PLANET THUNDERS, AND MAYOR CALLS A PRESS CONFERENCE … or … FALLOUT FROM A FIRESTORM
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016) — THE PLANET woke up a sleeping giant this weekend. We drew a near record number of hits, stirred a deep public discussion on crime, and forced the corner office into keeping a campaign promise because of the heavy flack directed that way from the ensuing righteous anger. That’s a lot accomplished for one weekend.
The Sleeping Giant
As for the snoozing Big Boy, we refer to the general public. Our Weekend Edition hit a nerve, plucked The Lost Chord, and sent a jolt through an otherwise languid community. Perhaps “languid” doesn’t correctly describe the state of the honest, decent citizens of Pittsfield, Mass., the ones The Suits have ignored. “Soporific” doesn’t come close. The term has yet to be invented, but it would be a cross between somnolent and traumatized, mixed with ennui. Whatever it is, THE PLANET woke them up.
They probably won’t stay awake for long, we realize, since The Suits will be laying the heavy lumber to the noggins of Joe and Mary Jane Kapanski in the form of the FY17 budget. The Pittsfield School Department will continue to run the table on the city’s finances, The Suits will give their friendly assurances, and they will expect the public’s apathy to continue its “good” work. And while we have your attention and theirs, let us say that the FY17 budget will speak volumes more than any of the cheap words of politicians and officials. If they leave the PSD untouched and raise your taxes again, all bets are off. We will be at war.
THE PLANET fervently hopes the public will remain enflamed and cast off its apathy. We hope they will use their anger as fuel for activism. It can begin now.
A Public Discussion About Crime
The four shootings in a 17-hour span would have hardly produced a blip on the radar had THE PLANET not explained the significance. It remains to be seen what good it will do. We do know that a smear campaign has been launched against Your Truly by certain parties on other media (of the gutter variety), and this only comes to us as confirmation of a job well done. We can dismiss such attacks as desperation heaves from a losing side. The more important thing will be action.
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Let THE PLANET also break more bad news. On Saturday, an employee of the Big Y on West Street left work shortly after 8 p.m. She began walking home. When she got to Wahconah Street, she heard nearby gunfire. Terrorized, she ran back to Big Y, where she sought (and received) refuge and comfort. THE PLANET salutes the management of Big Y for their compassion and care in the same breath we condemn the scuz and scum that have taken over the once-fair streets.
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As a result of our reportage, will the city begin to seriously address the somber fact that its streets and neighborhoods have a rapidly spreading cancer? Its symptoms can be seen in the form of drugs, guns, and violence. To address crime will take more than “a community discussion.” That phrase comes too close to the kind of bureaucratic cliches we heard from the corner office on Facebook Friday. People will talk of “solutions,” but aside from a change in human hearts, these won’t work — including simply putting more cops on the beat.
That being said, perhaps the best response would be to begin enforcing the “little” infractions that now go unnoticed, things like kids riding bikes or skateboarding on sidewalks, littering, underage smoking and drinking, loitering, running red lights. That’s how Rudy Guiliani cleaned up New York, by beginning with the things the NYPD could control and going from there. Pittsfield police could try the same tactic. At some point, however, they will have to take on a foe they have been strangely reluctant to confront, and that would be the gangs.
The Corner Office Keeps A Promise (WIth A Kick Start from THE PLANET)
As we reported over the weekend, Mayor Linda Tyer said during the campaign that she would be “all over” the crime issue and would “own it.” She told THE PLANET she would never hide behind a press release — and then did just that with her feeble Facebook outing. As you know, out Weekend Edition flew Mach III with heads on fire. After we posted, lo and behold, Team Tyer had an emergency meeting (we had a fly on the wall!) and decided in direct response to the firestorm we brought down that the mayor had no other choice but to call a press conference. Here’s the text of the release we received from the mayor’s office:
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
What: Mayor Linda Tyer, in collaboration with local officials, law enforcement, and community partners, will host a press conference at 1 p.m. Monday, May 23 in Council Chambers at City Hall. The press conference is an opportunity for the Mayor and speaker(s) to address community concerns and to summarize strategies for enhancing public safety in the City of Pittsfield. As of distribution, confirmed attendees include State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Berkshire County District Attorney David Capeless, Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler, Chief Michael Wynn, Chief Czerwinski, Council President Peter Marchetti, Superintendent Jake McCandless, Dennis Powell, president of the Berkshire Branch of the NAACP, and Jon Schnauber, Executive Director, Pittsfield Community Connection.
When: 1 p.m. Monday, May 23
Where: Council Chambers, City Hall, 70 Allen St.
Contact: Roberta McCulloch-Dews, Mayor’s Office, 413-499-9322
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Beggars can’t be selecting from the high-end wine list, we realize, but allow THE PLANET to make a couple observations.
First, we grant that any press conference is better than no press conference. We are pleased Tyer is smart enough to realize she had no other choice. THE PLANET shall ignore for the moment that it was our work, and our work alone, that led to this official outcome. In effect, THE PLANET grabbed the mayor and other officials by their ear and dragged them into council chambers today. And before you accuse us of yanking the string of our own GE 5’O’clock Whistle, we got this assessment from a member of Team Tyer.
Second, if we had been advising the mayor, we would have included only Tyer, D.A. David Capeless, and Chief Wynn. Team Tyer blew it first by advising the mayor to post on Facebook. Have they proven their inexperience again? By inviting Every Suit Under The Sun, this press conference today runs the risk of being another political Lassie and Mr. Ed Show. Dogs, ponies, with a photo op but little of substance. The yellow indicator light on the control panel flashes this possibility. If the mayor had taken our counsel, THE PLANET would have kept this press conference streamlined and straight-lined. Having THAT many political hacks in one room all but guarantees politickin’ at its worst.
We shall go into it, though, with an open mind, hoping against hope that they aren’t going to spread more of the same bullshit.
You, as we, shall see.
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“Controversy is only dreaded by advocates of error.” — Benjamin Rush
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
I disagree with Dan Valenti that violent crime in inner-city Pittsfield is the fault of the new Mayor, the lovely Linda Tyer. She is a victim of circumstance. The same violent crime would have happened during a Dan Valenti administration.
Young people who partake in violence or are victims of violence need to choose another path in life. Whether it is hitting the books, or joining the military, or starting a family, living a nonviolent life is possible.
We need to stop glorifying violence as being tough. We don’t need violent and tough guys in our society. Instead, we need nonviolent and good people.
I did not say it was the fault of the “new” mayor. If you had read more carefully along the way, you would see that I blame a generation of inept, short-sighted politicians who failed to rebuild the economy after GE gave up the ghost. A Dan Valenti Administration would have begun the rebuilding by reigning in the budget and beginning a new era of tax equity.
There is no such thing as a “Dan Valenti Administration”! This would only happen when you run for mayor and get elected by the people of Pittsfield. Until then, you have your opinions on what the city of Pittsfield is doing wrong and what you would do differently.
Dan Valenti didn’t say there “was” a Dan Valenti Administration”. Try “would” as the syntax. For example ; what you “would” do if you won the lottery or if you were elected President.
Yes, Syntax explains it all. Jonathan pointed out that a “Dan Valenti Administration” would be no different. Fair point. But note Dan’s reply. He says “A Dan Valenti Administration would … blah blah blah.”
Wonder if D-man even knows about syntax? He probably thinks it’s a levy on gambling and cigarettes.
It’s interesting how there are folks trying to make this all about Dan Valenti as if he’s responsible. You know the old “shoot the messenger” thing.
While businesses will remain silent about property tax favoring policies, companies with futures invest in places that have appropriate jobs training and matching with skillsets followed by low crime and good schools. they are similarly weighted parts to the whole. That said, I do not believe there is a single person in Berkshire County that is a certified economic development professional. Why are people paid wages to do this work without the education, experience, or credentials?
Maybe for the same reason any warm body can be a mayor or a councilman or on a school committee.
Dan didn’t say the violent crime is Mayor Tyer’s fault as this was happening during Dan Bianchi’s time and even before, but the problem is getting worse and Linda Tyer did make a lot of her campaign about being tough on crime. She now needs to keep her campaign promises.
So sad that somebody can’t walk a short distance home without hearing gunfire on the streets. This summer is going to be really bad if this situation isn’t brought under control. Why aren’t the police attempting to confront the gangs? It’s a good question.
We don’t want this press conference to just be a photo op. Let’s all pray for some real solutions to the crime problem.
Everyday I see so many examples of lawless behavior whether it’s kids riding their bikes against traffic (very dangerous by the way), people blowing through traffic lights after the light has changed to red (I witnessed this three times this weekend alone). This city needs to really crack down on small and large incidents of breaking the law.
If I may, although I’m sure Dan was already thinking of it, I invoked Giuliani and his clean-up tactics in comments here last week. As Dan said, make the cops control what they CAN control; the every day i fractions. They also know where the “gangs” hang out and congregate…they have to. Take every opportunity to hassle them and move them along. It sounds as though the cops may actually fear the thugs right now. Grow a pair and go get them. This is YOUR neighborhood, your beat, not theirs. Take pride in your work.
On a separate note, apparently the case of the dead body and the bullet riddled car behind Lach’s has apparently gone to where all inconvenient crime cases go to die. Did I miss something, or was there really no follow up ever? Was the body identified? Were the circumstances? Last I recall, the Eagle ( the old Eagle, not the New Eagle) was a couple of days late reporting the scant details I have recapped above. That is it…that’s all we know unless I missed something. Maybe the story was last in transition from old to New Eagle?
You can’t hassle them too much because for every thug shooting his mouth off at a cop there are six family members standing around with cameras hoping for a payday.
Maybe Doyle and Ruberto will be there too….or maybe at the meeting to follow the press conference and Del Gallo’s.
at Del Gallo’s not and
FACEBOOK FRIDAY! That’s a good one right there. Maybe today will be MONEY MONDAY, where the politicans will throw money at the problem instead of fixing it the right way. I’m good with that so long as it’s Beacon Bucks.
Why on earth would Jake Mccandless be at this meeting addresing violence in the streets except to say he will stop giving administrative raises so the mayor can afford police in the street.
Also so many of the violent offenders are protected in the schools because they do not inform their probation officers of behavior that violates probation….showing up late,verbal threats….the kids know that school adjustment councilors are afraid to notify the courts of non compliance….schools are a huge part of the violence problem in pittsfield. Pittsfield,ma needs to grow a pair.
Cops are tough enough here so put them all in the hood and let them handle this.
Perhaps McCandless will be there to address how many of these gang members are in his undisciplined schools and inform people that they do have a choice to send their kids to non gang schools in nearby towns. Not every parent sees and knows what school teacher parents see and know. And then perhaps he will mention that money fixes everything.
For Years, the Lenox Police Dept. has shown presence, and authority over its town perameters. They patrol Rt. 7 with an iron fist. That’s Respect, folks.
Lenox is a lot smaller area than Pittsfield.
Missing the point Bill
O k spa what should ppd do?
Just saying…. they have enforced their laws in, and outside of their town for years. And have gained respect for it. If this is over your head, I’m sorry.
Pittsfield Police Dept. needs some strong leadership, and zero tolerance policies in many ways.
I want to see a zero tolerance lock down. 50 State Cops and 20 Sherriff’s Deputies, patrolling the entire city stopping every car that rolls through a Stop sign, turns right on red without stopping, rousting every low life walking the streets and stopping to harass others. Roust every pan handler and then sit in front for the houses where problems keep occurring. Listen to the scanner – if there are 10 addresses that probably account t for 1/3 of the calls and 10 more that account for another 1/4.
Harass and pressure. Make these low life’s feel uncomfortable. they came here from somewhere else and stayed because they did not feel the pressure. Give them the push they need to leave.
Another thing the PPD could do is ENFORCE THE NOISE LAWS regarding motorcycles. And how about getting search warrants for all of the known drug houses in the Pitts? And also, why not enforce the laws at the public housing projects?
Get with it Pittsfield!
If Pittsfield doesn’t take the battle to the gangs the city will explode. Hell, its happening now!
Kind of funny, but most of the arrests arte not taking place in public housing, nor are the folks being arrested listing their address there…
The real problem is the Cavalier properties and a few other slumlords (Richard Stanley is one of them). Again, if you listen to the scanner, a few addresses keep popping up and they are not public housing. those tenants are actually screened and more of them work then not.
if we focus our priorities but our prejudices, we will never solve the problem. you could lock up ever resident of public housing tomorrow – and those shootings would still have happened.
I’m no fan of the gimme girl and free stuff crowd, but if I want to get rid of the gang bangers – then I we need to focus on getting rid of the gang bangers regardless of where they live.
Cavalier properties are full of section 8 people. Most of the renters in the city are section 8. So it doesn’t matter who owns the housing. The fact is that the taxpayers are being forced to create the problem and fight the problem at the same time. Is there anything crazier than that? It’s the same thing as paying someone to plant a tree and paying someone else to cut it down over and over again.
Right you are AT. Even if we had 1000 cops it wouldn’t make much difference if we keep subsidizing the problem.
Did I hear the mayor say that it’s hard to get cops to work in Pittsfield because they won’t be paid enough?
earplugs
The housing projects should be finding out who all the illegal tenants are and get them out.
Sounds like a damn good plan to me! I ditto everything you said, southeast!
Spa wants you to set up a perimeter like the old days when John Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde at the outs skirts of town then pounce on the shots fired thugs with machine guns, pounce on them when they try the getawaway.
Lenox does not have the public housing that Pittsfield does. That is where the gang bangers mostly live.
Lenox doesn’t have a lot of section 8 either.
Problem is most of these type crimes are reactive and
impossibe to monitor before they happen.How many times has PPD gone to a fireworks complaint, how are they supposed to arrest anyone for that? They get a call they go to the call, sometimes they stick around and catch them after a call, but these shooters are almost impossible to stop, the key is to get public information immediately after the shooting and try to arrest them, it’s tough.
The Mayor needs to Not only show strength and intolerance but follow through with it. She is also reactive, must be honest and focus solely on the current epidemic not only of shootings but drivers of cars that are causing fear in the streets, it’s a real problem.
The Press Conference at 1:OO today, probably after a nice lunch,should tell us if this an Obama type P C with nothing but condolence and mea culpa, increase Patrols, or actually have a comprehensive long term plan for this mayhem.
Once it starts affecting local business or affects someone other than most of the not so wellto-do is when you will see real results. Sad but true.
The City Council is far from their lack of current reprisal do this epidemic.
We do not need the statement we do what we can, we need a plan.
The public not helping in investigations, should not be in the statement today, that’s an excuse, not a fix.
The Mayor needs to tell the truth. The truth is, it’s dangerous out there.
What’s is the remedy Mayor?
Lead us?
Untruths to the Planet viewers and bloggers..have seen very little personal attacks that aren’t untrue, so stop saying poor me Mr. marchett
Sorry for the typos..Can’t fix stupid.
What you say Nota is only partially true. The crimes we are talking about are indeed reactive, but they happen as a result of the cops, by policy, not being proactive. Rather than “going to a call when it comes in,” if they were IN the neighborhood policing, being a part of that community and enforcing laws for smaller infractions, there would be a lot less major things to react to. It’s much more a matter of really poor, anemic strategy and policy which leads to what looks like inept execution.
You’re on to something Mr G1188, when cops basically condone illegal activities like fireworks, or worse yet hang around and watch them it sends the message that its ok to break laws. I sat at a light on Dalton Ave and was next to a cruiser, the car in front of him didn’t have a license plate on it. Nothing happened! My thought was “only in Pittsfield, where license plates, red lights and inspection stickers are only a suggestion.”
Small crimes do matter, like unruly dogs and their owners allowed to rule parks, drinking in parks that is prohibited and on and on…….
The officer probably didn’t notice cause he was busy texting
Exactly Mr. G……….
The justice system has limited resources. For each crime that makes the paper with a victim you don’t see the several crimes that are prevented or mitigated in the act. Noise complaints and poor driving that you all complain about??? really? start with the little things? iron fist? PD is understaffed by 30-50%. There is paperwork, documentation, procedure, etc. You think Capeless wants to deal with fireworks? you think the Judges and Magistrates want to deal with petty misdeameanors or improperly processed cases because law enforcement is stretched too thin? you want to cut benefits to police and fire unions yet want them to go around and risk their lives for you.
Shakes, I want to cut the school dept and use the money to hire police. The waste alone in the school dept alone could hire several cops. Then cut all the assistants and let the overpaid administrators do their own work. There is another bunch of cops.
Shakes, that very system worked in NY City. Enforcing the small crimes works.
Never mind the majority of 6 figure municipal employees are PD and FD. And no, plausible causation, the broken window policy of NYPD was part of many other components and wealth shifts. Between transit, school, NYSP, and NYPD there are what, 60-80k police in NYC? Get grounded and find somewhere comparable. You might as well compare Pittsfield to Mexico City or Beijing.
Guns and shootings are a very difficult issue to deal with. You have no idea where they may happen so you cannot prevent them. You may find a couple of guns here and there but like drugs i imagine there is an endless supply. And for every gang banger you lock up six more will take his place.
Is there a city somewhere that has effectively dealt with gangs and if so what did they do?
Birth control would help. Legalizing drugs would help (could it be any worse than it is now?) Bring back the draft if only to teach these guys some social skills as well as reading, math etc. That might keep some of them off the streets for a couple years at least. Special units for useless ones who just need to be kept out of society.
A good friend of mine was the lead gang prosecutor in NY years ago when gang violence was encroaching into every sector of the city. Beyond the strict enforcement of laws already on the books to reassert some semblance of order, a strategy already mentioned above several times, he very successfully used the RICO laws to begin to really breAk up the gangs. There is still a gang problem in parts of the 5 boroughs, but the sense of utter lawlessness is gone and has been for some time. My point is, it HAS been done successfully, and there is a blueprint that works…and it doesn’t involve spending $250k on more consultants. It just takes a lot of focused, well-planned, well-directed work.
Again, Mr. G… I am with you. It is about the bigger picture.
True. For each one of these low lifes you arrest and put away, the rest of them see it as a “job opportunity” and there are five or six hoping to advance in the outfit (the gang).
The only people who need to be at this press conference are local officials of law enforcement District Attorney, Sheriff, Police Chief. The others don’t fall into the heading of local officials of the law. Bouvier , Marchetti,MCcandless,POWELL..
Maybe the idea is to scare the gangs out of town by showing them we have a bunch of tough guys on the city hall steps that will pounce on them the next time they get out of line. They have to be a bad ass looking bunch of peeps. Is Chris Christie going to be there and if so put him out front and let him swing a night stick back and forth.
Have to agree with N mr.G …what we don’t need is the lack of numbers at the press conference the remedy of patrolling is…more cops, more cops,isn’t going to solve it.
In 2012 ther were 7.5 School adjustment councilors and cost 512,000 cash,2017 so principles can hide in their office have17.3 budgeted for this year at 1,300,000……Behnkes budjet practices are to fool the public….she plays hide the money with line items……attendsnce officer gets 9 k more today than in 2012 and things are getting worse….just get rid of these salaries and make principle do the dirty work of education in pittsfield
Let us not lose sight of this distraction The School Committee. This is where this Mayor fails. Listen to one of the meetings where the Mayor was responding withThaaaaank , her tone was ridiculous, almost juvenile, as it was a reply to a certain funded item where there was a question previously, believe the Thaaaaank Yoooou was in response to Councilor Clairmonts percent mistake concerning the contracts for School employees, anyway the thaaaank yoooooou to me said it all. This is strictly my opinion.
Right on painter with your last statement!
I saw the meeting youre referring to Local. It was embarrassing. The mayor came off as a little middle school girl. I’m afraid the question DV asked on the weekend comes up again,,.. is the mayor in way over her head?
More importantly is that what The Suits want?
It will be interesting to hear the Planets response to the press conference. You can’t fool the planet, he’s heard it all. I would also like to hear from Mr. Gaetani.
The press conference will be on PCTV
He was at the Senior Center speaking out at the public safety meeting and chances are that he’ll be at the press conference.
There is one statement I do not want to hear. I’ll wait until after the Conference. If she doesn’t mention it, I’ll give her great credit.
Stanley and Dianna should be there.
The Allendale Dean.
In all honesty the real school committee has no clue what questions to ask anyone.Like,how much was budgeted last year for fuel ,how much did we save and how much are you asking for in the fuel line item this year….we did not spend fuel line item ,word is there was a plus of 400,000.
Nobody asked Behnke who was at the meeting why her people get 1.50 cent per hour more than the next room down the hall and she was 20 feet away from the entire committee bud did not tell them…everyone acted like she was not in the room…its insane
no question the current crime spree is not LT’s fault but her overpromising in the election will be her downfall as she cannot deliver what she promised. it was all a ploy just to get elected. if anyone thinks dealing with City Hall is easier now you are sorely mistaken – follow what happened recently a pitt park and you will see the continuing joke which is our administration(s).
These crimes are so repetitive you just can’t hope they go away. It’s like an athlete comparing L T and performance, all the hype will get you the deal, but you have to deliver, rough start. so far.
Like to see a sequel to Operation Clean Sweep. Time to round up the verman.
Unreported by the BB are the shots fired on Clinton Ave. at 1;45 a.m. Saturday morning, and how it took PPD 15 minutes to arrive on scene, the shots fired on Parker St. on Saturday night, and the bomb the went off on Reed St. a week earlier—might have been a quarter stick of dynamite, PFD found nothing, but it the concussion shook the neighborhood houses for a couple of blocks.
These are, plain and simple, acts of terrorism. When a block, neighborhoos, and city are afraid to go out because of the violence of one group, that’s terrorism, no?
PPD don’t respond to fireworks remember?
Yeah well, Paul, the four shell casings they found did not come from fireworks.
True story woke up with a bottle rocket in my bedroom, went through the window. 2009
Tue story. I once woke up with a bottle of vodka in my bed, window was not even open. No idea how it got there either but I had quite a head ache.
I will not comment on the Press Conference, let’s put it this way, if we make a dent with the thugs, then we have to deal with the idiots on the second tear.
The thugs are running scared now.
I’m happy now, Tyre said we have to colaberate
I watched the mayor’s TV appearance today.
Many good questions (Dan V included). But, of course, CG (sitting in the front row) went into one of his very long CC speeches without asking an actual question. I was so glad when the mayor finally cut him off by saying there were others who “had questions to ask”.
What an ass!
Maybe Tyer will get as tough with the gangs as she tryed to be with CG. I’m sure her GOB handlers were happy. Speaking of questions, why were all the clowns surrounding her? McCandless, TFB, Edie Taylor, Ty Jackson and others. Just a bunch of leaches who draw money from programs and grants and property tax. Having these court jesters around helps nothing except pateralistic white liberals who want to feel good about themselves.
Now for the real meeting with Doyle and Ruberto in the back room at Remo’s.
Where the hell is that mobile command post. Does the city still own it or was it sold on ebay?
More cops only means more cops at the coffee shop and doing traffic duty. In experience police is not the answer. New leader ship is .
Dusty that thing would mak a great Mobile Food eats.
Mayor Tyer appeared uncomfortable and stand-offish at her own public safety press conference She obviously was rehearsed and scripted. She seemed unusually arrogant and with a prepared redundancy within her answers. as if she was taking the 5th and boldly stating none of your business.
Someone needs to remind her that she is mayor of a stuggling city that has lost 18,000 populous and headed for township status. She needs to look in the mirror and realize that she isn’t Giulani or Koch. Mike Wynn should realize he’s not Tom Selleck, this ain;t Blue Bloods and he isn’t the commish.
The mayor should be cognizant of the city’s plight, Property values for example, ask her if a five figure price reduction has sold her house ?
Lock down and answering only anticipated questions with scripted answers with arrogance isn’t a positive reaction.
More “collaboration” with the same enourage will only result in the same tired response wth no overt new action nor results.
Barry; get your squeeze a Roget’s Thesaurus. Enough of “collaboration”, already. Is Dr, Peter’s principle in play ?
It looked like a dais of retreads with the Mayor reading a bedtime story,all they needed was to wheel Butchy in and pronounce,pay me now, or pay me later.
The problem in the PPD is not the lack of officers – it’s the lack of leadership. Get a chief who knows what they are doing and we might have a chance at turning the city around. Throwing another $1M at the department will have no effect until the person in charge gets a clue. “Chief” Wynn needs to go.
Did not see press conference but did Tricia show and tell everyone that we need a grant to stop the high profit herion business. These guys are out to murder and intimidate. Schools play a role in keeping punks on the street….call probation when they violate terms of probation inside the school buildings….jake knows this happens all day everyday.
She showed but did not speak. Only the mayor and police chief spoke.
Of course the north adams judge plays a role when a guy with 80 20 bags goes on personel recognition….judges dont live in the hood and dont care
I agree with the extra funding for the police department. However there should be a corresponding reduction in other areas. It looks like the school department should absorb the bulk of this increase. In short we should not willynilly raise the total appropriation.
The school board is in the pocket of the teacher’s union….good luck with this one. The gangs could kill all the teachers in PHS but the union wouldn’t make one concession.
Chuck, couldn’t agree more. If they want to add 1 million to police budget, than 1 million should be cut on other line items. That is what responsible people due. Knowing Pittsfields track record, there will be no cuts. Not sure throwing money at the problem will solve anything. Would like to see the judges in our State start to get more aggressive with the jail time for these thugs.
We have been playing games pretending we are not holyoke, springfield,Lawrence, new bedford.The new jail brought gangsters and a herion business. Time to go to work .Lets not control it lets abolish it.
NO. The McGee unit, and Hillcrest hospital’s contract with NY state to take their non violent drug offenders is what brought this to Pittsfield.The prison was just a natural extension of that, but it is not the cause. Not even close.
Yeah, Vermont’s heroin epidemic is absolutely the fault of minorities and prison inmates. Poor white people are the problem, not gangsters
This will be a question we pursue tomorrow. Where are these outsiders coming from and why? We won’t have answers but we will have questions, one that no one else is asking.
After watching the mayors press conference I feel so much safer knowing that they won’t allow any authorized basketball playing in the City of Pittsfield
Shik painter, my three point skills will go to pot.
Corky Con at PEDA announced tee-shirts will be given out at the Bridge opening. Wonder what they’ll say?
I have no idea of what they’ll say but they should make them out of Kevlar.
I hear Steven Valenti is opening up a new line: “Steven Valenti Kevlar for Men.” He’s gonna clean up!
“For far too long the plea of our police chief to increase personnel has been ignored. A city of our size should have 120 sworn officers and we are currently operating with 82 and will approach an all-time low this summer due to transfers and retirements,” Tyer said
Is there a big book of sage advice where Tyer got this?
Juan,
I just googled police staffing ratios and this came up
http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Officer-to-Population-Ratios.pdf
1.8 cops per thousand people – so she fed bullspit to the citizenry – Pittsfield is right about where they should be.
It aint how many pencils you have it’s how well you write with the ones you have. But I’m okay with more cops with a department run right with a civil service chief. Why does the mayor need a director of administrative services? Why are cops in schools instead of on the beat and who is paying for them? The school should pay for them and that’s 4 more cops right there and ax the admin and there is money for another. I don’t suppose Yobamas war on police has anything to do with this.
The only way the extra $936,000 for PPD should happen is if there is a corresponding cut (+$1) in the PSD.
Nota,
Here is what the T shirts should say “A bridge to nowhere”