Although I live farther west in Allentown, I spend a lot of time in the Ward. I often see cars double parked on 2nd, talking to one person after another, then moving on to the next block and repeating the conversations. I see this week after week. I often wonder why the police don't see these things?
You need to start thinking less about appeasing Promise Neighborhoods and the politics involved with such distractions from real public safety. You need to direct Chief Roca to start cracking down on the lawlessness in front of our eyes.
Frankly, you and Roca need to start doing a better job!
photo of cynical blogger in gray hair and black coat listening to Tuerk preach to the choir/Promise Neighborhood grant(s) recipient and voter block.
One might demand answers from Promise Neighborhoods on why after all the cash they have received, they themselves have failed to curtail the downtown violence? Is anyone holding them accountable for their failure here? Clearly they have nothing to show for their "efforts ". Isn't it time taxpayer demand answers from them.
ReplyDeletePrecisely! $1.5 million wasted and counting
DeleteBack in the days when we had no organizations appeasing these bad actors we had very little crime. Too many think bad actors need counseling and they'll become upstanding citizens. Unfortunately the only way we can get these kind of characters attention is when we make it very clear we will not tolerate nor indulge their nonsense. No one can speak rationally to irrational people. I'm not a hard ass, but enough is enough!
ReplyDeleteSadly the lesson that bad behavior has no real consequences is now learned in school. It began even before "Restorative Practices" became the vogue. Way back in the 90's so called helicopter parents accused the schools of abuse when they disciplined their undisciplined children. You reap what you sow and the result we have become a nation were the few who have disciplined must understand and learn to accept those who lack it. This creed is now the creed in our schools, cities, and work places. None of this bodes well for the future.
DeletePromises, promises. Promise Neighborhoods does nothing to remove guns from the neighborhoods, but they sell anti-gun sweatshirts. Tuerk is so over his head and his boyish good looks can’t carry him through this. Policing can do something about this, but I’m not sure a police suv could get through N. Elliger Street. So it’s easier not to see what is going on. Get the people with illegal guns off the streets and don’t let them come back. Promise Neighborhoods administrators know that white people are happy to give them money so that they can feel like they are doing something to help. Where’s my sweatshirt?
ReplyDeleteAmen, brother! You could not have put it more clearly. This same trend seems to be going on all throughout most major cities in the USA. I hope things turn around in the new year. Happy New Year to you.
ReplyDelete2023 started and ended with shootings on the east side, yet the mayor and the police chief would insist you look the other way at the overall number of violent crimes and not the homicides and shootings specifically. Shame on Chief Roca above all, who is an "east sider" who won't step foot over here unless it's to glad hand. He sends his officers out to talk to the community about how there's so little crime on the east side. Then explain to those of us who live here why violent crime and shootings are happening here more than any other area of the city. The mantra of "nothing to see" and the lack of patrols is a joke. The mayor and the chief need to be held accountable.
ReplyDeleteThe "community liaison" Sgt. John Leonard has his lips so firmly glued to Tuerk's rear end it's a wonder he actually makes it to any of these meetings to peddle the city mandate. Him and Roca should be the first to go. Neither of them have a clue what's happening in these neighborhoods
DeleteBTW, had an officer who told me how patrols are told to not push reports as to skew the numbers. Just pretend whatever you responded to wasn't a Crime or Crime in progress.
DeleteCrime isn't down, but the jig is up.
The last person who pushed Leonard for updated crime statistics at a public meeting got a bunch of blank stares and "I'm not aware of that incident" responses. In fact, it's pretty much par for the course with Roca running things. The patrol officers can't stand him and the "stats" he's pushing are a pile of garbage not worth the paper he's printing them on. I only want to know why the no confidence vote didn't extend to Charlie and the rest of the brass.
DeleteMy stomach turns when I see the likes of Turk, Wild, and the Promise Breakers talking about guns. I am not a gun owner and never even touched a gun. (I'm over 70 years old). But to ignore the fact that Allentown, like most cities, is populated by fatherless kids. Some are in their third or fourth generation of daddy-less families. Poverty pimps like Turk and Wild are enablers of the first order, always calling for more subsidies and ways not to embarrass their voters. Sometimes a little embarrassment today reduces the source of embarrassment tomorrow.
ReplyDeletePeople it is every where here in the outskirts of Pittsburgh and I agree generations of fatherless kids and fearless and consequences essentially brats that harass neighbors and animals and don't care because parents don't give a care either.And yes it started back in the early 2000s in school because most parents DON'T discipline their kids.and Don 't care so now those kids are "adults" in age only because they feel everyone owes them a dime.and we don't owe them anything.
ReplyDelete