Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
Some of this probably applies to other communities.
I have done the best I can in accurately reporting what was said.
A report on a presentation by the chief of police given to the Area Religious Council on Tuesday, October 2. The meeting was held at the Robert W Johnson community center which was formerly the Memorial recreation center
The chief of police talked of the problem of the unofficial Hagerstown day shelter which is also known as the public library. He said that it is not an effective use of police resources to be telling people at the library that they must leave and that, in those few cases where they do not leave, arresting them for trespassing. He said the same thing applies to those people who decide to keep warm during the day in vacant apartments and empty buildings.
The chief of police said that it would be very helpful to have three or four day shelters opened in the community. He was reasonably sure that the library would be willing to loan books, magazines, and newspapers to the day shelters. It might also be possible to receive some donated computers from organizations in the community that have upgraded their computers. The chief of police recommended keeping a pot of coffee on at these day shelters.
In great detail the chief of police explained how they allocate resources to the downtown area. They try to assign an officer to the area around the University of Maryland in the evening when the classes are letting out. They try to be sure they have officers on hand for any special events in the downtown area. They have civilian assistants who are given orange vests, $10 an hour, and radios that connect them directly to the police department. These assistants are not sworn policeman but they are extra eyes and ears at crowd events. The fire departments in the downtown area also have radios that connect them directly to the police department.
The chief of police expressed concern about the attitude of many of the youth in the community. He talked about roving groups of young bicycle riders that try to take over the streets and sometimes surround cars. He told people to please call in such an event. He stated that the next time people are harassing worshipers as they leave the synagogue he would like members of the congregation to call immediately.
He said that almost all of the violent crime and break-ins are directly related to illegal drug traffic.
He said that in prison, for survival, most people wind up becoming identified with a gang; however, many of these people once they leave the prison, while they still are identified with the gang, they no longer participate in gang activities.
He said that there is an upsurge in bicycle stealing but that most of the stolen bicycles seem to be used only for transportation. He asked people to continue to report both stolen bicycles and bicycles that seem to be abandoned. Apparently the police often, after they have examined the data, find out that a bicycle that was stolen at 2 PM at point A will later be found at point B. About 3 PM in the vicinity of point B a bicycle will be stolen which will then be found to have been left at point A.
The Hagerstown police chief encourages the establishment of more after school activity areas for the youth. He pointed out that even though the troublemakers may not come to the afterschool programs some of their followers might come and the fewer followers a troublemaker has the less trouble they can cause.
The chief of police said that there is a difference between actual crime and the perception of crime. He stated that the actual amount of crime in Hagerstown has been going down for at least the last 10 years but the perception is that there is a lot of crime. He passed out a chart showing the data, (which my beloved wife got wet and threw away and therefore I cannot quote directly from it). He said one of the goals is to create a situation in the downtown area where people not only are safe but feel safe. This is somewhat difficult to do in areas with buildings with small windows and storefronts that have areas where people might hide.
The police chief was asked why so many people who were released from prison wound up in Hagerstown. The police chief said that one of the reasons was that they were so many kind, friendly, good hearted women in Hagerstown. He then went on to explain various new programs that are designed to release prisoners in the areas where they were been arrested rather than in Hagerstown.
At one point he did wonder how many people in the audience had been contributing to the speed camera program and pointed out that police cars that were not responding to something were also subject to making a contribution to the speed camera program.
After the meeting I told the chief of police that he seemed have an excellent grasp of the data and its implications and at the same time he was able to present the data in ways that occasionally produced laughter in his audience. I told him that very few people can effectively combine both of these skills.
I have done the best I can in accurately reporting what was said.
A report on a presentation by the chief of police given to the Area Religious Council on Tuesday, October 2. The meeting was held at the Robert W Johnson community center which was formerly the Memorial recreation center
The chief of police talked of the problem of the unofficial Hagerstown day shelter which is also known as the public library. He said that it is not an effective use of police resources to be telling people at the library that they must leave and that, in those few cases where they do not leave, arresting them for trespassing. He said the same thing applies to those people who decide to keep warm during the day in vacant apartments and empty buildings.
The chief of police said that it would be very helpful to have three or four day shelters opened in the community. He was reasonably sure that the library would be willing to loan books, magazines, and newspapers to the day shelters. It might also be possible to receive some donated computers from organizations in the community that have upgraded their computers. The chief of police recommended keeping a pot of coffee on at these day shelters.
In great detail the chief of police explained how they allocate resources to the downtown area. They try to assign an officer to the area around the University of Maryland in the evening when the classes are letting out. They try to be sure they have officers on hand for any special events in the downtown area. They have civilian assistants who are given orange vests, $10 an hour, and radios that connect them directly to the police department. These assistants are not sworn policeman but they are extra eyes and ears at crowd events. The fire departments in the downtown area also have radios that connect them directly to the police department.
The chief of police expressed concern about the attitude of many of the youth in the community. He talked about roving groups of young bicycle riders that try to take over the streets and sometimes surround cars. He told people to please call in such an event. He stated that the next time people are harassing worshipers as they leave the synagogue he would like members of the congregation to call immediately.
He said that almost all of the violent crime and break-ins are directly related to illegal drug traffic.
He said that in prison, for survival, most people wind up becoming identified with a gang; however, many of these people once they leave the prison, while they still are identified with the gang, they no longer participate in gang activities.
He said that there is an upsurge in bicycle stealing but that most of the stolen bicycles seem to be used only for transportation. He asked people to continue to report both stolen bicycles and bicycles that seem to be abandoned. Apparently the police often, after they have examined the data, find out that a bicycle that was stolen at 2 PM at point A will later be found at point B. About 3 PM in the vicinity of point B a bicycle will be stolen which will then be found to have been left at point A.
The Hagerstown police chief encourages the establishment of more after school activity areas for the youth. He pointed out that even though the troublemakers may not come to the afterschool programs some of their followers might come and the fewer followers a troublemaker has the less trouble they can cause.
The chief of police said that there is a difference between actual crime and the perception of crime. He stated that the actual amount of crime in Hagerstown has been going down for at least the last 10 years but the perception is that there is a lot of crime. He passed out a chart showing the data, (which my beloved wife got wet and threw away and therefore I cannot quote directly from it). He said one of the goals is to create a situation in the downtown area where people not only are safe but feel safe. This is somewhat difficult to do in areas with buildings with small windows and storefronts that have areas where people might hide.
The police chief was asked why so many people who were released from prison wound up in Hagerstown. The police chief said that one of the reasons was that they were so many kind, friendly, good hearted women in Hagerstown. He then went on to explain various new programs that are designed to release prisoners in the areas where they were been arrested rather than in Hagerstown.
At one point he did wonder how many people in the audience had been contributing to the speed camera program and pointed out that police cars that were not responding to something were also subject to making a contribution to the speed camera program.
After the meeting I told the chief of police that he seemed have an excellent grasp of the data and its implications and at the same time he was able to present the data in ways that occasionally produced laughter in his audience. I told him that very few people can effectively combine both of these skills.
