wrote:
If the threat is not credible, there's no reason to cause a panic by releasing it. Seeing a panicked reaction would only encourage further threats. People panic, it sounds like the city employees did.
22 May 2008 13:14:19
Lucente wrote:
AverageGuy,
I considered -- and dismissed -- that excuse. If they receive a threat, they should tell us and then tell us how credible they think it is. My real problem here is that they thought it was credible enough to warn their employees. That tells me they did not think it was some idle threat.
The other problem I have is that the officer who we asked about it was more concerned with finding the leak instead of showing any concern for open government or the welfare of Lima residents.
In the end, I want to decide whether I need to take action to protect my family. I don’t want Chief Garlock or any other bureaucrat making that decision for me.
~tjl~
I considered -- and dismissed -- that excuse. If they receive a threat, they should tell us and then tell us how credible they think it is. My real problem here is that they thought it was credible enough to warn their employees. That tells me they did not think it was some idle threat.
The other problem I have is that the officer who we asked about it was more concerned with finding the leak instead of showing any concern for open government or the welfare of Lima residents.
In the end, I want to decide whether I need to take action to protect my family. I don’t want Chief Garlock or any other bureaucrat making that decision for me.
~tjl~
22 May 2008 14:03:35
wrote:
Damn Skippy Tom.
The LPD should have came public as soon as the threat was deemed important enough to WARN the city employees. This just says they think more of themselves than they do the rest of us. What IF a pipe bomb, C4, booby trap, gun rampage, etel went down in the city , just as the threat said? What IF a few people where killed, of injured? And the LPD had knowlage and held it from the public...they, IMHO would be responsable, as much as the PERP, for the injurys. Small town good 'ol boy network. Was the ACSO also included? What the HELL ever happened to the IDEA that THEY ALL WORK FOR US? SHAME on them BOTH...LPD and ACSO.
The LPD should have came public as soon as the threat was deemed important enough to WARN the city employees. This just says they think more of themselves than they do the rest of us. What IF a pipe bomb, C4, booby trap, gun rampage, etel went down in the city , just as the threat said? What IF a few people where killed, of injured? And the LPD had knowlage and held it from the public...they, IMHO would be responsable, as much as the PERP, for the injurys. Small town good 'ol boy network. Was the ACSO also included? What the HELL ever happened to the IDEA that THEY ALL WORK FOR US? SHAME on them BOTH...LPD and ACSO.
22 May 2008 14:42:19
wrote:
Well you do have a point about one thing: If there was any danger downtown, the police should have been sent there to investigate and stop it, NOT warned to stay away. Was this an official issued warning, though? Or just that the news of a threat spread fast on its own?
22 May 2008 15:06:40
Lucente wrote:
Danimal,
I don't know what the Sheriff's Office knew, if anything. Not sure if LPD shared that information or not.
~tjl~
I don't know what the Sheriff's Office knew, if anything. Not sure if LPD shared that information or not.
~tjl~
22 May 2008 21:05:08
Lucente wrote:
AverageGuy,
I am not sure. What I do know is that all the employees were told before they left that something was going to happen and they should stay out of downtown. I am also under the impression that LPD did, in fact, beef up patrols of downtown Wednesday evening.
Like I said, LPD is always tight-lipped with info because they don't think the people have a right to know what is going on in our own town.
~tjl~
I am not sure. What I do know is that all the employees were told before they left that something was going to happen and they should stay out of downtown. I am also under the impression that LPD did, in fact, beef up patrols of downtown Wednesday evening.
Like I said, LPD is always tight-lipped with info because they don't think the people have a right to know what is going on in our own town.
~tjl~
22 May 2008 21:06:41
wrote:
The only way I see any improvement in the southern part of Lima is that the citizens must act to make some citizens arrest of individuals doing the drugs out in the open. If they don't clean up their own area, then there's not much hope for that area or any other area with problems unless the people start to be involved. Just not enough police to get the job done and then when they do, the sentencing of the criminals is so light that they're right back doing the same thing again and again.
23 May 2008 00:12:19
Lucente wrote:
Banjol,
You are right that there has to be a level of self-responsibility. I have always counseled against relying on the police for anything. There only job is to investigate crime after it is committed. Beyond that, there is very little police can do to prevent crime or to protect people. In fact, the courts have continually ruled that police have no obligation to protect people.
If people want crime-free neighborhoods, they are going to have to take charge themselves.
~tjl~
You are right that there has to be a level of self-responsibility. I have always counseled against relying on the police for anything. There only job is to investigate crime after it is committed. Beyond that, there is very little police can do to prevent crime or to protect people. In fact, the courts have continually ruled that police have no obligation to protect people.
If people want crime-free neighborhoods, they are going to have to take charge themselves.
~tjl~
23 May 2008 01:35:08
Tee Cee wrote:
Hey, Mr. L. Ya know maybe what ever the threat was ,was aimed at the police, or Lima personnel.
Just maybe keeping them "out of sight, out of mind", might have worked as a deterrent.
Maybe they figured the average citizen was safe, but could be injured by a near miss.
Just a thought.
Myself, I haven't found anything appealing enough down-town to go there anyhow.
Maybe the old merc. theory of "kill em all, let God sort em out " will be revived, hope not but with todays views and values who knoiws.
Glad I don't own any registered guns, sounds like we gotta rely on ourselves to keep ourselves safe!! Ya think?? godere di pace , ciao Tee
Just maybe keeping them "out of sight, out of mind", might have worked as a deterrent.
Maybe they figured the average citizen was safe, but could be injured by a near miss.
Just a thought.
Myself, I haven't found anything appealing enough down-town to go there anyhow.
Maybe the old merc. theory of "kill em all, let God sort em out " will be revived, hope not but with todays views and values who knoiws.
Glad I don't own any registered guns, sounds like we gotta rely on ourselves to keep ourselves safe!! Ya think?? godere di pace , ciao Tee
23 May 2008 02:15:54
Tee Cee wrote:
I'm back, just thought I better explain the last part of my last comment, befor e "swat" breaks down my door thinking I'm talking about the police.
The comment about the mercenary phraise, and gun registration was in responce to Banjol and danimal. Gotta go, shalom Tee
The comment about the mercenary phraise, and gun registration was in responce to Banjol and danimal. Gotta go, shalom Tee
23 May 2008 02:30:16
Lucente wrote:
Tee Cee,
Perhaps, but I don't think the threat was that specific. It is my understanding that the threat was simply that Wednesday would be a bad day to be in Lima.
Who knows, though. The police cower behind that veil of silence and we are left wondering what is going on.
Ciao
~tjl~
Perhaps, but I don't think the threat was that specific. It is my understanding that the threat was simply that Wednesday would be a bad day to be in Lima.
Who knows, though. The police cower behind that veil of silence and we are left wondering what is going on.
Ciao
~tjl~
23 May 2008 03:19:15
Tee Cee wrote:
Yo, Mr. L., if the threat was that Wed. would be a bad day to be in Lima, don't sound like a threat, sounds more like common knowledge.
After all no day is an overly good day to be in Lima.
Sometimes you can't blame the police for their actions tho, no matter what they do, someone, (usually one of the goofier members of council) is gonna find fault, and raise a big stink.
One thing about some of council members though, they call a news conference so the whole world has a chance to see how dumb and biased they are.
Can you say "dim-bulb " boys and girls?
Gotta go, "MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS THE GRAVEL YOU TRAVEL MY FRIEND"
Shalom, ciao, "Tee"
After all no day is an overly good day to be in Lima.
Sometimes you can't blame the police for their actions tho, no matter what they do, someone, (usually one of the goofier members of council) is gonna find fault, and raise a big stink.
One thing about some of council members though, they call a news conference so the whole world has a chance to see how dumb and biased they are.
Can you say "dim-bulb " boys and girls?
Gotta go, "MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS THE GRAVEL YOU TRAVEL MY FRIEND"
Shalom, ciao, "Tee"
23 May 2008 14:31:59
confused wrote:
LPD is just as bad as LCS. North has had a threat of a shoot out the last day of school, Mr. Vaugh said that it is a rumor and you know how rumors are. Well my child is there and I fel that this is something serious. There has been 100 students suspended recently and they were standing in the bank parking lot and harassing students, the bank called the LPD, the students had to move. Well there are more places for them to stand and WHERE ARE THE PARENTS? Something has been said about putting the school on lock down the whole last day of school, the last day is supposed to be fun, well what will there memories be of being locked down. I think that this should be taken very seriously, many lives are in that building. Aren't threats like this illegal? Please someone help me, not sure what to do and the school is keeping it quiet, although it is slowly moving by word of a few. Karel needs to stand up on this one, so they still have students to teach.
26 May 2008 23:40:33
Lucente wrote:
confused,
I am disappointed in how North handled the whole thing. They sent a letter home and were planning to lock down the school for the day. But most kids stayed home, even teachers with children in that school kept them home. It probably would have been better to have just canceled classes for the day anyway because all they were going to do is watch a movie.
Don't expect Oxley to stand up on anything. She tends to react in ways to minimize public perceptions rather than make the hard decisions that need to be made.
~tjl~
I am disappointed in how North handled the whole thing. They sent a letter home and were planning to lock down the school for the day. But most kids stayed home, even teachers with children in that school kept them home. It probably would have been better to have just canceled classes for the day anyway because all they were going to do is watch a movie.
Don't expect Oxley to stand up on anything. She tends to react in ways to minimize public perceptions rather than make the hard decisions that need to be made.
~tjl~
05 June 2008 00:35:17
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Lima Police Department behaved irresponsibly
The Lima Police Department received a threat that Wednesday would be a good day to stay out of Lima. Police officials then told its employees, officers and civilians alike, that they might want to stay out of downtown. However, they did not deem it important enough to tell the people of Lima that a threat had been made.
When asked about the threat, a police representative was more concerned with how we found out about it than in divulging any information. All he would say was that the threat was "vague."
Well, apparently police officials thought it was specific and credible enough to warn their employees about it. So why not the people of Lima?
We live in a dangerous world. Even more so these days in Lima. There is no disputing the volatile environment that exists in this community.
So the people deserve to be told of such threats and whether officials believe the threat is credible. Only through information can people make informed decisions about how they live their lives. It is not up to government and police officials to make such decisions.
I don't understand this propensity in Lima for secrecy. The Lima Police Department is one of the most secretive police departments I have ever had to deal with. They treat every piece of information as if it were a matter of national security. Getting even basic information about the most routine traffic accident is like pulling teeth from a dinosaur, despite Ohio laws that provide for open and transparent government.
Get over yourselves! You are municipal police officers, not CIA spooks. You work for the people of Lima and the people of Lima deserve open and transparent government at all levels, including at the Police Department.
This latest incident with the threat demonstrates once again how irresponsible Police Department employees are. And this environment of secrecy has to be coming from the top down. It is time Chief Gregory Garlock and his top officers take steps to tear down the veil of silence at the Police Department. After all, he claims he wants to improve community relations between his department and the people of Lima. That should be the first step.
The second step would be to deal with the rude attitudes of many of the officers. But that is a blog item for another day.
category | Police
author | Lucente