Ok campers…here is a shocker. The average politician has no magical knowledge of crime. I am not saying they know less than the average citizen, but I am sure they do not know more. The difference is the average citizen is not inflated with arrogance after winning an election. Anyone involved in law enforcement can tell you a story about how a person of average intelligence and with ZERO knowledge of law enforcement gets elected and is suddenly a wizard of the law. And, gang, that is a dangerous situation.
Anytime you see a group of politicians standing on a porch, by the flag, or in a hallway wringing their hands about crime, I can guarantee that they have NO plan. It is nothing more than a smoke screen. It is what you do when you have no idea what to do. It is time that citizens stop tolerating this insult to their community.
Crime in Columbus and Lowndes County is perceived to be running amuck and, since every politician understands perception can be reality, especially with voters, something must be done. And it can’t be silly symbolism.
So, since I am not one to criticize without offering solutions, here is my unsolicited advice to any city that wants to fight crime and not just talk about it:
- Have your law enforcement leader meet with the mayor and their select committee to go over the crime stats for the past three years. The law enforcement leader should be able to explain how crime has changed over that period, why they believe these changes have occurred, and what is their plan to address it. (If any of these answers blame it on “da COVIDs,” you are being bulls$#!tted.)
- Take the time to talk to all of your front-line officers and I mean as many of the front-line officers you can. Don’t just talk to people who tell you what you want to hear. Don’t waste you time talking to your snitches and boot lickers. Their opinion is as worthless as your desire to listen to them. Talk to everyone, even the people who hurt your feelings by telling you the truth.
- Check you division of labor. When and where are the officers working? How are days off and vacations handled? Who makes the final decision on how labor is divided? Most importantly, do you have enough officers? If you can’t hire and retain officers, you are in a crisis. Period. If you cannot pay overtime, you are in a crisis. You. Have. To. Have. Officers. On. The. Street.
- And, most importantly, meet with your communities. Have regular meetings with your neighborhoods and allow them to share with you all of their concerns. Listen to them. No one knows their areas better than the people who live there. It is not enough to go to the meetings; you must listen to what the people say.
These suggestions are a start. They will not solve all of your problems, but they are a beginning. And, trust me, it is better than handwringing. Our communities deserve a safe city.
Finally, the most important element is not law enforcement. It is the citizens. The people, who live, work, and play in our city and county. We deserve to be safe. We deserve law enforcement agencies that are professional and effective. No law enforcement agency wants there to be crime, but that is not enough. We must have law enforcement leaders who are open to the community and willing to listen to their suggestions. The agencies must have the manpower and equipment to do their job. The agencies need the support and encouragement of the council and supervisors. They do not need governmental leaders getting in their way and being political hacks.
It is the job of the mayor and council members to know what is happening with their police department. It is their job to know whether the police department is efficient. It is not their job to try to run the police department. That has been tried in Columbus and it is why the city’s police department has suffered.
And last, but not least – if you are a councilperson and want to help with the crime problem in our area, don’t be a criminal. Don’t get caught with drugs. Try not to be arrested for shooting guns up in the air when you are pissed off, and don’t be a damn thief. If you can’t pay for it, don’t steal it.
The community should not tolerate this misbehavior. The community should demand to be able to live in a safe place. We should tolerate nothing less then safety.
