Devil's Night preparation?

[Gsgeorge]

Any words of advice for riding out Devil's night in Detroit besides locking your doors and keeping all the lights on?

And no, it's not Angels night. Not this year, anyway... But many thanks to the volunteers and safety patrols who keep guard over the neighborhoods.

[dcmorrison12]

My girlfriend and I will be volunteering on Friday.

[cub]

I am volunteering tonight and Saturday night. Will be in the garden Friday evening with the neighborhood kid.

[tahleel]

Sitting on my porch with my pitbull and a loaded shotgun.

-Tahleel

[gnome]

That is better than sitting on your shotgun with a loaded pitbull.

[eno]

Any words of advice for riding out Devil's night in Detroit besides locking your doors and keeping all the lights on?

And no, it's not Angels night. Not this year, anyway... But many thanks to the volunteers and safety patrols who keep guard over the neighborhoods.

Pray for rain and lots of it.

[unclefrank]

I always thought that most of those fires were for insurance.

[tahleel]

I always thought that most of those fires were for insurance.

I'm sure at one point they were, then turned into copy cat crimes, and soon a "tradition". Sigh. I read that in 1984, there were 810 fires in the three-day period in Detroit. Same time the economy took a hit? Bank system failed? Credit crunch? Sounds like now.

They say they're patroling now, yet I don't see any by my house. I guess we're left to fend for ourselves. Sigh.

-Tahleel

[Downriviera]

Any of you kids going out soap'in windows?

[Philbo]

Keep your garden hose connected and ready to go. Its not much, but you might be able to put out a small fire before it becomes a biggie. Good luck.

[1KielsonDrive]

I did my duty tonight. The SW side. Didn't see a thing. Most people I talked to said they were talking with neighbors, watching their neighborhood, taking turns walking or riding around. Having gatherings in their yards or on their porches and generally making their presence known. I usually try to cruise a couple of nights and Halloween night itself, if possible. This year it isn't possible.

[reddog289]

I myself have been watching the vacant house across from my one school, Can't be there all night , But I think the neighbors will help out.
unclefrank and tahleel have valid points,Hopefully things work out for the good and a good rain never hurt nobody.

[jcole]

Well, apparently the city employees don't care as much as you guys do:

Thousands of Detroit employees who typically help protect the city from firebugs during this three-day Halloween period are refusing to do so unless they are paid overtime, Mayor Dave Bing's office said Thursday.

Angels' Night city worker participation is expected to be down by at least half, and the administration is asking residents to be extra vigilant in watching for suspicious activity in neighborhoods.



But union leaders say money has nothing to do with their rebuff; they simply won't spend their time volunteering for Bing because they say he has been cutthroat during bitter ongoing labor negotiations.
"You don't spit in somebody's face and then turn to them and say, 'I need you,' " said Leamon Wilson, chairman of the presidents of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees locals. The unions represent about 3,400 city workers, many from departments that usually patrol during Angels' Night.
"This isn't about Dave Bing, but rather the citizens of Detroit," Bing said in a statement Thursday. "Nothing -- including negotiations -- should be more important than their safety."

Bitter contract talks to leave Detroit with fewer Angels' Night patrols

[Locke09]

Jcole,

Other mayors have implemented 10% pay cuts, increased employee healthcare costs and laid off even more employees than Bing has. But they were successful in getting thousands of employees to volunteer for Angel's Night and Clean Sweep anyway. Most of those volunteers received no compensation. Many of those volunteers patrolled in their own vehicles and got family members, friends and neighbors to volunteer for the City's two big volunteer events. Departments made a big event out of getting employees to volunteer for these efforts. Sometimes there was friendly competition to see who could get the most volunteers. That's what you get when people feel like they're part of a family or team.

But, a leader has to have team-building skills in order to get employees [[or anyone else for that matter) to volunteer. The leader has to know how to talk to people, even while making tough decisions. The leader can't always be running to the press to "tell on folks" and set them up to take the blame when things go wrong.

BTW, I'd like to know how the non-employee volunteer numbers are going too.

Yes, people should rise above the animosity they might be feeling and do what's best for the city, and I'm sure many will. But most probably won't because that's just human nature.

[loralei]

The communities of EEV, Morningisde and Cornerstone have come together to patrol for Angels Night. We have a welcoming center set up at St Clare of Montefalco Church at Mack/Outer Drive where people can check in and patrol within those 3 neighborhoods. We have food and much needed coffee. If you're out and about, come visit! We'll be there tonight from 6 to Midnight.

[Danny]

Mother Nature is going to help with Angels' Night with the periodic rain showers. That will wet up those abandon buildings and keep the fires out. Sorry arsonists!

[jcole]

Jcole,

Other mayors have implemented 10% pay cuts, increased employee healthcare costs and laid off even more employees than Bing has. But they were successful in getting thousands of employees to volunteer for Angel's Night and Clean Sweep anyway. Most of those volunteers received no compensation. Many of those volunteers patrolled in their own vehicles and got family members, friends and neighbors to volunteer for the City's two big volunteer events. Departments made a big event out of getting employees to volunteer for these efforts. Sometimes there was friendly competition to see who could get the most volunteers. That's what you get when people feel like they're part of a family or team.

But, a leader has to have team-building skills in order to get employees [[or anyone else for that matter) to volunteer. The leader has to know how to talk to people, even while making tough decisions. The leader can't always be running to the press to "tell on folks" and set them up to take the blame when things go wrong.

BTW, I'd like to know how the non-employee volunteer numbers are going too.

Yes, people should rise above the animosity they might be feeling and do what's best for the city, and I'm sure many will. But most probably won't because that's just human nature.

I'm just saying that it shouldn't matter what Bing or whoever does; most city employees live in Detroit, and one would think that they would give a damn. It sounds more like the union came down and told them not to comply.

[Meddle]

#8: I was there. You could stand on any corner in SE Detroit at one fire and look in any direction and you would see three or four more. The entire lower east side was covered in a pall of smoke like a heavy fog. Fire crews from Dearborn, Southfield, St Clair Shores and the Gross Pointes were working on fires inside the city for the first time since the '67 riots.

#13 says more about the Unions than anything else.

#16 could have the opposite effect. Rain cuts back on the volunteers and leaves areas open for the vandals.

[DetroitPlanner]

I'm just saying that it shouldn't matter what Bing or whoever does; most city employees live in Detroit, and one would think that they would give a damn. It sounds more like the union came down and told them not to comply.

No they don't. Some used to live in Detroit, enough time has passed since residency that there is a whole slew of City employees that have never lived in Detroit, don't plan on living in Detroit. This keeps the union weak, they do not have votes, just big mouths. No vested interest anymore and leads to a dwindling tax base.

I am patroling the East Side tonight. Last year I kept vigilant with the home next door to me when it was firebombed mess. Today it is restored with a family living in it.

[Ray1936]

Lord, I hope it turns out quiet. And all you volunteers out there....God bless, and do be careful. I'll be thinking of you all evening.

[1KielsonDrive]

I'm reminded of Delray during the 70's. As the Detroit Water Department expanded in every direction, blocks were bought and slowly demolished and streets were closed. Many buildings were vacated and unattended, leaving them ripe for arsonists and the resultant 'Fires of Delray'. Which of course, became a staple of the nightly news. I often watched from various vantage points as multiple buildings burned furiously. Fortunately, I, my neighbors and employers, weren't directly affected. Of course, in the long run, we were all affected.

[dcmorrison12]

Living off of cass near WSU, I saw multiple volunteer vehicles driving by with their yellow flashing lights on the roofs. Good news though: only 6 - 11 suspicious fires, which is below - at normal levels.

Tonight, I am volunteering in the office at the Central District Police Department with my girlfriend. I'm excited to get out and support my city / community.

Maybe next year I will patrol the streets.

[1KielsonDrive]

I enjoy patrols because I can be accompanied by a friend or two. We ride, talk, listen to music and observe. In the process we see things we've never seen before or not for a long time. I go to areas I may only see once a year - when I'm patrolling. Next year we're thinking of changing areas. I'm a SW sider and my patrol friends are East siders. They can tell me all about the neighborhoods where they grew up.

[detroitsgwenivere]

I noticed that patrolling by volunteers began dropping off around 11 or midnight last night, but there was quite a number of them out b4 that. If any of you are able to sleep in tomarrow, or get up really early, please consider doing a later or early morning patrol. I stayed out until 4 and will do so again tonight. I also noticed clusters of volunteers in the same neighborhoods, probably their own, closer to downtown. But neighborhoods on the farther east and west sides are the ones getting hit with arson most recently, like Brightmoor and Gratiot/Harper areas. When I was in Brightmoor this morning, I was the only flashing light out there.

Yesterday I heard there was a shooting incident between a patrolling officer and some people over by the Fairgrounds and John R. Some folks don't like "outsiders" coming into their neighborhoods patrolling, especially if a lot of drugs are sold there, so please keep your phones handy. If you have some form of protection, bring it with you, just in case. And don't be afraid to flag down another patroller for any kind of information or assistance, you meet good people that way!

Thank You to all the volunteers, God watch over us all as we work together to protect whats left of our city.

[Jimaz]

You can listen in on the DFD here: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=1308.