Dogs and Ponies
POTTSTOWN, PA – More of the same old talk. That pretty much sums up the reaction of concerned citizens who attended last night’s community meeting to address the rising tide of shootings and violence in Pottstown.
We know where the bad guys are and we’re doing what we can…yadda yadda yadda.
Here’s the report from today’s Mercury:
To fight crime, Pottstown must ‘step up’ says chief
And here’s a segment that appeared on Channel 69:
Police: Drug Turf War In Pottstown
Basically, we were told that folks in Pottstown need to step up to the plate and not to be so darn apathetic.
C’mon everyone. Do your part! Install more lighting around your residences so the police can find those spent casings on the sidewalk in front of your house after shootings occur.
And don’t forget to call police when you see anything suspicious.
Haven’t we already heard this before? And excuse us, but the folks in attendance at last night’s meeting ARE the ones who are doing their part. Don’t preach to the choir and please don’t insult our intelligence. We want to hear from our elected officials and professional members of law enforcement EXACTLY what steps are being taken to arrest and jail the thugs who are using the streets of Pottstown as their personal game of Modern Warfare 2.
We now find out that an individual was indeed shot during the gunfire which occurred in the 100 block of North Hanover Street the night of November 6. And that individual won’t cooperate with police in the investigation (and isn’t that a big surprise in Pottstown).
So, what to take away from last night’s meeting?
For the concerned citizens who did attend the meeting, first off, thank you for taking the time to attend the meeting. Please, please, please – keep being involved. Keep an eye out in your neighborhood. Call police when you see/hear anything out of the ordinary. Don’t think someone else is going to call police. These are our neighborhoods being affected. Chief Flanders is correct – we can’t expect a police force of 46 to be the cure all for Pottstown’s ills.
What’s the next step?
Well…there wasn’t any mentioned last night (oopsie), but what you as a concerned Pottstown citizen can do is stay involved. That’s the only way we will reclaim our neighborhoods. There is a Neighborhood Watch Meeting being held at 146 King Street (the PAL building) tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. (meetings are held the 3rd Friday of the month). Chief Flanders will be attending tomorrow’s meeting, so it will be to your benefit to attend.
We’ll see you there!
21,000 residents – give or take – 4.86 miles and a concentration of violent crimes lie within a square mile at most? Gimme a break, there are not that many hiding places in an area that size.
Is it any wonder that the people of Pottstown are beginning to figure out the reason that the morale of the officers on the force is low after last night’s poor performance by Flanders and the DA? And low it is. How can they be effective when the leadership is so ineffective? Whatever the police here have been taught/told to do isn’t working. Ordinances are not being enforced and the criminals are in control.
How dare these people chastise the residents and steer the focus away from their own incompetence – the real problem.
Chief Flanders needs to go, time’s up bud. No more $300 a month clothing allowance for those fancy schmancy suits. Wear your uniform like other Chiefs do. If he had a conscience he’d have to back up with his hand out behind him to accept that check every month, but he doesn’t.
Our problems are many but this is one we don’t need, he should be waving bye bye to Pottstown from the rear view mirror and Mr. Bobst needs to start surrounding himself with people that are not just – butt kisses – people that can really support his ideas and enthusiasm.