Police Union Says ‘War-Like’ Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors

Many of the problems with urban decay stem from economic, social, and environmental problems. You cannot rely on urban renewal projects as that does not solve the economic and social issues. Knocking down abandoned buildings and leaving vast strips of land undeveloped will not fix the economic and social dynamics. The city government needs to reach out to state and federal governments to regenerate the city. This is not an instant fix, but has shown positive results in other cities dealing with urban decay.

Another idea was to renovate the existing housing and improve the environment and economy. In Glasgow this involved:
New roofs
Rewiring the houses and fitting central heating
Fitting double glazing
Secure entry-phone systems on tenement closes
The outsides of tenements were cleaned by sand-blasting
Combining two small flats into a larger one
Improving the environment by landscaping
Building or improving the social facilities such as clubs and medical centres
Encouraging new business and industry to set up in the areas with grants and loans

Enable the people to support themselves, be secure in there homes and neighborhoods, and upgrade social, educational, and medical services. It seems Detroit placed all their "eggs" into one basket (auto industry). These things must change if there is to be a better future in that town.

I've been to Detroit numerous times. I'm from Chicago and my GF's family is from a suburb that's 30-40 minutes from Detroit... Detroit, like any major city, has very dangerous areas and not so bad areas.. So I've been there a lot during the day, I've never felt like I was in danger, I actually find a city like Detroit fascinating, to watch a city that once thrived to what it is now is crazy to view in person... I wouldn't want to find myself in Detroit at night time... I guess it's similar to the South-West side of Chicago where it's like little Baghdad. If you ever find yourself down there at night in Chicago you NEVER stop at red lights, I learned that a LONG time ago, heck, cops don't even stop

I've heard many propose that the city declare marshal law bringing in the military, on one side it would be nice to see the military bring order to a city that's literally decaying before our very eyes, but on the other side I feel like its a very slippery slope where the US Govt. may start using this power a little more and more... It starts with an extreme situation, but soon it will be just a little riot, then one day we will wake up and it will just be the norm...

reply to post by jhn7537


Thats the "door" that would open up the military showing up in every city that had any kind of problems, similar to how 911 was the door that started the complete break down of our civil rights.
IMO, thats what "they" want and it will probably happen in the near future

I've heard many propose that the city declare marshal law bringing in the military, on one side it would be nice to see the military bring order to a city

.

Originally posted by MrWendal

Originally posted by WhatAreThey
Detroit is nearly 83% black.

And they also have one of the largest black police forces in the Country with roughly 73% of all sworn Officers being black and many non black officers making claims of racism and discrimination.

Considering that the black population is around 83% black, one would expect that the police force have a majority of black officers. One would also expect the white and non-black officers to experience a lot of racism. What is your point?

Frankly I don't think color has much to do with anything.

Sure, nothing much to do with anything except for the correlation between the most violent city is the US and the city with the highest majority of blacks.

.... Right... and where we plant the most rose seeds is NOT where we would expect the roses to grow.

If it was an all white city with roughly 50% unemployment, you would still see the same level of crime and violence.

You would? Really? Where?

People have turned to drugs to make a living.

In other words, they have no education nor skill to be a productive member of society.

Since drugs are illegal, it is up to the dealers to protect their own supplies.

We saw the same thing in inner cities during prohibition around the time of the Great Depression.

Is that lawful, necessary, or moral? Does it hurt people in the process? What type of people are you defending?

I have known & do know many Black People from 'The Islands' & Africa. When I meet a non-native newly immigrated Black-American (One can tell by their accent 'mon' - or 'chap' if they are from Africa) and I ask them where specifically they are from they invariably qualify their answer by adding "No I am not one of your American N*****s.

That said - In the late 1980's I recall a Trinidadian-American telling me that in his opinion the worst thing that can happen to a major city in the USA is a Black Mayor. His reasoning was that it causes the White economic power base to leave causing the city to crumble. He went on to say that the Black community would do well to create an economic power base by way of education and industry which by definition would lead to equality.

Just a little food for thought.

I live in an urban area between Chicago and Milwaukee and the city has sold houses for $1.

Milwaukee, this past summer was in a big uproar over turning street lights out.

Many of the single family houses in the neighborhood have sat empty for over four years. City government is going haywire finding new things to charge us for, taxes go up and there are less and less homeowners to pay them. Gangs run drugs through here to and from the above mentioned cities, crime is high and police are short handed.
Detroit doesn't sound much different than a lot of cities around here but the scale is much bigger.

In seeing some of the burned out houses in the video's, was reminded of Hell night which seemed to be worse years ago. I cannot imagine how terrible the remaining streets in fair condition will look in a few years with no money to maintain and the buckling / potholes that turn up every spring in this climate.

Wow and I moan about life in London! In fairness a couple of years ago I remember reading a few articles aboUT Detroit, it seemed like even back then a large chunk had basically been abandoned. I feel sorry for any good people left in Detroit and the emergency services having to deal with that level of scum that seems to have taken over.

reply to post by WhatAreThey


Agreed and thia isnt just in the US, in London the vast majority of serious crime, Violent crime, drug and gang related crime is carried out by young black males. Yet they often share their area with others such as various Asian groups as well as various white groups and yet it is blacks that make up crime stats. Based on that I dont believe that it is a class issue. If you look at Towns, cities and countries even that were once run by whites that are now not so, the decline is shocking. One massive example is with Zimbabwe, that country was brilliant until they got independence now look at it, its a mess. In fact the only country in Africa that has done well is Ghana. Now when you look at Towns and cities its the same, they take over running the place it turns in to a mess! Why?

reply to post by xuenchen


Sadly this is becoming a common trend all over....I work 12 hr shifts as a cop as well and we have been at our minimum staffing level every single day this year but 1. A couple years ago you would only hit minimum staffing a few times a month. It has led me to search for a new career...I just don't enjoy the job anymore it has become very unsafe. I used to take pride in what I do....now I am fighting with administration, fighting with the public, coming to ats to hear how every cop is corrupt and horrible...well....Good luck cause I wont be there to protect you when the sh!t hits the fan.

Originally posted by wingsfan
You want the honest truth? The council is made up of imbeciles with low double digit IQ. They yell at each other in school grade level ebonics. All why they pad and protect the outrages compensation they and their friends receive.

Can anyone expect retards like these to run a large industrial city? It's madness.

After watching the video and the ones connected to it I would say I agree entirely.

These people are imbeciles, incapable of the job. And you have to wonder, if they are willing and able to treat each other like that while in session and viewable to the public, what are the chances of there being massive corruption and pocket lining behind the scenes?

Incidentally, one of the other videos associated to that one details another instance of that loud-mouth woman apparently threatening violence, and that she said to another member that she would get her "brothers to **** you up".

This is not a council or city government, this is gang activity and corruption, criminality and profiteering on a massive scale. How they have managed to remain in their positions without the people smashing down the doors to drag them out of there is anyone's guess!

If these are the people running the show in Detroit, I really think the Police should go on strike until fresh elections are called to replace all of these freaks. Either that or the police should be raiding the offices of these people and finding the evidence of their corruption to enable them to call elections immediately.

No doubt in my mind that the first thing that needs to be done is the removal of those idiots from office, replaced by judges, teachers, students, retired police... anyone but these complete wastes of skin.

reply to post by detachedindividual


It seems to me that corruption is rampant in government these days...and finding an honest politician is a job for Diogenes.

It's just much more noticeable in local government....the connection from taxpayer to government body is much shorter.
There's no telling how many city council are corrupt, or how deep the corruption goes.
How many contracts are done under less-than-honest circumstances. How many union officials are also less than honest.

I will tell you the the former mayor Kirkpatrick, his father and cronies are on trial in Federal Court on corruption and racketeering charges.
One of many articles
www.detroitnews.com...

And the current Police Chief Godbee....I think they have had 4 in the last few years...is on leave for misconduct.
www.detroitnews.com...

* Oh...and it sounds like that NDAA measure could be useful for one tiny little rendition of a certain scumbag from the Cayman Islands, eh? Why should being a member of the Church cover him for fraud and theft? I'm asking simply because you say you live in the area and so would bring perspective few if any of the rest of us have for this. ?

Honestly, I don't know why there wasn't a criminal investigation into the Archdiocese of Detroit regarding this matter. But it smells rotten. The whole issue raises all kinds of questions:

Why would you secure funding from a foreign bank, when there are hundreds of local banks in metro-Detroit that could fund such a project as the John Paul II Cultural Center? What are you hiding by using a foreign bank?

Why weren't there other Archdioceses involved (Chicago, Cleveland, NYC, Washington D.C., etc.)? Usually, for a project this large you would pool resources. Instead, only the Detroit Archdiocese got the shaft.

Why did they build the JPII Cultural Center in Washington D.C., and not Detroit? Detroit could use the tourist dollars, and we have a huge Catholic population here. Why Washington D.C.? Again, was the Archdiocese trying to keep the project out of the limelight of the Detroit Catholic population - Meaning, if you build the building in another state, it will draw less scrutiny and attention from the local Catholics that are actually funding the project?

Why wasn't there a committee overseeing the funding of the project? From everything I have read, this project was orchestrated with little oversight, and decisions were made by one archbishop.

Where is the transparency for the budget, monthly construction draw schedule, etc. for the members of the Archdiocese to review? How do you know the project wasn't over-priced, or put out to bid properly? How do you know if there were or were not bribes or kick-backs to cronies without transparency?

Why is this same retired Archbishop now living in the Cayman Islands? Doesn't that sound fishy? How many priests or religious do you know that retire to a vacation hot spot, and a know tax haven for criminals and drug fiends?

Where is the public outcry? We are talking about $50 Million dollars that was siphoned from helping the poor and downtrodden in Detroit?

Why is it that the only buyer that the Archdiocese could find was the brotherhood fraternity, the K of C?

The whole thing from the outside smacks of corruption and greed. It stinks to high heaven. Just the appearance and superficial details smell bad. It would be nice for a prosecutor to do a thorough investigation into the matter. Of course, the Archdiocese would just say it was a project that went wrong, well-intended, but a disaster. They'll blame it on human error.

This building sat vacant for years and years. Maintenance alone every month ran tens of thousands of dollars just to maintain the building.

ncronline.org...
www.washingtonpost.com...
ncronline.org...

"Within five years of its opening, it was $36 million in debt to the Detroit archdiocese because of the loans. The amount rose to more than $54 million today, a portion of which included an average of $65,000 per month for upkeep, which the archdiocese continued to pay even while it marketed the center for sale during the past 18 months.

Unfortunately, Maida made the loans without consultation with the priests or laity of the archdiocese. It was only after the NCR reported on the debt in a February 2006 story that he acknowledged the financial scope of the loans in a letter to the archdiocese. Maida's successor, Allen Vigneron, has been left to pick up the pieces."

Unfortunate indeed. That's the understatement of the century. Tell that to the working poor in Detroit.

According to the articles posted above, the Archdiocese lost $34 Million on this fiasco. That money would go a long way towards helping the homeless and poor in Detroit. What a sad, pathetic joke. It's a scam on a grand scale.

reply to post by wingsfan


Wow, I mean I was gonna make a joke about that video, but they did me one better and acted one out.

Horrid, that's a good example of how not to have a meeting.

reply to post by WhatAreThey


First off, what was your point in stating that the city is 80%+ black? After all that is all your post stated, you didn't post anything else.

Secondly, I am not defending anyone. I am not sure where you got that from.

Third, color has nothing to do with anything. Feel free to look at stats from any major city or highly populated area. When unemployment is high, people regardless of color, turn to crime. Just because there are no jobs doesn't mean people simply stop eating.

and Forth- your postings scream of racism, and I really do not wish to engage in such a silly ignorant game.

reply to post by MrWendal


I'll not comment on his post or yours, but the 2010 US census backs up his claims
quickfacts.census.gov...

Those interested in Detroit and how it got the way it is are encouraged to read Detroit, a biography
There's no simple answers to Detroit problems....especially when fixes have been ignored for decades.

I can't say this is statistically false, the numbers for Detroit Pontiac and Flint are disturbing. But being from and familiar with these cities I can honestly say no good story gets out to msm. Fear porn could be a catalogue here.
www.detroiteasternmarket.com...
Great place to visit, very few police, friendly neighborhood environment.

www.google.com...
droid-browser-type&v=133247963&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=3fNyUJ6sJ-bG0AG0xYCwDg&ved=0CGMQsAQ&biw=640&bih=335#p=0
Belle Isles nice place for Sunday drive. Great scenery, cool Detroit history and present.
I grew up going to downtown Hart Plaza for the ethnic festivals and fireworks. I always had great experiences. I knew early on though if you go looking you will find trouble. That being said the corruption here is complete, has never been unravelled. Mari jane is medicine here now and the H is cheaper and more abundant than white. This keeps leo's busy, prisons full (private prisons), statistics gross and the lines of division etched deeper as politicians point and talking heads reciprocate and regurgitate.
Let all the DPD go "they" will only bring in state and federal police with raging boners to "protect" Everyone. They did it in Pontiac MI in 08. My best friend was one of the stats that year, shot point blank with a rifle outside a crowded after hours motorcycle club (MC). Unsolved homicide still today even though they had the
shooter in custody that night!!
Sorry for the rant. My point though is every popular media outlet ignores the strong grassroots presence in the D and glorifies the gangster violence and decay.

There was a story a while back on how a couple of GM employees and friends bought up a square block and fenced it in and put a great security system in for under 100k$. They took the empty buildings and grounds cleand up and rebuilt the area. For less than a million 4 familes live in a resort. Large homes indoor pools and a park outdoors. The locals gave up trying to get in and now they live like kings less than 2 miles from downtown

If our Government were still our Government they'd send in our troops to fight domestic terrorism. What these gangs of Detroit are doing IS domestic terrorism. Of course ever since left-wing politics started taking over 40 years ago, doing what is right and good is quite impossible.

reply to post by DENBY


You obviously posted that fact with an intent or you wouldn't have posted it. I want to know what your point was. Are you implying that Detroit has been shat on because the population is mostly black or are you implying that Detroit is down the pan because the residents caused it?

I know little about Detroit apart from trailer parks.

Seriously though, didn't Detroit used to be the car manufacturing capital of America? This has all gone and you wonder why Detroit is a crap hole?

I know you posted that with an agenda.

reply to post by SecretFace


Libya was doing pretty well until we bombed it...