Hickenlooper Fails in Gang Enforcement
Denver's Mayor defends city's response to gang fighting, and he fails miserably.
Some state and city officials want Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to lead a more public charge against the city's gang violence.
"All I said to the mayor was, 'I really think we need some visible, vocal leadership on the issue of gangs.' And as chief executive of the city, he needs to stand up and say, 'Enough is enough, not on my watch,"' said state Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver. Groff said Saturday that he made the point during a Friday meeting of Denver and state officials.
Hickenlooper said the city has added 140 police officers and a youth- mentoring program, among other things. A mentoring program. Another progresive thinking failure. Lots of nonaction by the Denver administration. Instead of arresting and holding the young wannabe gang bangers responsible for thier damage to private property. Lets sit down and talk to the kids and say "Please stop this. It is a bad thing to do."
"If the perception out there in the community is that the city is not responding, then we need to find ways to tell them what we're doing, without provoking gang recruiting or other negative consequences," Hickenlooper said.
Without provoking? Is he suggesting he get the permission of these punks first before he goes after them? Who does he think he is, John Kerry fighting the war on terrorism?
Councilwoman Kathleen Mac Kenzie defended Hickenlooper's performance.
"I don't share the view that he's been unresponsive," MacKenzie said. "He has addressed all the public safety concerns the council has raised."
The problem is the council is not raiseing the right questions and asking those who are suffering not only finacially but emmotionally and mentally from the threats and actions of these punks.
Councilman Doug Linkhart said that after talking to experts, he thinks the city's gang problems have escalated. And you know what? He is RIGHT!
Linkhart, Hickenlooper and Councilman Rick Garcia said the city should find more resources for youth employment and after-school programs. Garcia said there is a correlation between diminished resources for youth programs and gang problems. However leaving out the age old fact that if you do not punish someone for doing harm to another or wronging a person on purpose, they are rewarding the behavior.
Then seeking new resources only means a new tax for a new failure in social programming. What needs to be done is arrest these punks. Lock them up for a little while and hold them FINACIALLY RESPONSIBLE for the damage they do. If the youthful perp is unable to pay for the damage created then hold his or her family responsible. Do not force the community to pay a tax and clean up after these punks.
Then agsain maybe we here in Denver are learning a repeted lesson. Voting into office a progressive thinker only hurts the law abiding citizens pockets.
Some state and city officials want Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to lead a more public charge against the city's gang violence.
"All I said to the mayor was, 'I really think we need some visible, vocal leadership on the issue of gangs.' And as chief executive of the city, he needs to stand up and say, 'Enough is enough, not on my watch,"' said state Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver. Groff said Saturday that he made the point during a Friday meeting of Denver and state officials.
Hickenlooper said the city has added 140 police officers and a youth- mentoring program, among other things. A mentoring program. Another progresive thinking failure. Lots of nonaction by the Denver administration. Instead of arresting and holding the young wannabe gang bangers responsible for thier damage to private property. Lets sit down and talk to the kids and say "Please stop this. It is a bad thing to do."
"If the perception out there in the community is that the city is not responding, then we need to find ways to tell them what we're doing, without provoking gang recruiting or other negative consequences," Hickenlooper said.
Without provoking? Is he suggesting he get the permission of these punks first before he goes after them? Who does he think he is, John Kerry fighting the war on terrorism?
Councilwoman Kathleen Mac Kenzie defended Hickenlooper's performance.
"I don't share the view that he's been unresponsive," MacKenzie said. "He has addressed all the public safety concerns the council has raised."
The problem is the council is not raiseing the right questions and asking those who are suffering not only finacially but emmotionally and mentally from the threats and actions of these punks.
Councilman Doug Linkhart said that after talking to experts, he thinks the city's gang problems have escalated. And you know what? He is RIGHT!
Linkhart, Hickenlooper and Councilman Rick Garcia said the city should find more resources for youth employment and after-school programs. Garcia said there is a correlation between diminished resources for youth programs and gang problems. However leaving out the age old fact that if you do not punish someone for doing harm to another or wronging a person on purpose, they are rewarding the behavior.
Then seeking new resources only means a new tax for a new failure in social programming. What needs to be done is arrest these punks. Lock them up for a little while and hold them FINACIALLY RESPONSIBLE for the damage they do. If the youthful perp is unable to pay for the damage created then hold his or her family responsible. Do not force the community to pay a tax and clean up after these punks.
Then agsain maybe we here in Denver are learning a repeted lesson. Voting into office a progressive thinker only hurts the law abiding citizens pockets.
