[Drizzt]

Emergency director to refrain from armed patrols

Former association leader says political tug of war going on


Tue, Apr 8, 2003
By Tom Dolan
Truth Staff

ELKHART -- The city's emergency management director has agreed to abstain from participating in armed neighborhood watch patrols to eliminate any confusion between the two interests, according to the mayor. What led to the agreement is a little more muddled.

Mayor Dave Miller said he asked Emergency Management Director Al Machin to abstain "from his special patrols," referring to newspaper reports that Machin and other men in the Woodlawn Homeland Security neighborhood association were carrying handguns while conducting their neighborhood watch rounds.

"Al's responsibilities are citywide. I don't want people to be confused as to which hat he's wearing when he's on duty," Miller said Monday.

Michael Carretti, former president of the neighborhood association, said the only confusion seems to be coming from politicians. Machin was an active member of the neighborhood group long before accepting the emergency management position, Carretti said.

"We're being used in a political tug of war. If this wasn't a primary year, this wouldn't have happened," he said. "He's taking 25 percent of our force from us when he does that. He should clean his own house before he starts cleaning other houses."

Miller said the administration also has asked Machin to stop carrying a firearm while working as emergency management director. For a story last month, Miller said Machin was permitted to carry a firearm and had received special weapons training. Later that day, Vlado Vranjes, corporate counsel for the city, said that was subject to change. It wasn't a change but a clarification, Miller said.

"The city policy is quite clear. He and his staff are not permitted to carry a gun as a part of their role as emergency management," Miller said. "He's agreed to support our administration's policy."

Reached Monday afternoon, Machin said little about the new understandings.

"I would not say anything contradictory to the mayor," he said. "We're on the same frequency as far as protecting life and property."

Miller emphasized that he doesn't support neighborhood groups carrying weapons but said they've drastically reduced crime, and he commends the neighborhood group for that.

"Don't allow the distraction from one to overshadow the positives of the other," Miller said. "Don't equate me with endorsing groups carrying guns. If you carry a gun, you have to be prepared to use it."

Carretti, who is also a volunteer for the emergency management, said the guns are for personal protection as allowed by Indiana law.

"The cell phone's our best weapon. We've never pulled our weapons out for any reason," Carretti said. "We call the police when we see things we can't handle."

http://www.elkharttruth.com/news/279978280073569.bsp

[Drizzt]

Elkhart Mayor asks neighborhood watch group not to carry guns

Posted: 04/07/2003 11:24 pm
Last Updated: 04/08/2003 09:19 am

In the past 18 months, the Woodlawn neighborhood in Elkhart has gone through some positive changes. Their neighborhood watch group has been busy getting grants to put in new side walks and to purchase devises like a light that lets traffic know to stop at this intersection. But recently they've had some light shined on them because of what they are using while on patrol.

Elkhart resident Michael Carretti says he cares about the 200 residents who live in the one square mile of his neighborhood, a neighborhood that is now labeled Woodlawn. He started a neighborhood watch group and named it Woodlawn Neighborhood Association. But after September 11th, he changed the name to Woodlawn Homeland Security. That's when he, along with two of the three neighborhood volunteers, began to patrol with guns.

Woodlawn Homeland Security volunteer Michael Carretti says, "People used to walk into these houses and rob people and we got sick and tired of it, so we took into our own hands." The chief of the association, Jack Sanders, says, "There are bad guys out there but not in here, and it's not because of the police department. It's because of us."

That may be true. Elkhart Mayor David Miller says there were 45 crimes, two years ago, reported in the Woodlawn neighborhood. But last year there were only four. "I applaud all of those types of efforts to make our neighborhood more of a safer city." But he doesn't applaud that Woodlawn volunteers carry guns even though they have permits and are trained. "I can't force them not to. I can simply set the standards and hope people follow."

He may be able to persuade one of the volunteers to disarm. Al Machin is the Elkhart city's Emergency Director. Miller says no city employee is allowed to carry a gun after work hours, which may bring this watch group down to three. "The city should not direct that city employee after they get done from work. We've been blessed for 18 months by the mayor and now all of a sudden we are not blessed."

Micheal Carretti says that this city should not have a say in what employees do after work. The Mayor has supported them in the past and now all of a sudden that's not the case.


http://www.wndu.com/news/042003/news_19334.php

[Standing Wolf]

Elkhart Mayor David Miller says there were 45 crimes, two years ago, reported in the Woodlawn neighborhood. But last year there were only four.

I don't know how to figure that percentage, but it's a whopper. How could any sane person object?