[C-L]Even with violent crime up 42 percent last year, Melton convinced his crime plan is working
According to the Clarion Ledger, many Jacksonians are concerned about increasing crime, especially after Saturday afternoon’s armed robbery of Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon. Melton, however, says that the many policemen he saw over the weekend is evidence that his crime plan, which includes a series of surveillance cameras, a more active SWAT team, enabling police overtime, recruiting officers and holding night court, is working. In light of a shortage of police officers and jail space, many are skeptical about the mayor’s optimism.
Peaches customer Charles Rivers said adding more officers is about the only thing he saw in the mayor’s plans that would make a difference. He advocates raising police pay and hiring as many officers as the city can afford.
Another customer, John Rankin, said the only real solution is to stop being lenient with criminals.
“Some guy does something one day, and tomorrow he’s back out of jail,” he said. “They know nothing’s going to be done.”
In the past, much of that problem was blamed on a backlog of criminal cases. But officials said Monday that most of the cases handled in Hinds County now are current.
None of that matters to Curtis Addison, a local businessman and crime victim, who was robbed, shot and almost killed last year in his Gallatin Street auto body shop. He said politicians always make it sound easier than it is.
The real solutions, he said, are to create some good jobs, end social welfare programs, and stop kids from dropping out of school.
“Ain’t nothing the mayor can do about it,” he said. “It’s bigger than one man.”
Posted by kate at 10:22 AM in Legislature, Crime, MS Newspapers | Email this entry
Comments:
Is no one on this thread bugged by:
1. Melton’s unconstitutional use of roadblocks
and 2. This paragraph, from near the end of the profile, where it appears that Melton leaked a report that was later proved unsubstantiated and destroyed the careers of at least one person?
Legal controversy also followed Melton to MBN. In April 2003, 1Y0-A03 braindumps he allegedly leaked an investigative report written by agent Roy Sandefer to the media. The report detailed
instances of past corruption by four agentsóJimmy Saxton, Robert Earl Pierce, Bill Taylor and Ronald Pittsóthat ranged from transferring planes allegedly to curry favor with Sen. Trent Lottís office to approving bogus overtime payments for agents. At the time, Melton did not say that he had leaked the report, but made a lot of noise to the media about fully investigating the allegations and ridding the agency of corruption. His deputy director Joseph Jackson presided over the hearing that fired at least one of the agents. However, the state auditorís office seem to vindicate the accused when it supported a report recently saying the men, except for some minor infractions, had not violated the law in any way. The men are now suing Melton, along with The Clarion-Ledger, for libel. The complaint, filed in the Circuit Court in Newton County on March 30, 2005, states: 1Y0-456 braindumps ìFrank Melton leaked the Sandefer memo to the defendants with the expectation that a newspaper story would aid and abet his media image as an action-oriented public official and crime fighter.î (This account represents only one side of a legal argument.)
Posted by on 08/01 at 07:02 AM | #
