Community Policing Is Best Way To Improve Communication Between Police And Public
Evansville, IN – Last week Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken released her plan on how to fight crime and improve rising crime rates. Topping the list is using true community policing tactics, increasing relationship with other cities nearby in both Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky to help solve crimes, prioritizing gang crime, improving department morale and offering competitive wages and good benefits to help attract and retain the best trained police officers.
“Under the current administration crime rates in Evansville have risen sharply, up 13% in 2012, up 1% in 2013, and up 28% in 2014,†said Riecken. “Everyone should be able to feel safe in their neighborhood and especially in their home, but with crime rates rising people are feeling uneasy. We can start working to improve this by making sure we use real community policing tactics and improve morale within the department and that we can attract and retain the best trained officers possible.â€
“Here in Evansville we need true community policing,†said Riecken. “This means beat police officers that know people who live their neighborhoods. This will help improve communication between the police and the community. Riecken continued, “The police department also needs to build relationships in neighboring communities to help deter crime that crosses city and state lines.
See the full plan on www.gailrieckenformayor.com
Gail Riecken is running for Mayor of Evansville and is a former Evansville City Council-woman, Evansville Parks Director, and a current member of the Indiana State House of Representatives. She is a lifelong Evansville resident, has been married forÂ
How about letting some of the additional 183 political patronage jobs created by the Winnecke Administration, with their appx. $13 Million/yr payroll costs, fade away,—- and hire more Police with that Money?
I’m sure with the increases of Crime Modern society faces, increased gang activity, etc.,–In the short term there is a more pressing need for “boots on the ground” in the Now,– rather than waiting for the long term results “talking” might achieve.
I’m not so sure that we need more police officers, but we do need the ones we have to be well-trained and have up-to-date equipment. Better morale among the officers could be promoted by an effective, non-embarrassing Chief, too.
I’m concerned about how the 911 system is going to get updated, especially. I believe I read that it will be totally obsolete in 2017.
Your points are well taken EKB, but I will say I have no knowledge that our present force is not well trained, and question what makes you tend to believe they are not? Morale is an issue apparently with the present Chief , but that is always going to be relative to the leadership the Mayor(whomever) appoints to lead the Dept. More Officers would allow for more presence on the street and I do not feel that is a problem or should foster any perceived oppression, but instill confidence that community/citizen protection is well guarded in Evansville. My post placed emphasis on the Crime increases defined in the article command immediate attention. What do you think might mitigate the dramatic rise in Evansville Crime statistics in the RIGHT NOW?
I meant that we have to continue to keep training up to date. The more “tech” that is involved, the more training is needed. I have heard that certain topics aren’t getting the attention they should, too.
Mitigation will not come immediately, but true community policing has a record of working well.
Yes, crime in Evansville has always been terrible and, I believe, it needs to be improved.
So, I’m not the only one who caught that faux pas.
Nope. Good catch.
Maybe the DMD can create a crime bank.
It is unfortunate that the citizens and geographic areas in Evansville which are most subject to the problems of rising crime are also those which are least likely to cooperate with local LE.
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