According to a one sentence advisory, Mayor Ray O'Connell is going to name an "interim" police chief today. Its most recent "interim" police chief, Tony Alsleben, resigned September 6 in the wake of an unusually large number of shootings in Allentown this summer.
He's been scapegoated. Although police morale has suffered under his leadership, the simple reality is the United States leads the developed world in gun violence.
The knee-jerk reaction to gun violence is gun control. But a City like Allentown has no authority ti adopt gun control measures, at least none that would withstand a court challenge.
A possible solution, and one I'm sure Allentown police are already considering or implementing, is a focused deterrence strategy like Boston's Operation Cease Fire, which focuses on hot spots, chronic offenders and gangs.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
▼
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
44 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
all this gun and gang violence can be brought home to the parents who neglected their kids and were lousy as parents. They allowed their kids to roam the streets and never disciplined the kids. It was all home upbringing.
ReplyDeleteThere is no single reason.
ReplyDeleteWhile that reason isn't dispositive, it is a large contributor.
ReplyDeleteThe political class does not consider Allentown a cesspool. they think they are doing a good job.
ReplyDeleteI want to see photos of all these Allentown offenders. Detailed descriptions.
ReplyDeleteNo excuses.
" ... which focuses on hot spots, chronic offenders and gangs .... "
ReplyDeleteThis used to be called community policing. Now, it's targeted racism because black lives supposedly matter. Gun violence is primarily and overwhelmingly an urban issue. As stated in a previous post, Allentown's frogs-in-boiling-water leaders think they're doing just swell. It's a story that repeats in most urban areas wracked with gun violence. Local gun laws are as old as the country. And, just as in Dodge City and Tombstone, they always result in more gun deaths. The best way to avoid the violence of Easton and Allentown is to avoid going there, and stay in safer places - like every single other place in the LV not called Allentown or Easton.
No one has looked at demographics of known offenders ? PMost of problems in Easton have been fortunately abbaited .Landloard license ping ,code inspection were big preventive measures.
ReplyDeleteEaston's problems haven't abated. They've been cordoned into a particular neighborhood to make the rest of the city safe. It's a microcosm of the LV in general. Most places are quite safe and wonderful. The violence is mostly confined to two areas that are easily avoidable for most LVians. They don't elect Allentown's leaders, who seem to win in landslides. Why should anyone else care about the mess Allentown has largely created for itself? Most don't. I don't.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to blame guns, I blame the violence in Allentown on cultural incompatibility. New in-migrating members from the urban underclass of places like the Bronx,NY and Paterson, NJ etc. are just bringing their normalized behavioral patterns with them to Allentown. Drug use, drug dealing, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, absentee parenting, government dependency, irresponsible decision making are just routine aspects of their day to day culture. I don't think the issue requires over-analysis. As more and more homes in Allentown are sold and converted to single family rentals and as more and more members of the urban underclass migrate to Allentown from New York and New Jersey, the problems will get worse. No Police Chief is going to stop this trend.
ReplyDelete“.Landloard license ping ,code inspection were big preventive measures.”
ReplyDeleteI do not accept this nor do I believe Easton has no problem
“This used to be called community policing. Now, it's targeted racism”
ReplyDeleteFocused deterrence is neither community policing nor targeted racism.
“I want to see photos of all these Allentown offenders. Detailed descriptions”
ReplyDeleteThat is bc you are a racist
Agree. Everyone knows these shootings are the responsibility of traditionally violent Norwegian and Finnish Quakers. Asian homework gangs share some of the blame, as well.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHere's a solution (tongue in cheek, of course): Give Mezzalooney her guns and a fancy badge and turn her loose.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete8:40, If you wish to comment, make an effort to be literate.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the chances that west Easton constable, what’s her name, it’s a surprise pick to be chief?
ReplyDelete9:11, You are a racist, and like all racists,don't like being tagged as one.
ReplyDeleteFrst, we do see plenty of pictures of these offenders when apprehended. Second, you and fellow racists will seize upon these pictures to argue that blacks are responsible for gun violence. Third, you will accentuate color while ignoring the many additional factors, like a lack of education, poor job opportunities, bad upbringing, drug dependence, peer pressure and overt or subtle racism by assholes like you.
THe situation in Allentown will never be solved when the mayor and his political buddies do not see a problem they think their doing a good job. The people of Allentown keeps voting the same people into political office so the people of Allentown must approve of their leadership Here are some examples o,connell willing to overpay ripping down Hyman's building by hundreds of thousands, Then O'Connell gives the people a 27 percent tax hike and now they millions of dollars and they do not where it came from --O'Connell and his political buddies are doing a great job. all the cities run by the dems are great places to live.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:14 you are so correct. Well stated thoughts. Their like cockroaches.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 10:06 am: I never said anything like "cock roaches". They are fellow human beings with different cultural norms/value systems and your reference is ignorant. Look at the bright side, there's always Reading. Thank God for Reading, there's someplace worse than Allentown!
ReplyDelete10:23, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God."
ReplyDeleteIf you wish to argue with me, identify yourself.
I have to wonder who would want such a job, It is likely we will see a problem attracting anyone with any sense to be a police officer in America's cities. They are not respected by the citizens or the politicians. Just used as a scapegoat when things go wrong. It may attract a poorer quality of people who will take the job for the wrong reasons. If the current national trend continues we will see more cahous and violence in the cities. I do not see any hope of the current leaders in these cities ever making things better. You have to wonder if any are on the drug sellers payroll.
ReplyDeleteI've got it Trump made Allentown the cisternious shithole. This by selling the water to the authority so Reilly had capitol start up funds. Allentown a money has been very funny ever since the pension cure. That is by the way 90 some million in debt as I type?
ReplyDeleteDidn't the indicted Mayor handle this shit storm sale, co-signed by some still on counsil and in state representive positions.
11:43 am
ReplyDeleteGive the kids a colorful fruit looped tee shirt and enough money to start there own CVS to Make America Great Again. Than the police give guidance and protection in helping destroy the poorer city blocks were it all circles like a swirling toilet.
" ...the United States leads the developed world in gun violence."
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why a distinction is being made between developed and undeveloped.
The United States leads the world in gun violence, thank goodness.
Why would any American want it any other way? It's been our foreign and domestic policy since the beginning. Who would you prefer be the leader?
Why is this the Chief's fault?
ReplyDeleteWhat's he supposed to do??... listen to everyone's phone calls and read everyone emails and find out where every drop of mustard is before a crime has been committed? Sort of a Philip K. Dick pre-crime bureau?
It's not the cops job to prevent crime, that's our job, the cops job is to clean up after a crime has been committed.
Fortunately in a country that boosts about it's liberty, people actually have to commit a crime first before the government has the right to "focus" on them.
How successful have the investigations of these shootings been? This would be a metric to consider, not the amount of shootings.
"Fortunately in a country that boosts about it's liberty, people actually have to commit a crime first before the government has the right to "focus" on them"
ReplyDelete1:57 I'll take the liberty thank you. I do believe your comment about the police may be taken the wrong way. I would argue that police presence does deter crime.
which O'Connell buddy will become chief????
ReplyDelete""Fortunately in a country that boosts about it's liberty, people actually have to commit a crime first before the government has the right to "focus" on them"
ReplyDeletePeople have to commit a crime before they are arrested. But there is noting remotely inappropriate about an intervention with a person who has a history or about whom there are indications of trouble ahead. This includes police officers, community activists, family and friends (if any) and social workers. A person can say No.
This is not a stop-and-frisk approach. It is an attempt to save lives.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAllentown doesn't hire police chiefs. Allentown hires ex-police chiefs in waiting. I'm setting the over/under at six months. Any takers?
ReplyDeleteHow long will o'connell get ??? he is worse than fed ed. Allentown the all-American city is the all American cesspool. yet the politicians claim it's not a bad place to live.
ReplyDelete"nothing remotely inappropriate about an intervention with a person who has a history or about whom there are indications of trouble ahead."
ReplyDeleteWhat history? We all have a history and there is always trouble ahead that is the way of the world.
If you mean a criminal history first, then we agree, and in that case, once again there is always trouble ahead.
An attempt to save lives is a worthy endeavor and worth ever effort so long as it doesn't violate one's oath.
3:34, you are unable to compose a simple sentence.
ReplyDelete9:23PM
ReplyDeleteHey snowflake...We use to have open public duels in the streets even before the undocumented Europeans you mentioned washed up.... Judging by Allentown's leadership or lack of over the past decade or more Allentown is a marvel of civility. I am amazed there is not more violence and attribute that to the good citizens of Allentown and the Allentown Police.
2:15PM "I would argue that police presence does deter crime."
ReplyDeletePolice can't be everywhere, like cameras and microphones, but I would agree, police presence does deter crimes, because they have guns and are experts in gun violence.
The new chief?’
ReplyDelete36 months max.
Agreed 9:23PM.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a cesspool.
ReplyDeleteAlan Jennings said Allentown is not a cesspool.
ReplyDeleteHe is the voice of the little people and he has a radio show.
APD@ Have a Nice Day.com
ReplyDelete“Allentown - Not a cesspool!”