Thursday, May 01, 2014

BELLE ISLE TROOPERS STAND YOUR GROUND...don't take any shit from Detroit officials...




Belle Isle is an island in the Detroit River between Canada and the United States.

This was a great place to visit in my youth. It had so many things for families to enjoy including an aquarium, a zoo and a botanical garden. We even had Polish parades there on May 3rd to celebrate Poland’s Independence Day even though Poland was under Communist rule.

Anyway, the island deteriorated just as the City of Detroit deteriorated and for many years it was just allowed to rot and become a dangerous place where families did not feel safe to visit anymore.

Last year, the state took over running the island from the incompetent and corrupt city government; the island became a state park….the island was now being patrolled by the state police and not Detroit police who never really patrolled the island.

This week a few City of Detroit officials complained that they were being HARRASSED by the state police while driving on Belle Isle. In fact, the officials were stopped for speeding (35 mph in a 25 mph zone) one of the officials was the new mayor of Detroit but he did not complain in fact he apologized to the officer and thanked him for doing his job.

I was happy to see Letters to the Editor and a number of columnists addressing the issue this morning and basically telling those city officials complaining of harassment where to stick their complaints.

It appears that Detroiters are used to breaking the law because they know that there is no police presence or that the police officers that may be present could care less about enforcing minor legal infractions when there was a homicide epidemic gripping the city.

The policy of “Broken Windows” where police enforce all laws no matter how small and in so doing prevent larger crimes is a policy proven to work but obviously in Detroit, the police do not practice such a policy.

The complaints about police harassment on Belle Isle are very telling, especially coming from city officials.

The state police on Belle Isle have said that many of the stops were warning stops; telling the drivers that a strict speed limit will be enforced to protect the many joggers and walkers on the island.

Also telling was the fact that many of the stops for speeding ended in arrests; not for speeding but because the drivers were wanted individuals…see how the “Broken Windows” policy works?

Anyway, I am happy to see that the state police will not take shit from city officials or the media; they are just doing their job…enforcing the law.

Detroiters need to stop breaking the law and get used to a new sheriff on Belle Isle…maybe the Detroit police department can actually learn something from the Belle Isle troopers.

 

 

 

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