Public Safety

From MJ:
Fewer police to patrol in 2015   

Middletown force to be pared, but street presence is a priority.   

By Lot Tan
MIDDLETOWN — Middletown Police will face crime in 2015 with fewer officers.
   The department, staffed with 76 police officers at the beginning of 2014, will have 66 officers by the end of March due to retirements, according to officials.
   “Itfs unfortunately driven by a lot of things like the economy, lack of state funding,” said Deputy Chief Mark Hoffman about some positions not being filled. “But our priority will be to get guys on the streets.”
   Two police officers are now working in the dispatch center will be moved back to street patrol, according to Hoffman.
   “The number of officers on the street will see less of a decrease but will still be down one or two,” he said.
   Major administrative changes are coming as well for the new year.
   “Wefll be losing a deputy chief when Chief (David) VanArsdale moves up to the director of public safety position,” Hoffman said.
   Either Hoffman or Deputy Chief Rodney Muterspaw will       likely be promoted to police chief. Lt. John McGill is expected to retire soon and his position will not be filled.
   All of these staffing changes come at a time when some violent crimes are down compared to a year ago.
   Reported burglaries, thefts and rapes were down 6.5 percent in 2014 compared to 2013, but robberies and aggravated assaults were up 6.4 percent in 2014 compared to 2013.
   “Like many other municipalities across the nation, we have seen a steady decrease in part one crimes over the last five years,” Hoffman said. He attributes the decrease in those crimes to officers targeting repeat offenders.
   “Burglars and thieves donft just break into one house and then theyfre done,” he said. “Thatfs their job. Theyfll break into a house tonight and one tomorrow and another and another ... theyfll keep doing that until someone makes them stop.”
   Middletown Police have utilized a task force this year to focus on neighborhoods with high crime rates.
   “Wefll go into an area with a high crime rate and try to reduce that,” Hoffman said.
   The latest crime sweep by Middletownfs special police task force in the Sherman Park/Crawford Street area resulted in 19 felony arrests for drugs and 11 others for various misdemeanors, according to police.     
   The Special Operations Unit also served 17 bench warrants, issued nine criminal summonses and 17 misdemeanor citations and made 31 traffic stops. The task force did saturation patrols in the neighborhood between Sept. 22 and Nov. 1 with a focus on drug enforcement.
   Hoffman said most crimes can be traced back to people selling or buying drugs, and he adds that Middletown is “no more dangerous than any other community in this area.”
   “Wefre working hard to make it a safe place to live,” he said.
   Some residents said more community policing will improve public safety.
   “Residents need to     speak up and not be silent; we need more patrols,” said Ashlee Ely, 26, who lives on Young Street. The mother of two boys said she doesnft feel safe in her neighborhood due to prostitution, drugs and burglaries.
   “I was threatened at the park thatfs two blocks away from my home by a 17-year-old boy. He came at me with a knife and told me I didnft belong here. My kids, my 8-year-old, was threatened in front of a store only two blocks away,” Ely said. “Therefs shootings. A man beat his wife in his front yard four doors down while she was holding her baby.”
   Ely says she also sees drug deals and prostitution in the area.

First of all, who typed this article? Many typos. No time to proofread?

"Reported burglaries, thefts and rapes were down 6.5 percent in 2014 compared to 2013, but robberies and aggravated assaults were up 6.4 percent in 2014 compared to 2013."

Robberies due to the need for money to support the escalated heroin addiction? Heroin use on the increase. Assaults increasing? All activity taxing the police and the med units for Narcan administration.

The city leaders are experts on money movement concealment. Have been for years. If possible, time to move some of that downtown fund money and other General Fund monies to support more police involvement in this city. They bring in more undesirables/druggies with their dam low income/Section 8 HUD crap and they decrease police numbers to counteract this stupidity. No logic to that at all.

"Burglars and thieves donft just break into one house and then theyfre done,” he said. “Thatfs their job. Theyfll break into a house tonight and one tomorrow and another and another ... theyfll keep doing that until someone makes them stop.” :

OR, shoots them in a home invasion situation. People do have guns to defend their property. Burglars roll the dice each time they attempt a robbery. Too stupid to realize it though. A matter of time before they pick on the wrong home, attempt to enter and end up in a casket.

"“Residents need to     speak up and not be silent; we need more patrols,” said Ashlee Ely, 26, who lives on Young Street. The mother of two boys said she doesnft feel safe in her neighborhood due to prostitution, drugs and burglaries.

Hmm, sounds like the cops missed a target area.

   "“I was threatened at the park thatfs two blocks away from my home by a 17-year-old boy. He came at me with a knife and told me I didnft belong here. My kids, my 8-year-old, was threatened in front of a store only two blocks away,” Ely said.""

Sounds to me like you need a course on concealed carry, some time developing your skills at the Sportmen's Club and a weapon in your possession. Also sounds similar to the Dayton Mall incident when a kid stuck a gun in the face of a cc and got a surprise. These juveniles need to understand that they may be taking a heck of a chance threatening lives with guns and knives. Never know what can happen or what a person has in their possession when you threaten someone you don't know. The kid with the knife also needs to know that a .40 cal trumps a knife every time. Move or get a gun Ely.

Yes Acclaro, the lack of funding should have been addressed five years ago.