Annapolis Capital Punishment

You see, the blogosphere is a contagion and the Mayor just sneezed.

Government by news release. CP has commented on this before. To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson, "when the going gets tough, issue a fact sheet." Some sort of report or email by Mayor Moyer on crime and our police has been making the rounds and CP recommends that readers visit Annapolis Politics for the text and a cogent, and as always, snarky, analysis by publisher Brian Gill: www.annapolispolitics.blogspot.com/2008/01/police-department-did-you-know.html

Before you go there, be warned. The mayor will cite a bunch of statistics and facts, some of which are pertinent, others of which are misleading and not terribly relevant. For example, she cites how a bunch of our top officers have been to special training academies. That's nice. That's good. Continued training is important. But we are in the midst of a record crime wave, so I just want to know how that is helping us fight crime. The mayor continues to obfuscate and mislead about the number of police officers per capita. CP has explained that issue more than a few times. The mayor is simply wrong. We need more officers and she and her staff are not recruiting them.

Finally, our police department is accredited. That's nice too, but what does it mean when we have more and more murders more drug dealing and more gunshots? CP attended and testified at the public hearing last year when the department was undergoing accreditation. CP was THE ONLY CITIZEN WHO DID SO. The panel basically smiled and said thanks and told me to take up my concerns with the chief. So, I must ask, why does the mayor think that I or anyone else cares that our department is accredited? Has it helped us recruit one more officer?

I can imagine the conversation between two potential police recruits:

Recruit 1: Hey Fred, I am thinking about joining the Annapolis Police Department. What about you?

Recruit 2: I am not sure, Mary. I hear the pay is better elsewhere.

Recruit 1: But they are accredited and many top officers have been to the FBI Academy. Maybe I can ride the horse or Segway.

Recruit 2: Yeah but they have a tremendous amount of really dangerous, high-crime public housing projects and nothing ever seems to get done to improve that.

Recruit 1: Yes but they are accredited and many top officers have been to the FBI Academy. Maybe I can ride the horse or Segway.

Recruit 2: Well, I hear the mayor argues with the police chief and they both argue with the Housing Authority.

Recruit 1: Yes but they are accredited. And many top officers have been to the FBI Academy. Maybe I can ride the horse or Segway.

Recruit 2: I understand the new police station is way behind schedule and the contractor quit and is involved in a lawsuit with the City.

Recruit 1: Yes but they are accredited. And many top officers have been to the FBI Academy. Maybe I can ride the horse or Segway.

the beat goes on....