Enter At Your Own Risk: Police Union Says ‘War-Like’ Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors

[dkf]

DETROIT (WWJ) – The men and women of the Detroit Police Department believe the city is too dangerous to enter, and they want citizens to know it.

Detroit Police Officer Association (DPOA) Attorney Donato Iorio said officers are holding the “Enter At Your Own Risk” rally at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in front of Comerica Park to remind the public that the officers are overworked, understaffed, and at times, fearful for their lives.

“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,” Iorio told WWJ’s Kathryn Larson. “The DPOA believes that there is a war in Detroit, but there should be a war on crime, not a war on its officers.”

Iorio says the once 2,000 strong force is shrinking rapidly; since the start of summer, hundreds of officers have left the department.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/10/06/enter-at-your-own-risk-police-union-says-war-like-detroit-is-unsafe-for-visitors/

Sometimes I am skeptical that local governments need help paying for police but this seems a cut above that.

[cyclezealot]

1. Detroit is near the top of dysfunctional cities.

Detroit has a lot to offer with its cultural center. Let's get it together.. But, is it at the top of most violent cities. Maybe , of mega sized big cities. Competitors are New Orleans, St Louis , maybe Chicago and Washington .. .. Most violent middle sized cities.. Competing against Detroit, lets not forget Camden, East St. Louis. Camden would get the title as America's most third world like city.

[FarCenter]

6. Camden, NJ is 1/10th the population and 1/15th the area of Detroit.

[onethatcares]

2. no tax base, no revenue, no jobs

no cops.

this is probably what the entire country will look like once the ptbs decide they want more and more money

for their greedy little selves.

[Risen Demon]

3. Well

It's not too far from the year set for the Robocop movie.

image=

[FarCenter]

4. It would help if Mayor Bing could find a police chief that could keep his pants zipped.

[Eleanors38]

5. Legally, the police are NOT charged with protecting you.

They can try, but the vast number of crimes are investigated AFTER they occur. I feel for the citizens there, and the police. The thug gained great power and is aware of it.

[FarCenter]

7. Unless you are a public figure under police protection, you are on your own.

Generally, the police have no legal duty to protect specific persons.

[Eleanors38]

9. Some areas of Detroit are being "re-settled" by immigrants, artists, etc. Often turning...

vacant lots and torn-down houses with small farms (similar to Detroit a little over a hundred years ago). I wonder if they are experiencing the crime culture, or if these crimes are concentrated in certain areas like other cities.

[FarCenter]

11. I think that it is highly variable by neighborhood.

Detroit is geographically very large.

An acquaintance drove me around several neighborhoods which varied widely in density of houses, state of repair of the remaining houses, apparent community involvement, etc.

He had a job which required visiting homes in neighborhoods. Some homes are very well armed.

[Eleanors38]

14. Tama (12) has good links.

[tama]

12. Squatters and blotters

http://michiganmessenger.com/51949/squatting-becomes-common-in-detroit
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/05/142341520/blotting-not-squatting-in-detroit-neighborhoods
http://michiganradio.org/post/empty-series-detroit-its-not-squatting-%E2%80%A6-its-blotting-part-2

[Eleanors38]

13. Yeah, I saw some of those refs. Thanx. There was a T.V. show which dealt more with

the farming angle. At the time, the city did not like the approach.

[tama]

15. Of course they didn't like it.

Cities tend to favor blind denial regarding the origin of food. But once the city loses some of it's power grip, people start to remember their natural talent as the horticultural species par excellence.

[Eleanors38]

17. I agree.nt

[tama]

8. Google "Detroit police corruption"

DETROIT (WXYZ) - A big decision today in a police corruption case first exposed by the 7 Action News Investigators. A State Police Lieutenant and two others will stand trial for allegedly stealing property seized in drug raids.

Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/three-men-bound-over-for-trial-in-police-corruption-case-exposed-by-the-7-action-news-investigators#ixzz28Xr0BAqX

And much more. It's epidemic.

Media of course gives voice just to police criminals, not their victims, communities turned into drug war battlezones. By whom? By lawmakers.

[Eleanors38]

10. Summed up Detroit's predicament well. Unfortunately, the cartels are...

making serious in-roads into U.S. cities, and I'm afraid they will have a wider impact on the climate and health of more metropolitan areas. Chicago, though economically much more prosperous, is facing the rising power of these gangs as well.

Prohibition: America's most addictive drug.

[BarackTheVote]

16. Is this viral marketing for the new Robocop movie?

I know this article isn't funny, but I couldn't resist. I sorry.

[Octafish]

18. My wife and I were in Detroit last night, walking around with a lot of strangers...

...for DLECTRICITY. There were some scary people. The cops protected them from me.

[TBF]

19. This will be every major city as the gap between rich & poor grows still larger -

maybe you should think about that when you post your right wing memes.