Street lockdowns proposed for Baltimore

[Desertdog]

'If you want to save lives in Baltimore, do something about the murder rate, do something about the gun violence,'"

Street lockdowns proposed for Baltimore
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070517/ap_on_re_us/lockdown_zones_1

BALTIMORE - A city council leader, alarmed by Baltimore's rising homicide rate, wants to give the mayor the power to put troubled neighborhoods under virtual lockdown.

"Desperate measures are needed when we're in desperate situations," City Council Vice President Robert W. Curran told The (Baltimore) Sun. He said he would introduce the legislation next week.

Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare "public safety act zones," which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.

Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs.

Baltimore has tallied 108 homicides already this year, compared to 98 over the same period last year. Police and prosecutors also say they are facing a "stop snitching" culture that discourages victims and witnesses from cooperating with investigators trying to get criminals off the streets.

Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., a mayoral hopeful, said Curran's idea was an interesting concept but it raised questions about civil liberties.

"We have to make sure we're not declaring martial law," he said.

Mayor Sheila Dixon had a lukewarm response after meeting with Curran on Wednesday, but she said she might support the idea with some changes.

"We're already currently in those communities. We're bringing the resources and services to the communities," Dixon said. "I want him to build on what we're attempting to do."

Curran said he modeled his plan after an approach advocated by Philadelphia mayoral candidate Michael Nutter, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday. Nutter has called for declarations of a "state of emergency" in high-crime neighborhoods, where police would conduct aggressive stop-and-frisk searches and impose curfews.

Curran, who also sponsored Baltimore's recently passed smoking ban, said he expects opposition.

"Some of the critics of the smoking ban were telling me, 'If you want to save lives in Baltimore, do something about the murder rate, do something about the gun violence,'" he said. "I'm trying to stop the murders, to reduce the mortality rate from gun violence in this town."

 

[jlbraun]

"We have to make sure we're not declaring martial law"

Riiiight.

 

[ozwyn]

my first thought: i have to get the f**k out of Maryland.

apologies to anyone offended by the language, but I think at the least you understand my feelings.

 

[Titan6]

Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare "public safety act zones," which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.

Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs.

And it shall be called the Defense of Baltimore Act.

Let's See what could go wrong here.

"Halt you are now in a secure zone. Get out of the vehicle and put your hands on the hood."

"Dispatch, 43 we have a runner, possibly armed"

"43, Permission to engage"

"Bang, bang, bang"

"Dispatch, 43 target down, send EMS"

Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., a mayoral hopeful, said Curran's idea was an interesting concept but it raised questions about civil liberties.

Like what? The 4th ammendment? the 1st? Naah. Where could he get such an idea?

Curran said he modeled his plan after an approach advocated by Philadelphia mayoral candidate Michael Nutter, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday.

 

[TallPine]

Well, what the heck - if it "works" in Bagdad why won't it work in Baltimore ?

 

[nezumi]

The rest of Maryland is marginally better. Baltimore (and DC) really are pretty scummy areas, and because of the poor zoning and how close together everything is, it's pretty hard to get out of walking distance of dangerous areas. Where I live, I enjoy long walks every night and don't worry overly much about assault.

And, if I may be absolutely crude for a moment, a lot of it is race based. I know this sounds terrible, but the vast majority of the murders are black people killed by other black people. A white person isn't 'immune' to it, but I will say life is a little easier. Rather than not living in Maryland, I'd have to recommend not being black. A sad truth, but for some reason, criminals don't seem to be above racism.

 

[Zundfolge]

One of the most telling things about a politician is that when they start talking about their "solution" to ANY issue, does their solution give the people more freedom or less.

I guarantee you that in virtually every case the less freedom solution will actually make the problem worse than the more freedom one.

It also tells you what said politician thinks of you peons (since most of the "less freedom solution" ones don't see themselves as down on "our" level).

 

[Titan6]

I guarantee you that in virtually every case the less freedom solution will actually make the problem worse than the more freedom one.

Why? Rudy G solved lots of problems.

 

[kingpin008]

my first thought: i have to get the f**k out of Maryland.

Wanna carpool?

 

[El Tejon]

If only this could be expanded to the wealthy neighborhoods!

It's about time those people out there got a taste of what they have been voting for--the Love of Big Brother.

 

[Deanimator]

Quote:
I guarantee you that in virtually every case the less freedom solution will actually make the problem worse than the more freedom one.

Why? Rudy G solved lots of problems.

To include:

The potential for Amadou Diallo and Patrick Dorismond to suffer geriatric diseases.

Abner Louima's possible curiosity about colostomy bags.


If Rudy Giuliani's the answer, it was a truly evil and anti-American question.

 

[ptmmatssc]

Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs.

"

We have to make sure we're not declaring martial law," he said

Bizzarro world really does exist .

 

[JWarren]

"We have to make sure we're not declaring martial law," he said.

They don't have the authority to declare martial law.

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_mlaw.html

...it is often argued that only Congress can declare martial law, because Congress alone is granted the power to suspend the writ. The President, however, is commander-in-chief of the military, and it has been argued that the President can take it upon himself to declare martial law.

-- John

 

[Sage of Seattle]

They don't have the authority to declare martial law.

Whether they have the authority or not, John, it apparently happens anyway.

One quick example was the WTO meeting in Seattle (in 1999 IIRC). No natural disaster, no presidential order.

The old bill announced a curfew starting at 7pm, for the first time in living memory a state of martial law was declared in Seattle and the National Guard were called in by city mayor, Paul Schell.

http://www.urban75.com/Action/seattle.html

 

[yokel]

Nearly everyone recognizes that the PD cannot afford to enforce "public safety act zones" forever. Therefore, when the police move to another location, the drug dealers are likely to return (snap back) to the best corners to sell illegal drugs.

 

[HUMONGO]

Quote:
my first thought: i have to get the f**k out of Maryland.

Wanna carpool?

I'm in, I want the hell out.

 

[JWarren]

Whether they have the authority or not, John, it apparently happens anyway.

One quick example was the WTO meeting in Seattle (in 1999 IIRC). No natural disaster, no presidential order.

Hiya Sage.

Yep... same way with Katrina down here. Since when does not having the authority to do a thing mean you can't, it seems.....

The trend is disturbing...

-- John

 

[ravencon]

Sounds like Mogadishu on the Chesapeake.

 

[Kharn]

Nezumi:

And, if I may be absolutely crude for a moment, a lot of it is race based. I know this sounds terrible, but the vast majority of the murders are black people killed by other black people. A white person isn't 'immune' to it, but I will say life is a little easier. Rather than not living in Maryland, I'd have to recommend not being black. A sad truth, but for some reason, criminals don't seem to be above racism.

City Paper used to publish the races of all parties involved in a violent crime, along with the circumstances and location of the incident. After a while, the non-black population of the city seemed to realize that as long as they werent selling/buying/involved with drugs and did not wander into the deep ghetto, they were ok since the crime reports were filled with almost exclusively black-on-black drug-related crime.

Of course, that would not do, and the races of involved parties were removed from the crime reports.

Kharn

 

[HiroProX]

And what's the plan when people get fed up and overrun the cops?

Face it, our "elected officials" have declared war on the constitution and us. Deal with it or don't.

 

[Fulcrum of Evil]

It's not about race, but culture. The fact that this is mostly black on black is just a red herring.

 

[obxned]

Hey, it worked for the Nazis.

 

[4t5]

Just nuke Maryland from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[ozwyn]

Not a fan of nuking Maryland, but I do have friends in Georgia and Texas that have been bugging me to relocate. Their arguments got a hell of a lot more persuasive IMO.

anyone hiring IT geeks out there?

 

[Kharn]

Just nuke Baltimore, PG and Montgomery County from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Fixed.

Kharn