CRIME AND POLITICS: MORE INFO ON PPD-D.A. PROBE INTO SUSPENDED OFFICER … plus … FORMER POLICE CHIEF LEE, CANDIDATE TYER UNLOAD ON MAYOR’s ‘WEAK POLICIES’
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015) — Politics is crime. That much we know from skunks at all levels of government. In Pittsfield, crime is also politics, especially during an election year (remember how Mayor Sara Hathaway lost to Jimmy Ruberto with one word, “abberant”?). File that observation away for now.
THE PLANET has more information on the investigation by the Pittsfield Police Department‘s internal affairs division and state troopers assigned to the district attorney into funds controlled by the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO) Local 447. Officer Jeffrey Coco is union president. Sources say Coco has been placed on leave with pay pending results of an investigation into possible fund discrepancies. No charges have been filed. Police Chief Michael Wynn did not return a request for comment. Attempts to reach Coco were unsuccessful. THE PLANET has a request for comment in to the District Attorney’s office.
IRS filings covering the period 2010 to 2012 show the funds increased from $68,298 to $113,149. Expenses jumped from $67,225 to $120,050.
Sources Share More Info on Case
Amount in Question — Sources say investigators are concerned with a “serious amount” of money, variously pegged at between $50,000 to $200,000. Even at the low end, that’s a ponderous lot.
Time Frame — Sources say investigators are focusing on account activity that took place over one year.
Motive — Sources mention an alleged addiction to prescription pain killers seems to be involved.
Bargaining? — Sources say a family member has offered to pay back whatever money is missing, if any, in exchange for cutting a deal with the D.A.
As THE PLANET noted, officials have not publicly commented on this information and have not returned requests to do so.
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Not a Good Week So Far for Bianchi
The wheels continue to come off on Dan Bianchi‘s re-election bid.
Former police chief and council president Gerry Lee blasted the mayor on crime and public safety.
“Crime and its prevention in Pittsfield has once again become front and center in the public eye since the July 4 shootings,” Lee stated in a public letter. “Mayor Dan Bianchi has been defending his administration’s weak policies that have been questioned by mayoral candidate and current city clerk, Linda Tyer.
“What is the cost of a human life? The mayor says that $350,000 to $500,000 is too much to budget for a strong crime prevention program (Cure Violence) that Ms. Tyer advocates. Meanwhile, there seems to be plenty of taxpayer money available to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to refinish floors at City Hall and move city offices to a privately owned building. What are Mayor Bianchi’s priorities? Offices and floors, or human lives and safety?
“The last time Mr. Bianchi was opposed, in 2011, he advocated a ‘zero tolerance policy’ and promised ‘to really zero in on those neighborhoods that have a real need.’ As I said at that time, in 10 years as the Ward 6 city councilor, Mr. Bianchi never talked about crime watches, never. Now he’s an expert on crime watches.
“Candidate Bianchi thought nothing of using crime statistics for political advantage in 2009 and 2011. But now, as Mayor Bianchi, he is singing a different tune. A murder on his watch is simply dismissed as “unpleasant.” A human life is worth something south of $350,000 while City Hall office improvements take priority.
“Meanwhile, the mayor has for all practical purposes shut down code enforcement in Pittsfield. Many absentee landlords are allowed to neglect their properties into a slum state. These buildings do nothing but attract drug-dealing gang members and create conditions ripe for crime.”
Lee, Tyer Attack, Tag-Team Style
Lee’s jab about code enforcement teed up the ball nicely for Tyer, who yesterday appeared at slum housing at 51 and 53 John Street downtown. Tyer went after the mayor: “As a city councilor, Dan Bianchi voted on two separate occasions against giving our inspection Services Department more tools to combat problem absentee landlords.” She cited diminishing property values as the cost of deadbeat landlords “who are not called to task by city hall.”
Tyer pledged to reinstate use of anti-blight codes on the books and establish a procedure where citizens can report concerns to the Community Development Office.
Fair point, all.
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“He loved Big Brother.” — George Orwell, closing line of 1984, (1949).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Gerry Lee was Rubertos right hand man. Is he now Linda Tyers right hand man? We elected Bianchi to get rid of Ruberto and that did not turn out well. But let us not forget that the reason we elected Bianchi in the first place was because we wanted to get rid of the Ruberto crowd and the constant high taxes that came with them.
Show me the choices….
Just because Ruberto supports her doesn’t make her Ruberto.
If that theory holds true then Bianchi is nothing more than Capeless and Bowler is nothing more than Bianchi.
By the time Ruberto left office the taxpayers were asked to pony up an additional 35 million dollars PER YEAR. And this was after he campaigned on lowering the taxes he himself agreed were too high. Guess he did not know he was going to have to purchase self watering planters for North street. Bummersville.
Then Bianchi campaigned on lowering taxes that he said were out of control. He then proceeded to raise taxes over ten more million dollars per year in half the time. Now admittedly he did not know he was going to have to move some city hall offices to his friends business. Or give another 150,000 taxpayer dollars to another friend who he had to fire. Guess he felt bad about that.
So it would be great if the city of Pittsfield could find a mayor who was not tied to special interests and really gave a shit about the people in the city he or she was elected to oversee. And if I see a candidate proudly posing for a picture with a group of special interest folk, it raises serious doubts in my mind as to why I would want to vote for that person.
Yeah it’s not like Bianchi has raised the city budget and taxes every year or anything
I said, “it did not turn out well”
The choices, well there are two other candidates Mr Gaetani and Ms Walto. Either of those would be better. Tyer would be better than Bianchi if it comes to that.
It seems like not too many people in Pittsfield are worry about it because I don’t see a line of them running for mayor. Do we?
Not everybody who is worried about the city is able to run for mayor. MANY people are worried. Craig Gaetani is the best choice. Tyer will be more of the same. Blight is a problem in the city, but poverty, crime, and lack of jobs are the real issues. If fighting blight will make new business want to come to the area then we should focus on it, but it has to be part of a well thought out plan in which fighting blight is just one piece of it.
What is left for population in Pittsfield pretty well sums up caliber of Candidates for Public Office. Think About it. The very things that have deteriorated the City have pushed the Smartest and the Best out.
I think that the reason many qualified people won’t run for public office is simple: they are judged one metric – have they raised taxes? In fact, everything costs money. Even if we cut all the actual waste and 1/3 of the perceived waste, we probably would only cut $2 or $3 million from a budget of 150 million – that is less than 3%.
My taxes in a decent neighborhood are still less (not the rate, but the actual tax bill) than any of our surrounding communities except Hancock. And even if the services are not as good as I want them to be, they exist.
What I really want is services that work, transparency in my Government (and media that holds them accountable on my behalf, like DV does), and a plan to push us forward.
Jobs and poverty in fact are not within local control. The policies allowing folks to collect housing subsidies, SSI, etc. are made on a State or a Federal level. What IS within our control: how we respond to it. So do we hold landlords accountable to renting to the best people possible. A building that is neglected and not maintained – as former Chief Lee states will not attract the folks you or I want into live near. A neighborhood full of those buildings make it less attractive still.
Am I a huge Tyer fan, NO. But my choices are the current failed administration, someone who may not share all of my vales but may be able to act in such a way to bring some positive change – or a guy who is like the container of popcorn on a rollercoaster (thanks Dusty). I have less confidence in that guy than the current guy based on what I have read, and heard.
What we need to do is decide what do we really want – and realize that even if we cut out the waste, your taxes will still go up some every year and the decrease from the cuts may not make them go down much. if you can’t afford to live in Pittsfield – and it’s because of the taxers, it may be that you can’t really afford to live anywhere since you certainly could not live in Dalton, Richmond, Lenox or Stockbridge for any less. Lee is more, Lanesborough is more. Even the TIF’s we give out – still require the current taxes to be paid, which if the buildings were to become unoccupied or unused may result in less collections – so even those deals, though I am not a fan – are not as harmful as the resulting vacancy.
Our best bet is to fix this City. But to think it will get cheaper – it won’t happen. we need to focus on what the city needs and see if the current money can make that happen. I would love to see the JIV team downsized, but we still need to educate 6,000 kids – and that costs a lot even if I want it to cost less, it just nibbles at the edges. I want paved streets – but that costs a lot more than I am willing to spend, so we need to decide what our priorities arte.
to think an old city is cheap to run is probably just a dream. in fact, old infrastructure that has been band aided over too many times to count probably costs more not less to repair.
so if a landlord thinks the building isn’t worth maintaining, I’d rather see it knocked down so no one will live there – since our choices now seem to be no one or someone bad. if it takes a strong arm to make someone who owns a property to take care of it and manage it so it isn’t a nuisance – then that is what I want to see. blight is just one more reason that others disinvest, it is like the row of dominos waiting to all fall over.
Southeast
The Major annoyance for me, is how far backward, Pittsfield has gone, due to greed, and total disregard for the Citizens will and wellbeing. The very basic expectations in Any Town USA, are not being met in Pittsfield. The Infastructure detrioration, Incompetence regarding DPW issues, Properties not being held to a Standard Code. Citizens being shut out and treated like Leprocy. Every town involved in Any Major decision regarding Taxpayer Money should have to include taxpayers in that decision. The Charter that was put through by the Pittsfield City Council is not and Never will be acceptable to me. This is just wrong. To put enormous debt on a struggling City for years to come is unconcienable. Tip of the Iceberg for me. The good people, and the hardworking people are getting screwed by this City across the board.
We can educate 6,000 kids (that number keeps going down) and do it much better than we have been and save money. It’s called putting the school department on a budget and choosing priorities. The Pittsfield school system is not run efficiently and doesn’t even fulfill it’s basic mission of doing a great job educating the children even with all the money that is poured into it.
I disagree that poverty is out of the control of local government. Creating opportunities for its citizens should be a large part of the role of local government. They have the power and the resources to do this. Recent administrations have just been TOO LAZY to bother!!!
Great to know that not being able to afford Pittsfield taxes means you are incapable of surviving anywhere and that progressive policies will insure that taxes will continue to rise each year. I think the key word there is PROGRESSIVE policies. You are correct that all progressives know how to do is raise taxes. We pay progressive politicians big salaries with lots of perks and what do they give us in return? High taxes. It really doesn’t take much thought or skill to do this every year. To me that makes all progressive politicians interchangeable. The real challenge is to get rid of progressive politicians. They are the problem.
I do not believe that we cannot go after some of the multitudes of non-profits in Pittsfield. The big ones do not want to be called on the carpet so they influence friends in govt not to go after the lesser ones because that might make them look bad.
Just what is the percentage of non profits compared to total buildings anyway? Too much taxpayer money diverted to crony folk.
southeast–I suggest you go back and read my resume. when I become mayor I will perform as I have in the past- as a corporate executive. the bottom line is the taxpayers dollars. you and others like you don’t study the accomplishments of the choices in front of you and instead look at the candidates and choose the one who you think will do the best for just you and the hell with any else. –those days are over. the budget will go down down down when I am mayor and the main goal in my administration is to bring the local personal and business rates– down down down. when that happens people will want to come here and so will new companies I have no doubt that I will be very successful as I will be doing the bidding of the tax payer and no one else. what the tax payer wants -the taxpayer gets–what they don’t want –we wont get. I will operate by consensus. that is how it is done in the private sector. it is called the bottom line. I will show everyone how we get to the bottom line and still be successful as a city.-the first to go is dead wood. all of city govt. is filled with dead wood especially the school dept. our police force is adequately staffed with good people and we need no further hires. management and proper positioning of the police will yield good results in taking the crime rate down and we don’t have to spend 500,000 dollars for cure violence –ms, tyers catch phrase which will only catch the taxpayers pocketbook. in the military and in my corporate life– –I take what we have and find a way to make things work. that is what I will do as mayor. also.. your candidate ms. tyer–a secretary, no management skills –no executive experience– too friendly with identified failures -clairmont and chief wynn and all the gob network. main topic for her- (BLIGHT) give n\me a break. I will clean that problem up as an aside issue via osmosis bianchi?– nothing there to speak of–failed mayor, extremely weak background and weaker resume. the worst mayor in the city of Pittsfield history—now southeast –these are your choices. who do you think intelligent individuals would choose in this field if they are truly trying to save this city? popcorn container? yes each kernel with a homing devise on it– to rid the city of the incompetents who are running this city now. I plan to get rid of all dead wood asap–any questions?—craig
southeast– don’t try to put popcorn PHRASE on dusty. that was your buddy Ron Kitterman –who likes to speak in riddles. ron’s days have come and gone without much success. he told me that I cant accomplish much with the way city is at present–wrong ron –I can accomplish plenty. just get me elected. the right person can make all the difference in the world and you will see for yourself when I start lowering the boom on jan 3rd. I wish many pv posters were around when I lowered the boom on Metcalf and eddy engineers and Gerry doyle senior In 1982. it was just me all by myself–result city taxpayers save 150 million and another 15-16 million over past 30 years with much lower sewer and water rates that you would have had if I didn’t lower the boom on aforementioned above–do I have my sights on other failures? you bet your life and you know some of them but guess what? there is more who need to be tamed. my goal is to have a nice city– well managed with citizens who care about each other and not just themselves. the latter are the special interest groups and I assure you they will nit fair well in a gaetani run city. that you can bank on –sincerely craig
I agree with that spagirl. They get their education here, but quickly leave when they realize the lack of opportunity here.
to some degree I agree with everyone. but electric rates are beyond local control, as are general incentives offered by other States or regions. a lot of the folks here that are in that poverty class came here from somewhere else. so again, they come for the cheap housing, not a job.
the policies that ship jobs out of state or overseas are not made in any mayor’s offices. locally we control the margins – how friendly is our zoning, do the inspectors pecker you to death or are they reasonable, things like that.
as for running the schools more efficiently – that is the goal, but again, make all the cuts you want and you will still wind up within 3-4% of where we are now.
should we spend the money better – absolutely. but if you can figure out with concrete examples how to save even 10% and still provide all the things you want out of your City, I’d love to hear it and I will vote for you. absent that – I will settle to reorganize things to run better.
I also think the school is a big waste. but given the timing – there is no stopping it. the thieves in office committed us. so again, we need to make it work. I am beyond complaining – I just want to make sure that the same poor quality graduate does not emerge from the new THS as graduated from the current one.
Craig no disrespect,
But I hear the same from every politician running for Mayor. Once in office, the tune charge. Do you realize that it’s not that easy? You talk about firing people. Do you realize that most city employees are union? How do you plan to deal with the unions? Those salaries are already set and if you are planning to fire someone be prepare to fight.
Now you’re down grading secretaries. Do you know how many secretaries work for the city and how many more work in this community? Do you realize that a secretary could be the brains and back bone of any business? Do you really think that attacking people is going to gain you votes?
Actually, part of good manager is learn to deal with difficult people not attack them.
If I was you, I dedicate all my energy in preparing a plan on how to resolve that issues that this city is facing and the future debates. This community is looking for a leader that would find solutions. We have enough bullies.
If this officer is charged with a criminal offense…..the question I have is why wasn’t the person who stole the $10,000 from PHS charged. My sources (and they are good ones) tell me that it’s well known in the school circle who is responsible.
And Dan, $10,000 in my book is a pretty large amount.
As you have pointed out many times, some in this city can get away with anything.
You are right Spider. Dirty Politics are alive and well, breeding in Pittsfield.
spagirl—the city charter shoved down the throats of the taxpayer is one of the most ill conceived under handed acts ever foisted on the citizens of this city by this city council. considering there will be incumbents back in the next council and specifically krol– who is not aware that there are people here who are hurting and could care less– will be one individual that I will expose and punish for the terrible votes as a councilor that has created taxes here that are through the roof. and forcing working people to move away. he doesn’t know what a days work is, is flush with money– he didn’t earn and above all is extremely arrogant. he fits right in with the tyer bunch and will further destroy this city if tyer is elected. it is imperative that we rid the city of as many incumbents as possible and I will be exposing all of them on my tv show for the elitists they are. the rich live all around me on west street and are all for the new ths and don’t care that the middle class and poor will be paying for their kids to go to a shiny new school with the less fortunate paying the greater share of the cost of this unnecessary school. when I am mayor I wonder how they would feel if I asked them to pay a greater share for the costs of the things they love. I bet things would look different for them if I do this. i believe those that want every thing should have no problem in paying for it rather than asking less fortunate citizens to pay for it for them. perhaps graduating scale should become the order of the day when I become mayor. one has to realize that these type of individuals live here and if they keep getting there way everyone will have to move away and that is just what they want–another lenox or stockbridge. this election is so crucial to most of us and we must forge ahead full throttle or a lot of people are going to be mighty scared if tyer or bianchi become mayor. pish push push –individuals can make a difference. we must make a difference—-craig
guess what–I do agree that it wont be easy but my philosophy is –if you see something that is broken you do all in your in your power to change it . everyone in this city knows that our beloved pittsfield is in big trouble and the only one out there trying to fix things is me. you have to understand that in my corporate life I had to develop a whole new marketing strategy of selling capital equipment directly to municipalities and by passing city dpw commissioners and consultants.- the first place I tried this strategy was in the city of Pittsfield and it worked– more importantly the city of Pittsfield residents saved over 150 million dollars in up front costs and another 15-16 million dollars in water and sewer rates that would have been 7 times higher if I didn’t try my new strategy of selling directly to the municipalities. after Pittsfield I built other plants where by I guided the municipalities to imitate what I did in Pittsfield and every facility I built the tax payer won big time. going back to your question about unions–yes you are right again however what Im going to have to do with the unions is to clearly make them understand that we are in dire straights here in pitts. financially and everyone is going to have to sacrifice big time or there will be no city left here for anyone except the rich who will love it and turn pitts. into a lenox or stockbridge–a place for only the rich. remember opeb–is a looming tiger who one day will pounce and when the tiger pounces it is all over for everybody even the wealthy. so you can clearly see I have to do something and if I don’t get it right the first time I will try again. I am a doer -do you think things will be any different here if bianchi or tyer is the next mayor? I think not and you know I am right. you told me I am down playing secretaries–not so I have had many secretaries and they helped me immensely but they could not step in my shoes and do what I did in our company.as a corporate executive. I told you that ms. tyer was a secretary and not a corporate executive like I was. after all the city mayor will be the boss of that 150 million and what I am saying is that I beyond any doubt i will better be able to manage it as I have vast experience with the bottom line–the taxpayers money these are things that we have to try to sit back and do nothing is not my style today or yesterday or 30 years ago I am a doer and I don’t apologize for being one–why don’t you call bianchi or tyer and see if they will give you what I just gave you.–you know the answer –don’t you?–craig
Off Topic: I understand the city is hiring another honcho for city hall who is moving from FL to take the position.
Does the city pick up the moving expenses for the out of town hires ?
Molari temp agency is now running an add for a bi-lingual receptionist to explain programs to the non-English speaking population. If these people can’t speak or understand English, how can they possibly get a job in this area? How can they even communicate with their bosses? Even in the most basic of jobs such as cleaning work, it would seem they would need to speak English.
Sorry, I spelled ad wrong, It should be ad not add.
Here we go. We criticize them for coming to this country and not working. Then when they want to work regardless of the language barriers, we continue to criticize. Remember Pat, this country is made of immigrants. We all needed some help learning the English language at one point. Eventually, they will learn how to speak English.
I have no problem with them getting a job if they are legal. I just don’t understand how they can do so if they can’t speak or understand English at all so much so that they need to speak to someone who speaks their native language. Even if working in hospitality industry, some English is required. Basic English would be enough to apply for a job I would think.
Yes, if they are legal we definitely want immigrants to get jobs as well as being able to speak basic English so that our society doesn’t have to change for them, but that they do the work of learning English to fit into society, but if they are illegal then we should want them to leave. Of course with Obama in charge illegal no longer means illegal, but instead means waiting to become legal without having to do anything to become legal like going through the process that everyone else has had to go through to become legal!
I never said illegal. I said immigrants; when they came here they spoke no English but worked in factories, farms, GE etc. They learn the language as they worked, paid their dues to this community and raised a families. I know many of them. What’s the difference now?
You raise a fair question. I would respond that the difference between then and now was (then) a willingness to sacrifice a part of one’s culture so that your family (particularly children) could and would assimilate. My grandparents (from Austria and Italy) came here, spoke no English, but insisted that their children learn English and fully assimilate. There is no equivalent desire to assimilate, which, inevitably, requires one to sacrifice a part of native heritage in place of a new one. You can’t come to America, legally or illegally, want to put down roots here, and remain a “foreigner.” Remember the “melting pot?”
Craig: How was your flight to Buffalo, yesterday ? Will you be back in time for court tomorrow? What’s the real scoop on the court appearances tomorrow that you talked about on your PCTV show ? No one knows anything about them ,nor does the public court docket show anything about the criminal charges you alledgedly say you filed against the mayor, chief Wynn,and Collingwood. Just asking, What’s up ??
I am back and what you saw on my tv show was a combined press conference and press release.–the bb and iberk and wbrk did nothing. did you notice how the eagle and iberk flocked to tyer to give her coverage for the third time on blight?–do you think this is fair coverage? I am not worried my days that are coming are the debates. I had my teeth sharpened in buffalo and I will be sinking them in deep–deeper than when I sank them into jerry doyle sr. and metcalff and eddy and we all know how that ended. I had barbs put on them so that once they go in there is no escaping. do you think I am kidding?–of course I will be in court tomorrow and I plan to win there also. the only way I lose– if I get a bad judge. anyone ever get a bad judge? there are many of them believe me. if I lose the mayors race maybe I will start a new campaign to straighten out the dit. and housing court. going to court these days is a crap shoot, ask Charlie garavaltis–he will tell you . what ever I am going to court with full confidence and I expect to be successful. do you think the city is ready for a very confidant mayor? time will tell. dowgerhat hat I am tired tell the pv posters what you saw on my show,–I am going to bed –no sleep at all in three days. I hope I wake up for court. give me a call around 9am—craig
As a staunch advote of body cameras on the a planet years ago an Ohio officer murdered a driver and was caught on his camera. Unbelievable.
nota do you remember ne pushing for body cameras at the ccm and having mazzeo ditching my petition under rule27? as soon as I take office all police will have combination video and audio cameras–you will see how things will change for the better for the police and the innocent. the ones that will not like it are the scum that the police have to put up with. we go to court–guilty or innocent. no need for continuances and depositions and all that other bull shit in court and accountability becomes the order of the day. I had a long talk with chief wynn earlier this spring and he gave me a million reasons why they wont work. I told him when I am mayor there will be body cameras–period–I told him I am a doer–we will try body cameras and if just one innocent arrestee is exonerated then it will be well worth it. the chief is a talker and not a doer and when I become mayor he will become a doer or he will be looking for a new job. I told the chief that there is a new kid in town who never uses the word cant. he laughed but I believe I will get the last laugh. he reminds me a lot of jerry doyle sr. he use t0 laugh at me and I promised him I would have the last laugh and I did and I also sunk my claws in deep to make sure that he would never try to marginalize me ever again and he didn’t—craig thanks for your support nota
Craig, FYI, IF you get elected mayor contrary to your asserttions, you won’t have the power to “FIRE”, Chief Wynn. You may have the ability to displace him as acting chief only. Officer Wynn is not only a contractual union member, but Pittsfield is a MA civil service city and Officer Wynn is a civil sevice employee and has said protection under MA general law Ch 31, sec 41, and a Boston civil service commission has venue. IF you are elected, and if you replace the chief, he will more than likely return to his permanent civil service rank of captain, still a very senior rank.
dowgerhat remember one thing- the mayor is the chiefs boss the police dept is no different than any other dept and the mayor is the boss of all departments. one thing you are missing is performance. do you Think the chiefes performance in the latest shootings is exemplary. I certainly do not and if I were the mayor today– he would not be the police chief . you see we have to have accountability and that is sorely lacking in this city but when I am mayor all city workers including myself as mayor will have to be accountable to only one group– THE TAXPAYER–PERIOD–NOT ACCOUNTABLE? OUT THE DOOR YOU GO. THERE ARE MANY PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE A CITY JOB. COMPETENT ONES ARE WELCOME. THERE ARE MANY INCOMPETENT PEOPLE IN CITY GOVT. AND HOW DO YOU THINK THEY GOT HERE? IN MY ADMIN–ONLY THE COMPETENT NEED APPLY .NO PLUM JOBR FOR THE GOB IN MY ADMINISTRSTION–YOU CAN BANK ON IT—CRAIG
WHAT A WINDBAG
Former PPS student.
Anyone ever listen to a scanner when there is a live mike, open mike, the dispatcher frantically will try to tell the officer his mike is on and doesn’t know it. What are they trying to hide? if the dispatcher was as frantic to notify the open mike as they are on regular calls, maybe the process of arrests and calls would be more productive.
you wouldn’t last one day in that center. by the way, the open mic locks out other officers from being able to call in without “being walked on” which is an officer safety issue hence the “frantic” calls to alleviate the issue.
The Mayor of any city can only shape the direction of the city within the limits of the law. Eliminating blight in Pittsfield is impossible. Reducing blight is very difficult. Who wouldn’t like to see less blight. There are laws that must be followed that make it a very slow process. In the mean time more blighted properties show up. Property owners in many cases stop repairing their buildings out of frustration with the process. The process is a matter of law. So its not that simple
Any word on that 88 year old woman who had to be taken to the ground and restrained by 2 cops dispatched to her house by mistake? I do not want this to go away and just be swept under the rug.