Detroit Police: Enter At Your Own Risk
Perhaps a sign of things to come in other major cities across the U.S. struggling with their own budgets. The cuts and austerity measures have apparently been so severe in Detroit that the city has been deemed unsafe for visitors… as warned by their own police department! The police themselves are passing out flyers and warning people to stay out for their own safety. That’s when you know it’s bad…
“Detroit is America’s most violent city, its homicide rate is the highest in the country and yet the Detroit Police Department is grossly understaffed,” said a Detroit Police Officer Association (DPOA) attorney to CBS Detroit news radio station WWJ-950. “The DPOA believes that there is a war in Detroit, but there should be a war on crime, not a war on its officers.”
Detroit has lost 1,000 police officers in 10 years. Those who are left are working 12-hour shifts. “These police officers are beyond demoralized, these officers are leaving hand over fist because they can no longer afford to stay on the department and protect the public,” he said (DPOA attorney).
The results have left Detroit with an explosion in violent crime and war like conditions as the State treasurer continues to De-fund countermeasures.
This one example illustrates one of the side effects of government grasping at ways to deal with their budgets. The thing is, only the Federal government can print money when they don’t have enough. State and local governments cannot. Therefore, austerity measures become one of the only ways to deal with this (apart from raising state and local taxes).
When austerity is applied to the government sector which ‘protects’ us, it leaves people to fend for themselves while enabling the criminal element to move and operate more freely among us. That’s just the way it is. Sure, some cities are probably more vulnerable to violent uprising than others, but given a major collapse, even the nicest among us can turn violent. If and when it all hits the fan, how will you handle it? (the lack of external protection)
Things in Detroit are bad. Real bad. It seems that austerity doesn’t go over too well. We’re in for some tough times ahead, indeed…
Flyer passed out by Detroit Police
while true detroit is worse off than a third world country and anyone living there/visiting there is a fool, lets not forget these ‘poor’ detroit cops have an agenda, to increase their pay and numbers again. ultimately, they dont give a hoot about anyone but themselves, just trying to scare folks with these flyers. they have lived hi on the hog for years off of us taxpayers, enough! time to bring in the guard and clean out that rat hole
I agree with you that the Detroit PD likely has an agenda to benefit themselves (as would all organizations, unions, employees)… after all, who wouldn’t want a better situation for themselves? I also am certain (and the reason for the article) that the city of Detroit is forced into austerity measures due to a lack of sufficient money to fund everything that they ‘need’ or want to fund. Where they choose to cut, is their choice. Having said that, I believe this story is an example of rough times to come as more cities and municipalities face a lack of funds to sustain the spending they have become used to. I’m not taking sides in this example, just pointing out the issue in general.
these same DPD cops fight tooth and nail to keep job classifications open for police to do things like tend cash registers for strippers to get their licenses. the DPD has a musical group they call the “blue pigs” which means that fully capable cops are playing lame rock and roll to hip hop listening kids at schools in the city. talk about a disconnect. let’s just say that i have a front row seat to how this department operates. dozens of these lazy a$$holes are just sitting around everyday, doing nothing. whenever you see a cop in his/her patrol car, there is a 75% chance of them talking on their cell phones.
the city is SCREWED, but that has equally to do with the horrible job that DPD does, as much as the culture of violence within the city. they just had their pay slashed by 10% and had their schedule switched to 12 hour shifts (not that they’ll have to actually work more hours). they’re pissed and hoping to punish the city, which has zero tax base, into complying with their demands. the DPD still has a higher cop/citizen ratio than most other cities, yet they can’t begin to stem the tide of violence.
in closing, these jokes in uniforms has an abysmal 8% homicide conviction rate. no wonder thugs with guns own the neighborhoods. they know there’s no chance they’ll get caught by the fat and lazy pigs.
agree with you, Ken. so many other cities in similar dire straits. just more justification to move out of the city and into the country before its too late
Detroit isn’t alone. A lot of cities have been filing for bankruptcy protection. They can’t afford their police/fire depts. anymore. Stockton California comes to mind. They ran out of money and closed some fire stations, laid off police officers, and now their crime rate is exploding. It isn’t safe to visit Stockton anymore either, and it used to be a really nice town.
One of the problems is the courts. Why would you want to spend the resources to catch someone, run them through court, and then let them go. If they would catch them, get the judges to impose maximum sentences then you are no longer catching the same thugs over and over. Honestly no one really cares what happens to anyone else anymore.
The police lost all of my respect when they started referring to themselves as “law enforcement officers”, which translates to “tax collector”. The “No police, no peace” line is a crock. If there was peace, we would not need police. They are a bunch of self serving psychopaths who got bullied in high school.
I do believe that like many or most all other professions, there are the good, the bad, and the in-between. No doubt that there are some PD’s that may be worse off than others or more or less ‘corrupt’? Depending on a variety of factors…
detroit’s police department is likely one of the more corrupt in the country on top of being poorly trained. they’ve been under federal supervision for years, as has the regional water/sewage system. i’m telling you, these police will not respond quickly, if at all. they do not want to get out of their cars. they are always on their cell phones.
that flyer is propaganda in most part, but complaints about wages and benefits are silly considering the level of revenue and outstanding debts. the city itself is bankrupt.
i hope most people have better police than they detroit has. i live in a nice city bordering detroit to the north. our PD is responsive and we’ve said thanks with a police and fire millage. they often chase suspects into detroit, who came from detroit, so i hope they’ve thought about how to seal off the city if their are large scale riots. we’ve not heard of much crime in our neighborhood.
Ken…. this is a game played by most unions around the country, California comes to mind. The following headline was on the news in Detroit. They say there is going to be a demostration in front of city hall? “Enter At Your Own Risk: Police Union Says ‘War-Like’ Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors.” I will have to agree that they have lost the respect of most citizens. Bullies with a license! When the police are afraid to do their job, all they have to do is quit. Government says there is all kind of jobs in the last report!
Yes I do realize that (I’ve been around long enough to know these tactics). However, you have to peel the onion a little further and ask yourself, ‘Why is it that Detroit (and many, many other cities – and States) have run out of money and are faced with difficult bargaining issues and austerity measures?’ I suppose that many of us know the general answer to that question, which is overspending over these past many years. I also suppose that one could argue that if these cities did okay with less before, then it’s no big deal doing with less today… except that the public has gotten used to it, and there are generations growing up that are used to it. When austerity measures are applied, and services are taken away, there is quite an uproar. It’s interesting to watch the slow motion train-wreck nonetheless…
Reading a few other articles than your own, this seems like a ruse. They’re doing this to get the public to vote them more money instead of going on strike. Maybe if the policy stopped harassing pot smokers, and petty traffic violations, they’d have enough.
…you may be right regarding their intentions. I seized the opportunity to point out the austerity measures, and how it could play out in other cities (problems meeting pension plan demands, maintaining existing payrolls, etc.) especially if the current slow economic collapse speeds up.
Its because our prison systems are not scary to anyone anymore. Crimes go up. Criminals go to jail, get fed, watch tv, workout, and get a better education than most Americans. So of course crime rates have gone up everywhere. Nobody has fear like they used to. People are getting off for murder for crying out loud. Some criminals are becoming media celebrities and making $$ writing tell alls. Its disguisting. Our society has become a entitlement society. That is what is happening at the police departments and with judges becoming corrupts, the almighty dollar. I see this getting worse instead of better.
@Texasgirl; While I agree with your sentiments, the fact is that most (60-70%) internees are NON-VIOLENT drug USERS. The war on drugs is over, they won!!! Legalize it and levy taxes. If we spent 1/10th of the “war on drugs” budget on education and treatment(while legalizing and taxing drugs), we wouldn’t have NEAR the criminal population we have, nor the number of drug users. When you imprison people over stuff like that you DESENSITIZE them to the consequences of punishment and it makes ALL OF US scofflaws over the issues. This is a bad combination, for the authorities AND the citizens at large. I have yet to meet someone that thought the “justice system” of ANY state was “okay” to be in. As far as Detroit, the U.S. had poured “billions of dollars” into that black hole with nothing to show for it, similar to other black holes around the world, that billions of dollars have been poured into. It (Detroit) has also been democratically controlled for decades, many decades, with nothing to show…NOTHING. Nuff said. Yes, I know it is the LESSER of two evils, but mind how you vote in November. Just sayin’. Survive well. Enjoy.
TripodXL; I have to disagree on legalizing all drugs. Meth is a horrible drug and is rampant in some parts. The making of this drug is dangerous and has killed innocent little kids. Its very sad. We have seen it rip families apart. We have “meth heads” stealing and tearing stuff up. I have personally seen what it has done to the youth of this area and it’s spreading. I think if we did spend some of that budget on controlling our borders and what comes in them too, that would have helped tremendously. But we did do some education…or we did here. Remember the D.A.R.E. program? As a child, that impacted me alot. I never once tried drugs. Ever. I think people are more desensitized by tv, video games, certain types of music, etc. These media outlets have glorified the prison and “thug” life.
Texasgirl; Myself, being a recovering drug addict/alcoholic for over 7 years now, I’ve seen both sides. Jailing drug addicts/alcoholics doesn’t solve anything except how to waste taxpayer dollars. Not once did the thought of going to jail stop me from drinking or using. In fact, it made me resentful and angry of law makers/police, whom most have NO CLUE.
The point I’m trying to make is,the best answer is to legalize it all. While I know it sounds like a horrible idea, it is in fact the lesser of 2 evils. With the tax money aquired we can open treatment centers to help people get off the crap. One day I’m sure we will have better treatment methods, however, in the interim, sending users to bigger, worse prisons doesn’t cure anything. Let alone the disease of addiction! Bottom line.
My daughter was born 7 years ago last June, & I celebrated 7 years clean the month prior. Today, I repair computers and I help others, above all! I damn sure didn’t learn those things in prison.
@CM88; OOOOHA! Brother, celebrate. Glad you cleaned up and got motivated. Yeah, that’s what most don’t understand about addiction and drug usage. I do not approve of it yet it can’t be stopped. If it could be stopped, I think in 30 plus years, we would have stopped it. It just can’t be done. And when you add up the cost of 70 percent or more of the prison system as being JUST drug users/purchasers for 30 plus years, then that JUST doesn’t make sense. It’s just plain stupid, and expensive. Continue to do well and be strong for your daughter and whoever shows up after her. Survive well. Enjoy.
@Texasgirl; I did not mean that I support or encourage drug use. My issues are simply the facts of the matter. We have poured billions and billions of dollars into this “30+ year war”, with NO PERCEPTIBLE SUCCESS. We can’t even stop the people at the borders, much less the drugs. I’m well aware of D.A.R.E. Had a lot of calls from the local ISD wondering why my kids weren’t in it. While the sentiment was well meaning (as are all gubment and “quasi-official” programs)the implementation at school was obnoxious and represented most of the reasons for a “lack of faith” in most gubment endeavors and THEIR methods of coercion. The program was antithetical to the “libertarian view” of our forefathers about government (and other coordinated programs) and mine as well. I didn’t stop my kids from joining, but I did explain my reasons for my objections to the program and they chose to not join. To be sure, everything you say is tacitly true. However, children get hurt from meth labs simply because there are clandestine(and of course questionable)meth labs out in the neighborhoods instead of in a professional setting. You are right about the media and their glorification of less than ideal life choices. You raise them the best you can and hope they do well, you can’t do more than that. It doesn’t matter if it’s guns, religion, speed, smoking, alcohol or drugs they are trying to ban and control. It is ALL PEOPLE CONTROL, therefore I am opposed to it (the control aspect) on general principles. There will be many people CONTROLLED by the “if it only saves one child’s life, it’s worth it” BS. It isn’t worth it…but there isn’t enough space or time to properly deal with the issue in this forum. TG, don’t take this as a personal affront as it isn’t meant that way, only a difference of opinion by reason. Survive well. Enjoy.
CriticalMass88…Congrats on your recovery! That is awesome. I will be the first to admit I do not understand addiction. I do have a relative in and out of jail and on drugs, and have watched their downward spiral, but that is as far as I know. So I will admit I do not have fully grasp addiction. He would get out and use again. So maybe you are right. If the focus was shifted to treatment, maybe the success rate would be better. I know in Texas, churches are also trying to have ministries to help inmates.
TXL…I didn’t think you encouraged drug use, sorry for that. And I kinda agree about the “guberment” programs now. I would be wary too. The one I was in was like 25 years ago. A totally different time. Now, I would be a little wary of any government program. Of course I live in a small town, that still holds to small town ideals for the most part. The school board and parents play big roles in what the kids hear and see. For example, you try to teach evolution, you are gonna be in some hot water. Not that we don’t have our problems too.
Wow…! I Can’t believe someone would post this so called”flyer”. Although Detroit isn’t in the best shape at all it isnt a placed with dead bodies and bullets being kicked out the way as you walk down the street. Not all of Detroit is in the same condition just like every other major city. Its clear that the writer of this post as well as many of those commenting 1) have never been to Detroit 2) are clearly frightened by their own shadow. So, Ken while I do understand that you were posting about a “flyer” that is passed out to visitors/ potential visitors (which is laughable and naive for you to believe) you should remember that you do have/had potential readers from all overt the country.
@Anonymous in Cleveland, my intent of the article (perhaps misunderstood) was to point out how a city can apparently get ‘out of control’, even to such an extent that the police are warning visitors of the dangers. Although the flyer may have been used for political gain of the police union there, I felt that it was an example (perhaps not the best) of the dangers of a decaying city. Being how this is a ‘survival’ site, we sometimes point out the dangers of living in a city or other densely populated regions, should TSHTF. It would be the LAST PLACE I would want to be under such circumstances…
@Anon; Well, it was passed out by the DPOA in protest of work conditions and contract issues. Depending on what year it is though, either Detroit, New Orleans or Washington D.C. swap places as the murder capitol of the U.S. and they consistently stay, collectively, in the top three. That is a fact. Detroit and D.C. have received more money per capita than any other cities in the U.S. FOR DECADES. What benefit did society at large get for their money? Nothing!!! Detroit has had billions of “social engineering” dollars poured into that city and now they can’t pay the cops, firefighters and EMTs what “they” perceive they are due for their work. So much of the tax base has LEFT,(because of the living conditions) that the city is a shell. It can’t support itself and all the government services needed to support the ghost town that it has become. I have been all over the world and dealt with people in “the gravest extreme” (there is a book by this title written by Massad Ayoob, suggest you read it and you will understand what I just said), and yet I am here and they are not!!! SO I AM NOT AFRAID OF MY SHADOW. While I have never been to Detroit, I have been to most large American cities (I’m not going to list them, though Detroit is in the significant minority) and as such I understand the problems and issues therein. Just because you aren’t shot at on each street and don’t have to “step over” bodies in your day to day travels, doesn’t mean that Detroit is a nice place to be, even though YOU appear to like it for some reason. We all love home, even if it is Beruit, Lebanon????!!!! That’s a kind of normalcy bias for what you have “always known as home” and it is difficult to accept that where you call “home” is not well accepted by others. That’s tough to accept, but guess what??? You might want to rethink that point of view. It is hard to do and I know that first hand. Just sayin’. I don’t care where you are from, if some place is a problem location, then it is a PROBLEM LOCATION, period. Critical thinking involves being “honest with yourself on a moment by moment basis” for correct deductive and logical reasoning outcomes. Yeah, I’m an asshole, but THAT ISN’T THE POINT!!!! The point is that Detroit (sorry for all the good people that live there) is simply a “sh**hole” place to live in, in general. Now, that is just a fact. Just ask ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LEFT!!!. Survive well. Enjoy.