[[Literal) Fear & Loathing in Detroit: Me, Chief Godbee, car crimes and guns

[MikeM]

They cut down all the trees around our lot, put up barbed wire, instituted new security measures [[you have to wake the guard up and wave your I.D. at him as you walk by the open gate.

Last month I think there were five more, including in the lot with the most security.

Reminds me of my wife's experience at the UofD Law School: several cars broken into inside of a guarded lot. Complaints to the administration were met with the explanation that the guard isn't there for security, but to keep non-students from parking in the lot.

[DetroitPlanner]

DetNerd gives good advice. This is City living 101. Stow your stuff, alarm your car, and use the club. Now the club won't stop a perp, but it will slow him down. These folks want in and out quick. Make yourself a target and you will be hit.

[daddeeo]

I see U of D has their priorities straight.

[DetroitPole]

Yes, this is at the city's cost only.

The new DPD employment ordinance which just came out of Council allowing officers to work security on the side in uniform is supposed to deal with this. It would charge companies an hourly rate for 'renting' the police officers on their own time. Supposed to be a win-win - officer get more $$, neighborhood gets more police coverage, businesses more safety.

Something tells me Ilitch will somehow work a deal where he does not pay for the dozens of officers required at Tigers/Wings games, etc. Some cities do this already, others do not.

Thanks for bringing this point up. Here is a problem I have not adequately seen addressed yet, however: City Council has also pitched this plan to neighborhoods. I.e., neighborhood associations can hire these cops as well. However, these associations get donations from their residents, and, well, now I have to pay a cop to patrol my neighborhood, in addition to my astronomical taxes?!?! I thought that's what my taxes were for!!!

Oh, wait, my taxes went to the pay raises for the city council aids. I have a better idea: fire every other person in the CAYMC and hire cops with the money you save on personnel costs. I bet I won't notice a reduction in general services.

[bailey]

I see U of D has their priorities straight.

As incredible as that sounds, I can confirm it was said to me. My car was one of 5 broken into along St Antoine one evening. [[st antoine borders the lot and is where people have to park when lot is full) When we met with the dean to discuss the ridiculousness of that many cars being broken into during an evening class period- within not only earshot, but clearly within sight of the guard- she said the same thing. They don't leave the box and are there for access control to the lot only. incredible. The really frustrating thing was that I went out of my way to NOT be a target as, by that time, my car had been broken into before. If the shitbag got anything it was a few pennies that might have been lodged in the seats. I was happy to hear that in the last few years the profs lot has been hit quite a bit and that has me hoping the dean we spoke to was a victim.

[MikeM]

My wife wasn't a victim while the lot thefts were occuring, but her car was broken into later while parked on the street outside the school. She called the police and reported that her car [[window) had been smashed. A patrol car and an undercover unit arrived within minutes, thinking it had been a hit-and-run. After looking around a bit, the cops left. My wife searched around the block for her stolen backpack and found it in the vestibule of the church, hidden under a newspaper. Her CDs were piled next to it and a microwave dinner was missing; she assumed the perp was one of the local homeless who was probably heating the meal in the microwave at the nearby gas station. She gathered her belongings and left him a tampon under the newspaper.

[R8RBOB]

I remember going downtown on Friday and Saturdays and I would park on Monroe by the old city parking structure [[now Greektown's parking structure) or the Chrysler service drive. For years, you didn't have people cars getting broken into and then.....came the casinos. Once the casinos opened for business and the police became babysitters for the new jewels you started see more and more glass laying on the ground. I would go to the casino early in the morning and you would see the broken glass and that someone was gambling a bit too long the night before. Back in the 90's, I never feared my car being broken into but now I am parking in the parking structure. I don't want to lose my money and then come out and discover that I have to spend more money in repairs.

[Nee]

Does anyone know who funds the thousands of man-hours that DPD spends as crossing guards for events downtown? During yesterdays joke of a parade they had officers at every side street along Woodward to make sure it was closed. It appeared that it was two officers per car, per street [[on each side of the intersection) for about 5-6 hours.

Who foots the bill for this. Is this DPD pulling officers off real patrols to ensure that Tigers fans know to cross on red?

A lot of the officers that work these events are volunteer Detroit Police Reservist

[Det_ard]

Almost 20 years ago to the day I moved into Lafayette Park [[shades of BShea). Had an after work happy hour at my place attended by coworkers. The big Detroit booster, the guy who convinced me to consider living in Detroit [[during Coleman Young's last term) went to his new car parked on Antietam around 6:30 p.m. to find a busted window and missing stereo. Broad daylight, summer time, in view of hundreds of apartments and condos. It was bullshit then and it's bullshit now.

The difference for me is my tolerance for that kind of thing has gotten pretty low so I really think twice before heading to Detroit for anything. I've gone from living there to just working there to visiting a couple times a month to visiting a couple times a year. For me, it's just not worth the hassle you often have to deal with. Too bad for me and others who feel the same way, but really too bad for the city.

[DetroitDad]

A short essay on my anger and feeling of helplessness and hopelessness over downtown Detroit's endless auto break-in wave.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/shea

Check out this Google Street View of Robinwood street on Detroit's East side. Now compare that street with this one around the block.

Do you think the differences are pure chance?

It is a general rule that death has to be easy because life is hard. Life always requires a constant fight, or else death will creep in and consume it, like the waters creep in through a leak in a ship's haul, and if not constantly bailed out, will almost surely sink the entire ship.

[milesdriven]

I think Detroit's property crime rate is probably 4x as high as what is actually reported as most victims know that they are wasting their time by making a police report.

[Magnatomicflux]

Good post, BShea. It's all true. Detroit's police department seems to be unable to intelligently deploy police to protect cars during events.

For the benefit of those who aren't familiar with how to Detroit-proof your car, here are many of the points that come up in conversation with my friends:

1) No 1990s Dodges, no Jeeps.

2) Leave nothing in your car, especially not loaded shopping bags.

3) Trunk cable should be deactivated.

4) Drive a stick shift if possible.

5) Don't park near sandbags.

6) Use a steering wheel lock.

7) If you have a manual shift, a stereo that isn't worth stealing and and empty car, you might even leave the door unlocked.

Good points. If you do have a jeep...like a TJ for example, NEVER lock it. There's no point. If you have a soft top they just slice the plastic windows [[sometimes they're nice and actually unzip it lol)
Those 90's dodges were the worst. You can actually kick the door in the middle while pulling on the top and it will fold over. That's how my buddies ride was stolen and it was found 2 days later in a ditch near Ottawa Ont!
Steering wheel locks like the club are garbage. Steering wheels can be cut in seconds with a hacksaw. They still act as a deterent though, especially for crimes of oppertunity. A real good item to have is similar to the "club" but is attatched to your brake pedal arm. It's base is placed on the firewall and you stretch and lock it to the back of the brake pedal arm, which is one of the strongest peices of metal in your car and can't be cut. Well, it can but really....noone is going to want to. Unless you bring a sawzall, 10 blades and a power supply with you. If you can't depress the brake you can't even shift to drive. It would probably work on the clutch pedal too.