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| Me-Me Gerlach |
Of the 11 new officers, four are woman. One is not only Latin, but fluent in Spanish. Another understands sign language. It's a diverse bunch.
Council member Ce-Ce Gerlach, of course, had a few questions. She wanted to know whether these new hires has been vetted to determine if they belong to any hate groups or are white supremacists. She was assured they were thoroughly investigated. Then she asked whether any of the new hires had backgrounds as teachers or in social services. She was told a number of them have college degrees and were in other fields before becoming police officers.
Then she voted No. Council member Josh Siegel also voted No, and without explanation, to a measure at the very core of what a city government does. Its primary function is to protect the people who live there.
Fuck the police.
Gerlach and Siegel, both of whom want to be Allentown's nest Mayor voted No in an obvious attempt to pander to felons like Hasshan "Fuck the Police" Batts as well as misguided circus clowns like Black Lives Matter's Justan PBarker. If a few people die because a cop's not around, so be it.
As I've mentioned some time ago, Allentown business owner Nat Hyman, who actually has lived in the Queen City his entire life, is seriously weighing a run for Mayor himself. I asked him what he thought of these No votes, which might be the first time any Lehigh Valley municipal official has said No to giving a police department the manpower it needs. Here's what Nat told me:
"It is terribly disconcerting when an elected official puts politics or the own agenda ahead of the safety of the citizens they have been elected to represent. At a prior City Council meeting, Gerlach and Siegel likewise voted to not accept $110,000 from the federal government for our police department, which came with absolutely no strings attached. They are making political statements with the tax payers’ money and, in the process, showing a wanton disregard for the best interests of our City, the safety of our citizens and common sense governance."
I'll end this with a little story about Ce-Ce. When the pandemic first hit, and there were shortages of just about everything, she called Nat Hyman and asked if he could get her a few bottles of hand sanitizer for the homeless. He got her a pallet. She never said thank you, and later refused to sign a commendation praising Hyman for his Allentown sign.
That's why I call Ce-Ce Me-Me.
How many of the new officers were BLACK.. I DONT FALL FOR THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR CRAP....
ReplyDeleteI believe I'm glad I no longer live in Allentown. It's become a city of nincompoops.
ReplyDeleteOh Cee, Cee Gerlach. Oh Cee what you havr done now.
ReplyDeleteCee Cee Gerlach oh Oh Cee what you have done now.
Comea comea comea, come along with me Cee Cee Gelrach.
Oh yeah, Cee Cee Gerlach, oh yeah Cee Cee Gerlach.
Nat is too good for Allentown and Gerlach is exactly what the city deserves. Allentown's future is very bleak. The decline comes quickly.
ReplyDeleteIf Hyman has any sense, he will skip running for mayor of Allentown. He has a good life, but it will go down hill as soon as he runs, It will cost him and his family too much to make it worth it. We have seen what politics has turned into. His best option is to relocate to a city, possibly in central pa. where good government is still possible. Allentown is domed, one man cant save it.
ReplyDeleteWe have lost our minds - well you get the government you vote for.
ReplyDeleteThere should be more outrage over this than who is running for a federal position.
I avoid any reason to go to Allentown im not comfortable there, my assessment may be fair or unfair it doesnt matter. Perception is reality.
A serious question about Gerlach: has she always been this way or is this a more recent downward spiral? I ask because while I have never met her, I heard nothing but positives say 5 years ago and now within the last year or so, it frankly is disturbing and seems to just keep getting worse. Is this a good person that has fallen or was she simply rotten and hid it better years ago?
ReplyDeleteI think she's a phony and always have. I questioned myself bc some others were saying good things. She has in the past been a very effective GOTV person, but her star is falling after she took video of the aftermath of a suicide before the family itself was notified.
ReplyDeleteIf nothing changes, nothing changes.
ReplyDeleteAppears Allentown will move up on the most murders per 100,000 list. Need to vote both of they OUT!
ReplyDeleteBO, it's amazing how I can be so mad at you one day and totally agree with you the next LOL.
ReplyDeleteThis is bad, keep in mind that most guys who are eligible to retire are getting out as soon as they can because of the untenable working conditions people like CeCe have created for cops. Second, it takes 6 months of academy and another 3 in the field before an officer is ready to patrol on their own. Third, given the increase in gun violence, the emptying of our prisons, and the COVID recession, crime rates are going to continue to increase. It does not bode well for Allentown, or any city that thinks it's good idea to reduce police when the crime rate is going up. In fact, it's a recipe for disaster!
As a 20+ year city homeowner, to me this is almost as humiliating as the whole Fed Ed saga. Every other municipality in the region hires similar highly educated, qualified and competent young police officers who are welcomed and congratulated. In Allentown however, an uneducated and ignorant elected official, who goes around looking like a homeless person is going to scrutinize these outstanding young law enforcement professionals as if they are associated with hate groups???? Allentown needs to be able to complete with the suburbs for excellent caliber police officers and City residents and elected officials ought top be glad applicants even apply at Allentown.
ReplyDeleteGod help the citizens of Allentown if that nitwit runs for mayor. She thinks she's our AOC. But she's really a no-talent opportunist who can't hold a real job.
ReplyDeleteShe is the future of Allentown, those like minded as her will soon become the ruling majority, If you can get out, do it now.
ReplyDeleteWe must remember that a city is not restored by a leader, but by the willingness of the whole population.
ReplyDeleteMr. Hyman hit the nail on the head. Those 2 are putting their own political agenda ahead of the interests of their constituents. Forget about running for mayor, they should be removed from city council.
ReplyDeleteThat was really nice of Nat to get the homeless a pallet of hand sanitizer! You never hear about the good things he does, probably out of jealousy. He gets slammed a lot and people never mention that he has redeveloped more of Allentown than probably any other person in the history of the city.
ReplyDeleteRemember this, Law and Order, and Safety, are extremely important to citizens and the families they want to protect. We are being forced into conditions that REQUIRE more help in maintaining quality of life, not less.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I’ve read about Allentown (don’t live there now) it finally has a very good Chief of Police. Support him with what he needs. Why? Because you might need him!
That was really nice of Nat to get the homeless a pallet of hand sanitizer! You never hear about the good things he does, probably out of jealousy. People never mention that he has redeveloped more of Allentown than probably any other person in the history of the city.
ReplyDeleteBernie, is there any legal method in place to get these two off of city council before they destroy the city?
ReplyDeleteWhere have you gone Nat Hyman? A city turns its lonely eyes to you.
ReplyDeleteHyman said in 3 sentences what those 2 nitwits wouldn't understand in a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was President of the President's Council of the Allentown Crime Watch we urged the City to bring its police force up to full staffing as called by the Budget... David Lockhart while chair of the former Community of Neighborhood Organizations Public Safety Committee encouraged to City to staff more cops ... Some of which would be in the community policing program...
ReplyDeleteI'm a life long Dem and I voted for Nat. I follow the news, current political events, and have had a fairly good education. Not to sound elitist but after watching Fed Ed get reelected in the last election do I feel that the average Allentown voter has the knowledge and common sense to vote for what's good for them? Not really, but hope springs eternal and I hope Nat runs again.
ReplyDeleteBernie are you familiar with the Homeless Bill of Rights that will be going before Council next week?
ReplyDeleteHomeless bills of right are bullshit measures from people who really just want to pretend they are doing something, and have zero to do with this story
ReplyDelete” Bernie, is there any legal method in place to get these two off of city council before they destroy the city?”
ReplyDeleteUnless convicted of a felony or infamous crime or impeached, you’re stuck with them.
I recently had the opportunity to meet the 2 Hyman daughters. They were so humble, polite and respectful. I guess I expected different because of their father's position. You can tell a lot about a person by how their children conduct themselves.
ReplyDeleteWhile I have to agree that the voters in Allentown have failed miserably going back to the devastating tenure of Roy Afflerbach, I disagree with those of you writing the city off, telling people to move out and that Allentown has no future etc.. I think a community like Allentown can be poised to thrive in the next 50 years or so. Yes innovate approaches to public education will be needed and hopefully ASD can be eliminated in favor of regional or private educational solutions and yes the City needs elect more responsible elected officials. But I'm choosing to be optimistic about Allentown's future in an ever changing world where educated young people are looking to live in dynamic urban communities with vibrant walkable downtowns with wide arrays of housing types.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your positive remarks! And thank you Nat Hyman!
DeleteWhy only hate groups and racism checks on White ( European Americans ) ? Talk about being a racist ? All on none comrades! I approve for all ! Again, liberals put party before the people. Wake Up America.
ReplyDeleteBernie, please that picture is giving me night terrors just like the pig lady throwing the bird. Just seeing this again just after pig lady I will be suffering at the very least a month with no sleep.
ReplyDeleteDo you really think 1/11 being able to speak spanish is "diverse" by the standards of the Lehigh Valley? Allentown is 43% Hispanic/Latino and 13% Black. If the city has to hire police officers, it should at least hire people representative of the city they police.
ReplyDeleteWhere is fed Ed when you need him?
ReplyDeletePlease comment on the proposed Homeless Bill of Rights draft ordinance that will be on the Allentown CED meeting agenda on 10/14/2020. More people need to be made aware of this ridiculous proposal.
ReplyDelete