Why?

[Craigb]

Why are those who are driving or walking around during the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. not being stopped and checked to make sure they are not out breaking laws? I am not talking about someone who just got off work and goes out for a walk? I am talking about cars with more than one person, whose "music"? rattles houses, or a group of loud jackasses out walking in a group raising hell and looking for trouble. The reason I ask these things is because for the third time, one of my vehicles has had its windows shot out by some cowards who have to sneak around in the dark to do this crap. Must make this trash feel good to attack such a dangerous R.V. which must have attacked them! What a bunch of feeble brained cowards who have to get their rocks off by destroying others property! My son and I have lived at this address now going of 5 years, and I have seen a patrol car only twice during these hours, or any hours of the day for that matter. The reason I am up during these hours, is because of a spinal surgery that was botched and am in pain most of time. Pain is not condusive to sleep. I asked the officer who came to take our report, why these cars and people who are out at these hours, are not stopped and checked, and his reply was that other laws prohibit them from doing so? HUH? So there are laws that stop them from checking these people out, but laws that are suppose to protect us from these crimminals that can't be enforced for whatever reason? Makes sense to me!
I have a hard time understanding this at all, but I do know that if the Police Dept. can't protect its citizens and our properties from these pukes for whatever reason, then we will have to do the job ourselves. Yet I know, that if these pukes were to see a patrol car crusing around residential streets, this would at least be a deterant. All I know, is that I am sick and tired of things like this happening over and over, and nothing is being done to stop it. Like I said before, if I have to take the law into my own hands to protect my property and my family, then I will most assuredly do so. I can't believe that catching "speeders" would be more important than protecting our property and families. Yet I can just imagine that our city politicians want them to generate more revenue for the city, by catching those who break the speed limits and can be fined for speeding. Yet catching the vandals or gang members or druggies would not generate any revenue for the city, but take it instead. If this is true, then we see where the city politicians and other department heads priorities are. What I know for sure, is that something has to be done to stop this crap, one way or another.

I am sorry that my first post on this board had to be this, I would much rather had a uplifting story to tell, not this. Thanks for hearing me out.

[Made in the USA]

Been there, done that!! Welcome to the Board Craigb. I assume, the "same ol' excuse"---------they don't wanna upset the "packers"!!

[lurker]

I understand your frustration. My frustration is with the "system" of city government. We can hire/fire our Sheriff every 4 years and more often through recall petitions. Police departments are insulated from direct voter control.

[wordsmythe]

Craig Welcome

Since we live in a free society we can't have our police force stopping people just because they are out and MIGHT be involved in a crime. The police have to at LEAST have probable cause before stopping someone.

[Army_of_One]

Craig,
As a Soldier may I suggest a combination of claymore mines, flares and trip wires with warnings posted only in English. That should do the trick....

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Craigb

I am sorry that my first post on this board had to be this, I would much rather had a uplifting story to tell, not this. Thanks for hearing me out.

Don't be sorry. That was a great first post and in my humble opinion your issues are resonated by other members of the board...You will probably get much response...

[PowerUp]

Just wanted to day that not all peolple work 8 to 5 some off us work different hours of the day.
Nignt time is my day time and people dont care during the day if they are making noise. But noone should ever destroy someone eles stuff.
Noone should be in a gang either. If they were to stop everone during this hours I would be stopped all the time.

[Bronco-Fan]

First welcome to the board, a little quote from your quote I asked the officer who came to take our report, why these cars and people who are out at these hours, are not stopped and checked, and his reply was that other laws prohibit them from doing so? HUH? So there are laws that stop them from checking these people out, but laws that are suppose to protect us from these crimminals that can't be enforced for whatever reason? Makes sense to me!

I have been told by a couple of dcpd officers and sheriff officers that they have to do paper work on all car stops and personal contact with people, why they stopped them, etc etc, it seems we (dodge city) got caught profiling.. Hmmm. seems to me somebody had him or her a another slick lawyer. Maybe the PD needs to have a class on creative minds, like the reason I stopped you the music was too loud, or it looked to me like your one tail light is out, you know use so mind power here Officers, Now I got stopped early hours one sunday morning going home after taking my wife to work at the hospital on south second, by a very nice Sheriff Officer, who gave me a warning about my front left head lite, which was out when he seen me on 2nd and trail, when he stopped me I told him I had been having trouble with that light, short or something, I got out and slapped the headlight and it came on, LOL,, he told me about the profileing paperwork, he was very nice about it, Oh by the way it was my wife's car and her windows are tinted a little dark, I too would have stopped the car if I was him, 5am in the morning left headlight out, good stop, now you get to see inside the car, and you have a tag and driver's info. Good work Officer. Now for what it is worth, how about some of us that to do to work in the early hours or coming home from work and see something maybe that should be reported, like four or five people walking the streets, or God forbid someone painting on a wall?? why not call it in, then we have done our duty. up the Dispatch and PD/Sheriff to take over. Oh and if we have time maybe stay a safe distance and see if someone does show up. Huh..

[Army_of_One]

I know it's a controversy but I would personally like to see the police profile. If you fit the profile of a criminal and you are not doing anything wrong then you are ok..... We, like most places have limited resources. IF a police officer has time to make x stops pre night I would rather have them stop people that are more likely to be criminals than an 80 year old lady going home from Bingo. I know some will disagree with this but desperate times call for desperate measures.

[MissKitty]

Craigb,

I think the problem may not be the cops, but the lawmakers. We have so many frickin laws that protect the rights of the criminals that the rights of the victims are non-existant. We've become so lawsuit-happy that the rules handcuff the cops on what they can and can't do, and if they try to get creative they get sued.

Do you have a car alarm? Hopefully that would at least scare a criminal away and wake you up. What about motion-detector lights? Knock on wood, I haven't been a victim yet, but if I was a grafitti victim, I'd hook up one of those motion-cameras and try and catch the SOBs in the act. I think Tee is the device guru, so maybe he can recommend something.

Welcome to the board and hang in there!