I couldn't understand IMPD Chief's recommendation of firing the 2 cops today.

[Trigger Time]

Ballard started off strong, then I don't know what happened. I suspect a combination of bad advisers (Straub) feeding him bad info, a certain amount of ego and being consumed by "the machine", and who knows what else. If you were to compare his first several months in office with his last, it's like someone Jekyll/Hyde.

Yes that's exactly a perfect way to describe it. I tried to discuss a couple issues with him on two occasions. We were both polite but it was clear we were on two different paths, no point in wasting anymore time jabbering.

 

[phylodog]

I wanted to say I was shocked to hear that but honestly I'm not. I didnt like Ballard at all and felt he failed to uphold his oath miserably.
I want our city to prosper and be safe. If that's under an R or a D I honestly do not care as long as they dont trample my rights or the rights of other good tax paying and law abiding non problem citizens to do it. All the time good citizens get blamed and punished and further regulated for what bad citizens and criminals do. Always.
And I want a mayor and city council that will stop screwing around and actualy hire and properly direct the new cops we need. And I dont mean to just fill the slots created by retiring officers I mean hire new ones to fill new slots and beef up patrols. Squeeze out these ****bags but do it with plenty of resources and manpower that keeps our officers safe. There is also NO EXCUSE to have dead or wounded police officers because we failed to keep ****bags locked up in jail or failed to prosecute them. That's on the courts and prosecutor not our police. So we need a prosecutor that actualy gives a **** about true justice and our city and country rather than personal ego or legacy or reelection. And repeat.
I'm so tired of politicians thinking they are something special and putting themselves and their ego over the people and city. They are ****bags too.

We are currently faced with a system which fails at every level except the police officers but the police officers are the ones taking the blame. Society in general doesn't give a **** about crime so long as it isn't happening to them personally. As a result society does not want to pony up the tax dollars to build the prisons to house the criminals. (I'm not claiming we have a higher percentage of criminals than we did in 1978 but we sure as hell haven't built prisons to keep up with population growth). The ACLU steps in and boo hoo's to the Federal government that criminals shouldn't have to be uncomfortable and we end up with housing limits on prisons and jails. Local and state governments get tired of being punished for cramming more than 2 inmates in a cell and pressure the judges to stop incarcerating the criminals. This trickles down to elected prosecutors who encourage their employees to offer plea bargains more than favorable to the criminals to keep the inmate population low and we end up where we are. That means sentences of four years for a murderer who pleads guilty to manslaughter, is back on the street in two and violates parole any number of times without consequence. When the media shows up to talk about it all they want to hear about is what are the police going to do about the level of crime.

Half of society doesn't want to foot the bill for the enforcement of crime, another 45% doesn't accept the concept of personal responsibility and the remaining 5% is so frustrated by it all they've essentially given up hope. Long live the right to self defense, it's the only means society has for weeding out the ****bags.

 

[Trigger Time]

We are currently faced with a system which fails at every level except the police officers but the police officers are the ones taking the blame. Society in general doesn't give a **** about crime so long as it isn't happening to them personally. As a result society does not want to pony up the tax dollars to build the prisons to house the criminals. (I'm not claiming we have a higher percentage of criminals than we did in 1978 but we sure as hell haven't built prisons to keep up with population growth). The ACLU steps in and boo hoo's to the Federal government that criminals shouldn't have to be uncomfortable and we end up with housing limits on prisons and jails. Local and state governments get tired of being punished for cramming more than 2 inmates in a cell and pressure the judges to stop incarcerating the criminals. This trickles down to elected prosecutors who encourage their employees to offer plea bargains more than favorable to the criminals to keep the inmate population low and we end up where we are. That means sentences of four years for a murderer who pleads guilty to manslaughter, is back on the street in two and violates parole any number of times without consequence. When the media shows up to talk about it all they want to hear about is what are the police going to do about the level of crime.

Half of society doesn't want to foot the bill for the enforcement of crime, another 45% doesn't accept the concept of personal responsibility and the remaining 5% is so frustrated by it all they've essentially given up hope. Long live the right to self defense, it's the only means society has for weeding out the ****bags.

It is truly a shame. Currently I look at the property tax print out and the schools are getting the biggest chunk. The FAILING schools.
I'd gladly pay more in taxes if it truly went to our IMPD cops and hiring more IMPD cops and needed equipment. Did I mention, IMPD?!
Yeah I'm not a huge fan of some of this high profile hardware some departments get but in marion county i truly think we have fabulous cops (all departments) for the most part 99% at least. I've said this before. I havent seen or heard of the waste that some other places get accused of except for the sheriff departments blatant waste but that's a whole other thread topic lol.

I'm way more pissed off at the schools waste of money though than I could ever be about the law enforcement money spent. When I ask you impd cops on ingo whom I respect and trust your opinions about police stuff, what you need and you tell me answers, then thats what we freaking need! So believe me i blow up these politicians phones and inboxes asking for stuff for you guys and also I ask for them to vote certain ways on other issues. I try to be involved even if they dont listen or care. I wish these politicians would listen to you guys and not ass kissers who just want a promotion or to keep their rank.

 

[PistolBob]

We migrated out of Marion County over 30 years ago. So glad. And convinced there is no reason to ever return.

 

[Trigger Time]

We migrated out of Marion County over 30 years ago. So glad. And convinced there is no reason to ever return.

I'm trying. Unfortunately my wife likes some things here.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I'm trying. Unfortunately my wife likes some things here.

I like Marion County. I honestly do. I think it gets a bad rap. Sure there are some places that are "iffy," but generally, it's nice.

 

[T.Lex]

So, I asked someone I know and trust for an honest assessment as to whether the problems in Marion County related to crime and LEO policy (not specific LEOs, but the policies that are in place to help/hinder them) are fixable.

He said, "No." He really doesn't think they are. The idea of making money illicitly is too entrenched in too many Indy communities and there's no stigma to going to jail or prison.

Any other residents/practitioners have any thoughts on that?

I mean, just because a problem isn't "fixable" now, doesn't mean we shouldn't try. ("We" generally; I don't live in Marion county.) But, that's a pretty dire outlook.

 

[Trigger Time]

So, I asked someone I know and trust for an honest assessment as to whether the problems in Marion County related to crime and LEO policy (not specific LEOs, but the policies that are in place to help/hinder them) are fixable.

He said, "No." He really doesn't think they are. The idea of making money illicitly is too entrenched in too many Indy communities and there's no stigma to going to jail or prison.

Any other residents/practitioners have any thoughts on that?

I mean, just because a problem isn't "fixable" now, doesn't mean we shouldn't try. ("We" generally; I don't live in Marion county.) But, that's a pretty dire outlook.

That's the criminal mindset in general. It's a known factor. What's wrong with the policies in marion county and other parts of America that keep us from fully enforcing crime is lax punishment and enforcement of laws due to courts and prosecutors. As well as trying to avoid being labeled a racist and afraid to call things what they are. As soon as our justice system once again gets a backbone and isnt a bully on BS things that dont matter but wimps on things that do, then it will just get worse before it gets better

 

[MrsGungho]

I like Marion County. I honestly do. I think it gets a bad rap. Sure there are some places that are "iffy," but generally, it's nice.

I have lived in Marion county for 19 years now. Sure, there is plenty I could do without in this city, but overall, I love living here. With any community, there is good and bad, our bad is just prodcast on the news

 

[T.Lex]

That's the criminal mindset in general. It's a known factor. What's wrong with the policies in marion county and other parts of America that keep us from fully enforcing crime is lax punishment and enforcement of laws due to courts and prosecutors. As well as trying to avoid being labeled a racist and afraid to call things what they are. As soon as our justice system once again gets a backbone and isnt a bully on BS things that dont matter but wimps on things that do, then it will just get worse before it gets better

The only part of that that I disagree with is whether the criminal justice system can have any impact, at this point. If there's no stigma to going to jail, then it doesn't matter how many courts we have or how many jails or prisons (or how high our taxes are to pay for it all). The people won't change.

I think that's the crux of it. The people need to change.

And that's historically VERY hard to legislate.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

So, I asked someone I know and trust for an honest assessment as to whether the problems in Marion County related to crime and LEO policy (not specific LEOs, but the policies that are in place to help/hinder them) are fixable.

He said, "No." He really doesn't think they are. The idea of making money illicitly is too entrenched in too many Indy communities and there's no stigma to going to jail or prison.

Any other residents/practitioners have any thoughts on that?

I mean, just because a problem isn't "fixable" now, doesn't mean we shouldn't try. ("We" generally; I don't live in Marion county.) But, that's a pretty dire outlook.

There's no stigma, but they are segregated from their potential victims. Get 10 years actually in the can for armed robbery, that's 10 years you don't have access to businesses to rob. 3 years and house arrest means you're doing robberies a lot sooner. Put real time on violent crime and you may start right back up when you get out, but a few cycles and you'll age out of the game one way or the other. Which is why we try to put as many as we can up for federal prosecution.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The only part of that that I disagree with is whether the criminal justice system can have any impact, at this point. If there's no stigma to going to jail, then it doesn't matter how many courts we have or how many jails or prisons (or how high our taxes are to pay for it all). The people won't change.

I think that's the crux of it. The people need to change.

And that's historically VERY hard to legislate.

Well, when "going to jail" means doing a couple of months and being right back out again, of course there's no stigma. When you know you're going to be in for multiple years, I think that attitude might start to change.

Edit: BBI said it better than I did.

 

[dudley0]

Which is why we try to put as many as we can up for federal prosecution.

Are the Feds tougher on them, or just not as lax?

 

[T.Lex]

Also to BBI's point, I don't think there's a stigma even to that. Or, longer prison terms aren't a disincentive.

Rather, the temporary patch is to increase the time between any one individual's opportunity to engage in crime.

I consider that temporary, though, because it seems like there's always new criminals stepping up to fill the void.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Are the Feds tougher on them, or just not as lax?

More time and time is actually done in custody.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I consider that temporary, though, because it seems like there's always new criminals stepping up to fill the void.

I think it depends on the crime. New rapists don't crop up because the last rapist went to jail. We were able to cut pharmacy robberies dramatically by cutting the infrastructure moving the pills that were stolen.

Dope dealing crimes, yeah, probably more "an arrest = a job opening" way of looking at things.

And stigma or not, a certain percentage of "professional" criminals do pay attention to penalties. See armed robbers using fake guns because they know the time associated with SVF vs the same crime without SVF.

 

[GregD]

Time to get out and busy.

 

[rhino]

Ballard started off strong, then I don't know what happened. I suspect a combination of bad advisers (Straub) feeding him bad info, a certain amount of ego and being consumed by "the machine", and who knows what else. If you were to compare his first several months in office with his last, it's like someone Jekyll/Hyde.

Wasn't Straub imported from NYC? That left a huge, lingering, "WHY?" floating until it came to an end.

 

[MarkC]

Wasn't Straub imported from NYC? That left a huge, lingering, "WHY?" floating until it came to an end.

Actually, White Plains, NY. And a simple Google search would have revealed the significant issues he had there.

Then, he went to Spokane, where they made him Chief of Police. They were on notice.

 

[rhino]

Actually, White Plains, NY. And a simple Google search would have revealed the significant issues he had there.

Then, he went to Spokane, where they made him Chief of Police. They were on notice.

UGH.