Indiana: "Officials announce program to reduce Gary gun crimes "

[cuchulainn]

from the Merriville Post-Tribune

http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/news/z1/10-21-03_z1_news_17.html

Officials announce program to reduce Gary gun crimes

Oct. 21, 2003

By Lori Caldwell / Post-Tribune staff writer

GARY — Mayor Scott King and U.S. Attorney Joseph Van Bokkelen stood on the steps of City Hall on Monday to announce a new federal anti-gun program aimed at reducing gun crimes and boosting community involvement.

Like its local predecessor Operation Bull’s-eye, the new version announced in May by President Bush targets the illegal purchase of weapons and stresses tough federal prison terms.

A Gary Public Transportation Corp. bus parked on Broadway carried one of the program’s themes: “Make your mark in school, not on the streets. Stop gun violence.â€

Van Bokkelen said his office has a $300,000 budget to deliver the various anti-violence themes, provide specialized training to police and develop ways for law enforcement agencies to share information on weapons and homicide cases.

“The community outreach is a new component,†Van Bokkelen said. Getting various community groups to assist in working with young people and parolees can help reduce gun crimes, he said.

“Prosecuting gun cases is not enough,†Van Bokkelen said.

King said Indiana “is a source state for guns,†which results in illegal ownership in other parts of the country.

“An important part of the campaign is education,†King said, suggesting that local newspapers cooperate by running public service messages that remind convicts they cannot carry weapons.

“It makes sense to coordinate these programs while maximizing enforcement efforts,†King said.

To that end, Van Bokkelen delivered six nylon bags filled with equipment Gary patrol officers can use when making arrests involving firearms.

James Mesterharm, who is managing the program through Van Bokkelen’s office, said the kits include digital cameras, fingerprinting materials and hand-held metal detectors.

He said the detectors allow officers to check suspects for weapons without encountering syringes, knives and other dangerous objects.

Six Gary officers recently completed comprehensive crime scene training in South Bend.

Those men — Cpl. James Kelly and Patrolmen Derrick Cannon, Brian Farrow, Delfin Flores, Anthony Hawkins and John Page — will receive the new equipment, Cmdr. Gregory Boose said.

Reach reporter Lori Caldwell at 881-3119 or by e-mail at [email protected].

 

[El Tejon]

"Today, Attorney General El Tejon announced a bold move to reduce crime in Gary: `I am please to announce that I have a master plan to reduce crime in Indiana. As of this minute, the entire muncipality of Gary will be ceded to the state of Illinois.'"



Hmmm, Indiana is a "source state" for guns. Wonder why those eeeevil guns are so well behaved here (excepting your cesspool, Mr. Mayor) and not in Chicago or Deetroit?

 

[QKRTHNU]

“An important part of the campaign is education,†King said, suggesting that local newspapers cooperate by running public service messages that remind convicts they cannot carry weapons.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

That's a good one.

 

[iamkris]

El Tejon

How 'bout we have Gary and Chicago join up into its own state and we join the remainder of Illinois and Indiana into its own state?

New northern state = Ch-esspool

New southern state = Illinana or Indinois...I don't care which.

 

[Bill Hook]

Imagine, a plan for reducing crime in Gary that doesn't involve bulldozers, the wrecking ball and dynamite - lotsa dynamite.

 

[MPFreeman]

I would merely push Gary into the lake.

But I'd hate to pollute the lake in such a foul manner.

 

[glocksman]

Six Gary officers recently completed comprehensive crime scene training in South Bend.

Those men — Cpl. James Kelly and Patrolmen Derrick Cannon, Brian Farrow, Delfin Flores, Anthony Hawkins and John Page — will receive the new equipment, Cmdr. Gregory Boose said.

Umm...

Shouldn't the Gary PD already have officers who are trained on how to handle crime scenes?

Never mind, I understand. It's Lake county (the boil on the butt of Indiana) that we're discussing.

 

[El Tejon]

glocksman, the Gary police have few clues. Remember how Evanie (10-12 years ago) sent in the ISP when Gary finally beat out those sissies in L.A. and D.C. and gained its rightful place as the murder capital? The ISP took over patrolling in Gary.

ISP could not believe their eyes: 911 calls unheeded, cars driven around without tags or headlights, trash strewn about the place. I remember the Indy Star article where they rode along with a young trooper from Southern Indiana. He thought he was in a different country, perhaps Somalia. Garydishu is still my fave nickname.

iam, that is a brilliant idea! We have far more in common with our long-suffering brothers in "downstate" (as if Chicago is the center of the universe) Illinois than we do with Gary. Same number of senators and without Chicago's influence, the pro-freedom caucus would grow! I'm all for it, sir.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Van Bokkelen said his office has a $300,000 budget to deliver the various anti-violence themes, provide specialized training to police and develop ways for law enforcement agencies to share information on weapons and homicide cases.

P.R. efforts don't save lives.