unit than in any other precinct is ridiculous.

There are a lot of problems with DPD, sure. And I'll be the first one to criticize the cops when they do wrong. But anyone who thinks the chief can come in and fix all the department's issues in six months is an idiot. And the only reason I'm saying that is, you resorted to name-calling first.

Whether you see it or not, your tirades against the police chief make it painfully obvious this is a personal issue with you against the man -- not the job he is or isn't doing.

I'm not saying he's doing a bang-up job; I'm saying that, SO FAR, he seems to be doing the best he can with what little he has to work with.

And, yeah, I'm well aware that the police department has a large budget. But if you think the chief can just use that money any way he sees fit, without union considerations, etc., then you're an even bigger moron than I thought.

Two things are obvious from this thread:

1. Chief Barren must've boffed your wife or something, because your hatred for him is palpable.

2. You don't have a frigging clue what you're talking about.

[Fnemecek]

I'm well aware of the fact that there is a vocal segment of Detroit's population who want a return to old precinct system - just as there is a vocal segment of the population who don't want Cobo transferred to a regional authority and who don't want a single public school closed.

However, that still doesn't mean that mini-stations and the like are a good idea. In cases like this, an effective leader has to explain how the City of Detroit has very limited resources and how pulling officers away from responding to emergency calls and investigating crimes makes things like that make things worse; not better.

As for the staffing at those mini-stations, if there's a single certified police officer stationed at any of them for even one hour then it is unacceptable, in my opinion. Detroit has a tremendous shortage of officers. Every minute and every officer is crucial.

As for the gaming unit, my understanding is that DPD is required to maintain that staffing level by the state law that authorized the casinos in the first place. Reassigning police officers out of that unit and to directed patrol duty isn't something that either the mayor or police chief could do.

I have to admit that I find something really odd about this entire thread. I want the Detroit Police Department to respond to as many 9-1-1 calls and to investigate as many crimes as possible. I complain about obvious cases of mismanagement where police resources aren't being used properly and somehow this means that I have a personal vendetta against someone?!?

Really???

As for this assertion that I don't know what I'm talking about, I challenge you to find one thing that I've written in this thread that is factually inaccurate.

Does Detroit not have a shortage of police officers?

Does assigning police officers to work in a min-station not mean that those officers aren't available to respond to 9-1-1 calls or investigate a crime?

Should not answering 9-1-1 calls and investigating crimes be a higher priority than average wait time to file a police report?

[[Side note: Wait time to file a police report is one of only two reasons anyone has ever been able to give for why we should have mini-stations. The other is "some people want them", which I've rebutted above already.)

[Bloomfield Pills]

I have to admit that I find something really odd about this entire thread. I want the Detroit Police Department to respond to as many 9-1-1 calls and to investigate as many crimes as possible. I complain about obvious cases of mismanagement where police resources aren't being used properly and somehow this means that I have a personal vendetta against someone?!?

We all want a better police department. But no one man could fix those problems in six months, and you seem to be laying the problems of the Detroit Police Department at the feet of a man who has only been on the job a short time.

Your continuous and ridiculous statement that James Barren isn't qualified "to run a donut shop" -- when the man obviously has a very impressive resume -- is what makes it seem so personal. To say Barren isn't qualified is just ridiculous on its face.

Another indication that this issue resonates personally with you would be your haste to personally insult anyone who disagrees with you, no matter how respectful that disagreement might be. You don't seem mad that you don't have a responsive police force; you seem mad because of James Barren and his inability "to run a donut shop."

Seriously, did the guy boff your wife or something? Fail to give you an autograph? Step on your blue suede shoes?

If you're going to be pissed at someone, get pissed at the man who decimated the department -- Kwame Kilpatrick.

Here's what I think: In the latest round of text messages, it was revealed [[but under reported IMO) that Kwame and his minions would instruct employees to call talk shows like Mildred Gaddis and Frank Beckman, so as to put their spin on issues while making it appear that citizens were doing so.

I get the distinct feeling you are working for someone who's trying to make Cockrel/Barren look bad. Your vitriol and lack of common sense in this thread suggests you have some sort of agenda.

Or, there's a second possibility: You really are a thick idiot.

[Crumbled_pavement]

I get the distinct feeling you are working for someone who's trying to make Cockrel/Barren look bad. Your vitriol and lack of common sense in this thread suggests you have some sort of agenda.

Or, there's a second possibility: You really are a thick idiot.

I think Fnemecek is a good dude with good ideas. He's really passionate about his community. He's actually this critical of all Detroit politicians. The problem is, and he will vehemently disagree with me on this, is that he lets his rhetoric overshadow his facts. I think if he lost the "Rush Limbaugh/Michael Moore" tactics and just stuck to the truth more people would listen to him.

[LodgeDodger]

#1. I am tired of illiterate buffoons who argue that the City of Detroit has "no money". The City of Detroit has a general fund budget of $3.1 billion, which is currently running a deficit estimated at $300 million. This leaves us with $2.8 billion in cash with which to run the City.

#2. There is a huge difference between having $2.8 billion and having "no money". The difference, of course, is $2.8 billion. If you would like to see what it's like to run a city government with no money then convince Mayor Cockrel to give the taxpayers back our $2.8 billion.

#3. I posted a few ideas above where the City of Detroit could save millions of dollars. That took me less than an hour and was done using nothing more than information that is readily available on the City of Detroit's web site. If I had better information and it was my job, I could probably come up with even more.

#4. I am quite familiar with James Barren and his resume. I read it the day he was appointed to his current post. I've also met him at community forums. None of those things convince me to change my opinion him.

#5. James Barren isn't qualified to run the donut shop next door to a police station. It's not about his resume. He simply does not have the leadership skills required to effectively take command of a complex situation.

#6. If he had what it takes to be an effective commander then he would have been the one digging through the City of Detroit's budget to find the resources that he needs to accomplish his mission. He did not do that. Therefore, no matter what his resume says or what subordinate officers say about him, he isn't qualified to do the job.

I'm rather pleased with the job Mr. Barren is doing at this time. What qualifies you to be such a strong critic of Mr. Barren? Do you have experience in law enforcement? Do you have experience in city government?

[Fnemecek]

Crumbled_pavement:
I don't think I hit "Rush Limbaugh/Michael Moore" territory, but after some reflection, I will admit that I took my criticism of James Barren's job performance a step too far.

All:
For the record, I continue to believe that James Barren is unfit for command at one of the largest and most important police departments in the nation. However, I took it a step too far by saying that he wasn't qualified to run a donut shop.

I apologize for allowing my emotions get the better of me. I will endeavor to not let that happen in the future.

I will also admit that James Barren is the least incompetent of those who have held the position of Chief of Police in Detroit. He has an impressive resume, as Bloomfield Pills has pointed on numerous occasions, but so did those who ran AIG into the ground. Regardless, he is still the least incompetent Chief of Police that Detroit has had in recent memory.

LodgerDodger:
James Barren, as chief of police, is a public official. What qualifications do you think one needs to criticize job performance of a public official?

In my opinion, it is the fundamental right - if not the outright obligation - of every citizen to criticize their government when public officials abuse their power for political purposes or otherwise fail to live up to their sworn responsibilities. If you disagree with my assertion then obviously you have the right to your opinion.

Bloomfield Pills:
I am not employed, engaged or otherwise involved with Dave Bing's campaign nor do I have any involvement with any other political faction. More importantly, unlike many people on this forum, my true identity is fairly easy for every to discover. The fact that no agenda other that what I believe to be in the best interest of my community is also easy to verify.

For the Cockrel/Barren Supporters:
I respectfully challenge you to answer one question.

The Detroit Police Department currently has a critical shortage of police officers; hundreds of 9-1-1 calls go unanswered every day. No one rightfully expects this to be solved in only a few months, I do believe that one should expect to see some type of meaningful progress in that time period.

With that said, I ask: how does pulling police officers away from responding to 9-1-1 calls and/or investigating crimes and assigning them to a mini-station make things better?

I look forward to your responses.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Fnemecek, looks like you're screwed no matter what.

http://www.freep.com/article/2009041...o+help+Detroit

Bing intends to keep James Barren if he's elected.

Bing, speaking today to the Free Press editorial board, said Barren has earned high marks from the rank and file within the police department, and from residents. He said Barren shares his vision of making public safety a top priority.


“If something’s not broken, there’s no need to fix it,” Bing said.

For what it's worth though, I think you have some good ideas. Detroit government needs to be much bolder than it has been to attack critical issues.

[Supersport]

Damn, I stopped in just to see if FNemecek went psycho when he heard Bing intends to keep Chief Barren. So where does one go from here? One is the lonliest number....LMAO!

[Bloomfield Pills]

In my opinion, it is the fundamental right - if not the outright obligation - of every citizen to criticize their government when public officials abuse their power for political purposes or otherwise fail to live up to their sworn responsibilities. If you disagree with my assertion then obviously you have the right to your opinion.

First of all, thank you for your last post. Spoken like a gentleman; hopefully we can continue from this point as such.

I totally agree with the paragraph above. But my question is: What has Barren done to abuse his position for political purposes? Is there an x-factor I don't know about? Something that hasn't been made public? Because as far as I can see he has a clean record, albeit an interesting one.

As the head of Kwame's EPU, Barren was on the prosecutor's list to testify how Kwame's buddies and Christine Beatty had usurped his authority, along with carrying out other dubious dealings. But the case never went to trial. From the way I understand it, Barren just retired, rather than put up with all the crap Kwame's thugs were doing.

I certainly will allow that there could be things I don't know about Barren, and if you have some information that shows him to be a crook, or even a buffoon unfit to run a police department, please provide it. So far you've complained about police response time -- a problem that simply cannot be fixed by a police chief in six months.

Bloomfield Pills:
I am not employed, engaged or otherwise involved with Dave Bing's campaign nor do I have any involvement with any other political faction. More importantly, unlike many people on this forum, my true identity is fairly easy for every to discover. The fact that no agenda other that what I believe to be in the best interest of my community is also easy to verify.

That's cool. I think we all have the community's best interests in mind.

For the Cockrel/Barren Supporters:
I respectfully challenge you to answer one question.

The Detroit Police Department currently has a critical shortage of police officers; hundreds of 9-1-1 calls go unanswered every day. No one rightfully expects this to be solved in only a few months, I do believe that one should expect to see some type of meaningful progress in that time period.

With that said, I ask: how does pulling police officers away from responding to 9-1-1 calls and/or investigating crimes and assigning them to a mini-station make things better?

Well, I honestly wouldn't characterize myself as a "Barren supporter." You stated earlier in this thread that he wasn't fit to run a donut shop, and I pointed that he most certainly is qualified, in the literal sense of the word. If you're looking for someone to run a police department, on paper he has the credentials; i.e., he's qualified for the job. That's why I brought up his resume.

Of course, an impressive resume does not a good chief make. Is Barren a good chief? It's still too early to tell for sure, but I'd say so far he's done about as well as can reasonably be expected.

As to your question about pulling manpower from precincts:

How many cops are we talking about, in reality? There are four ministations, which are to be run by a combination of reserves, volunteers and regular cops.

So we're talking, what? Less than 10 cops off the street?

Certainly every officer helps out there, especially when there's already such a shortage. But Barren is a psychologist, and maybe he's thinking as such. When he became chief he stated up front that his first and foremost goal was to try to restore the public's trust in its rotten police department -- and, along the way, also restore his officers' trust in their department, which had sagged to demoralizing levels under Kwame.

Most cops that I know of say Barren has done a good job toward that end. Nobody claims he's perfect but most seem to agree he's done about as good as can reasonably be expected.

So maybe the ministations are a bit of window dressing. But it's not like it's something that's being foisted onto a public that doesn't want it; people said they wanted them back in the neighborhoods, and the department provided that.

At the end of the day, we're talking about probably 8 cops at the most -- and that's if they run two shifts at the ministations, which I doubt they'll do. More likely it'll be four officers, supplemented by reserves and volunteers.

I think the gesture is worth it. Sure, it still takes a long time for the police to respond to emergency calls, especially when they're also often called on to respond to medical calls, false alarms, etc.

And I'm quite certain there are a few dirtbag cops who blow off emergency calls because they're eating in the donut shop, getting laid, or even smoking crack in the dope house.

But the cops usually are late because there aren't enough of them to go around. James Barren can't fix that in six months -- and the handful of cops manning the ministations wouldn't make even a tiny dent in police response time. But there is indeed a chance they'll make a dent in restoring the public's trust in a long-corrupt police department. The public asked for ministations, and Barren worked to get them, at little cost.

Yeah, it's a political move designed to please the taxpayers -- but, you know what? After living under that slimy bastard Kilpatrick, whose only concern was pleasing himself at my expense, I'm happy to have an administration that's going to try to carry out the community's concerns for a change. If that means four cops aren't on the street, I'd say it's a fair tradeoff.

And, besides -- who's to say the cops at the ministations won't be available to respond to emergencies if the need arises? It would be a simple matter of turning out the lights. locking the door, and then hopping in the squad car.

I just don't see it as that big a deal.

I hope that answers your question.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Looks like Fnemecek did get his wish. Barren is out and a new sherrif is in town!