A Conversation With Lt. Hood
At the HJWA meeting Tuesday night, the meeting had barely been called to order when Lt. Hood rose to speak. He got straight to the point, Jackson Ward and surrounding communities were experiencing a sudden spike in crime. He handed out a crime map with 13 individual robberies since October 1st, most of them coming in the last two weeks. He noted that these robberies were of a different order than typical Jackson Ward crimes, involving multiple individuals, often with a weapon. The victims were often struck, then robbed. Most injuries have not been serious, with the exception of the store clerk at the Harrison Street Mini Market who was severely beaten. Police suspect the same group of individuals have been responsible for many of these robberies and that they are possibly gang related.
Lt. Hood then talked about the police response which he says has been heavy. Vacations and holidays have been cancelled and every available officer is on the streets. Many are patrolling in unmarked cars, others are on foot and on bicycle. The relief in the room is palpable. This changes quickly when he starts talking about the drain in manpower. The RPD has been performing double duty fighting both a crime wave and dealing with the unintended consequences of Occupy Richmond. When an organized group needs to be evicted from a park or marches through the neighborhood in force, the police need to be there, a lot of them. When a police officer is babysitting Occupy Richmond, that is one less officer to keep your neighborhood safe. It’s just simple math.
He said we are also suffering the symptoms of our own success. Now that Jackson Ward has become a desirable place to come, many bad guys initially drawn by First Friday, have decided to come back. We know that Jackson Ward has come a long way from it’s reputation as a dangerous place. Now we are going to have to fight to hold onto that. The politics of police work are to come down hard on hotspots. We are benefiting from that now, but when the next hotspot crops up, we will lose some of our protection. The Lieutenant urged us to keep our eyes and ears open NOW and call while the police can still respond quickly. It is just another fact of life.
At that point Lt. Hood had to leave the meeting supervise security at the Marriott where the Mayor was speaking and Occupy Richmond was marching.
The takeaway is that if you see something, report it, if you suspect something report it and don’t be surprised if a cop stops and asks you how you are doing and where you are going. He is just doing his job.
“Babysitting” is a strong word don’t you think?
“We know that Jackson Ward has come a long way from it’s reputation as a dangerous place. Now we are going to have to fight to hold onto that.”
Yeah! Kick bike polo out of the park and let it go back to the nefarious activities that once transpired there!
Do you think America’s enormous financial inequalities and the disintegration of the middle class is an unintended consequence of our political/economic system? What about the spike in crime in JW? Another unintended consequence of said system? If more people felt less threatened by economic instability, perhaps they would not be so inclined to beat the crap out of someone else for their wallet. Thus far the Occupy movement has been largely peaceful (except when the police start pushing protesters & the media around). Occupy is not waving guns around demanding for people’s wallets. Perhaps invite Occupy to your backyard in JW?! That will put your crime worries to rest and you’ll be able to have plenty of fodder for your editorials.
I’m OK with OR addressing the macro problems of society. I just don’t want them to do it on the backs of the residents of Greater Jackson Ward . More power to them if they can fix them. In the mean time OR is drawing people into the neighborhood who don’t have our best interests at heart.
You know what Michael? I like bike polo and I want them in Abner Clay park. If you get a chance come to the next HJWA meeting and speak your mind.
Also – the police don’t “need” to evict OR “from a park or marches through the neighborhood in force, they “choose” to evict them. I have this same conversation with my 3 year old son. He says he “needs” a new toy; I say he “chooses to want” a new toy.
And don’t bother with a “the police don’t choose the laws; they just enforce them” argument. There are many many many laws that the police “choose” not to enforce every day in Jackson Ward, many of them are proven far more dangerous than 100 people hanging out in a park that is otherwise deserted and you can’t even see from the street (Kanawha Plaza).
Then there are the blighted and rundown building in and around JWard upon which no one bothers to enforce code (or laws) upon.
All of these are choices, and evicting peaceful protesters, especially by force, is one more choice.
The police may not choose the laws, but OR seems to choose which ones they want to obey.
I also suggest you report blighted properties to the city. There is a long list on the docket coming up in January. I will be posting that list soon.
I disagree with you, Paul. Occupy Richmond is not responsible for drawing criminals into Jackson Ward – like you said earlier: “It’s just simple math.” You believe it’s the lack of police presence and I believe it’s economic pressure. Either way, it’s math. I’m shocked that you would lay the blame on crime in your neighborhood on Occupy.
“You believe it’s the lack of police presence” (causing crime).
Of course I didn’t say that Chip. Crime has a lot of causes. Even rich people commit crimes, don’t you think?
Fact is, OR drains resources from the police and makes the neighborhood less safe. I’m surprised you don’t see that.
Nothing shocks me these days.
OR does not drain resources from the police. The police “choose” to use their resources to intimidate peaceful, non-destructive citizens into obedience, rather than use those resources to counteract violent, destructive and harmful acts. Every day we make choices. It is clear that the police chose to use an overwhelming force to cow peaceful dissent (criminal or otherwise) rather than find and face criminals that are violent and causing real problems for citizens. This just seems like a misallignment of priorities to me.
I don’t support or “un”support OR. I just know they are not the problem. I am disappointed Lt Hood would try to paint it that way.
Besides, OR is not in his district anymore, so if they were the problem, by his argument, since they are gone, the violent criminals should now be apprehended and the violence ended.
WR: I’m not going to belabor this point, but OR has been all over Lt. Hood’s District. Kanahwa Park, Festival Park and Monroe Park are all in the 4th Precinct. That is only a short list of where they have been. If you don’t think this require police resource you are mistaken. You should learn a little bit about how police HAVE to operate to guarantee their safety while respecting everyone’s rights. It’s a fine line and a very difficult job. I’m glad it’s not mine.
Here is the code enforcement court schedule I promised earlier.