I guess the news today -- "Fresno's crime at 43-year low" -- means we won't have to hear a lot of local candidates demagoguing the crime issue in the upcoming election. Then again...
Instead of the boilerplate about rampant crime we're usually treated to in an election year, how about the candidates offer instead their specific notions on how to keep this welcome trend moving in the right direction? Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says the increase in officers -- Fresno has added 352 officers, for a total of 854, since 1995 -- is responsible for the decrease, along with new deployment strategies.
How will the various mayoral candidates keep that going? How will they pay for it? Let's hear that debate.
The latest statistics on crime are deceiving and people who do not think critically are likely to accept them, including the Bee. Two thing need to be kept in mind.
First, Fresno had its highest rate of homicide in 10 years this past year. That should not make people feel any safer. Murder is the most important indicator of violent crime.
Second, crime is still concentrated in high rates in the poor parts of Fresno, such as West and Southeast Fresno.
Before the Fresno City Council and Police Department pat themselves on the back they should keep these two things in mind.
Fresno PD has been waging a public relations campaign to show what a good job they are doing to justify all the money they receive. The fact is they are receiving more money and resources and more people are dying in the City of Fresno
It still amazes me how the media still caters to the wealthy who are running for office and consistantly leave out the regular guy who is actually one of the people.
I released my plans and benefits package months ago and despite my best efforts, the wealthy candidates are the only people who have the power to get their plans, if you can call them that, on Ray Appleton, KMJ and in the news. Thus far, every person who has seen my specific plans that address every issue that has been discussed in these types of articles, have stated how they have changed their decision on who they would vote for and are now giving Jim Boswell the opportunity to serve the people of Fresno. If you look at the dates of release, you will find that I listened to the people and I have come up with the most comprehensive plans that will make positive changes in Fresno now, and well into the future. If the people of our great city will give the little guy the opportunity to serve the people of Fresno and stop this cycle of only voting for the wealthy or worse yet, the politician's who always make the same false promises and who have got us into this mess in the first place, we could all actually have a Mayor that is one of the people and who will not forget that he works for the people. Jim Boswell is this person. Don't allow the politician's who have done nothing but give themselves big raises to continue to forget about the people. A vote for Jim Boswell is a vote for the future of Fresno and a vote for the people. This election, we can break the cycle and allow a regular person who is one of the people and who deals with the same issues we all deal with to make real world, positive changes for the people of Fresno and who has specific plans on how to accomplish these plans. You can read Jim Boswell's plans and read about how I have developed specific plans for a better Fresno as well as how I have created a surplus of funds in order to pay for these plans.
I believe that FPD is doing a great job but yes until the drug labs are out of here we will always have a serious crime problem. Those people make lots of money selling the drugs and will kill anyone perceived to be a threat to their operations. The gangs have overrun our communities as well. These two factors are where the violent crime stems from. When we hear about meth lab busts they are most often being run by illegals that get arrested let out pending trial and then are no shows for trials thus starting up somewhere else.
Seriously, Mr. Minick, you are so right. I really am not interested in how each agency crunches their numbers to prove their worth....I measure the difference by how safe I feel when I walk down the street or drive around town.
Years ago, traffic signals and stop signs were routinely ignored by a large number of citizens. I saw so many accident I learned to look both ways before entering an intersection on a green light! Things are different now, I feel safer on the road, I don't mind seeing traffic cops with radar guns, and I am ecstatic to know there are more D.U.I. check points.
With that said, it would be refreshing to have an election where the candidates boasted their own qualifications, because I have no intention of voting for someone who just sits around pointing fingers. If that's how they campaign, that's how they will run the city that I live in.
Like Nike says, "Just Do It!"