I received an e-mail last night from a GPD officer who was reacting to the announcement this week of the new departmental initiative on gun violence. Recall this was undertaken in response to the cluster of murders that had occurred in Greensboro last week.
This officer points out that the city already has a gun violence task force. It was staffed by a lady named Cathy Vance, who was nebulously (but prominently) accused of inappropriate surveillance of black professionals in the community. The officer relates the following:
If there ever was an innocent victim in this whole affair it was Cathy Vance.
Cathy was one of the main reasons we have a Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF). The VCTF is made up of two detectives who look at every case in Greensboro involving a firearm. They try to determine where firearms are coming from, who is using them and supplying them. In a nutshell, back when White was chief, the task force was put together to address gun violence in this city.
Cathy spent her time helping identifying potential targets for federal prosecution. In addition she was tasked with putting together call-ins where people with violent histories were told to either clean up their acts or face going to either state or federal prison. It was a fairly successful program. It was heart-breaking to see what happened when politics and racial allegations were leveled against her. Bledsoe did a very good job of addressing this in one of his pieces.
What all of this means is the following: This past week Chief Bellamy gave his knee jerk press conference. One part of his plan was to address determining where guns are coming from and looking for suppliers. In addition he wants to seek tougher prosecutions. Is it not interesting that he already has a group in place to do this but now we have to seek support or help again? Either the man is clueless of what his own agency already does or is trying to reinvent the wheel. I have told you before and I will say it again this town is in need of some real leadership.
The unit is still up and running. It was never shut down and only two officers have ever been assigned to the unit. The officers assigned to the task force are cross trained with ATF and work with them quite closely. What I have a problem with is the knee jerk reactions that cause one to have a press conference and act like now is when we are going to start addressing something for the first time. The field officers and other units have been doing their jobs. The majority of the officers in this agency are good men and women who unfortunately have had their agency hijacked by people who have dragged the department’s good name through the mud. We need good leadership and sadly I am starting to believe that we need to find it from outside the agency. When you see a story like the one involving Cathy Vance it ought to scare everyone into realizing if they could do that to her they could do that to anyone.
These matters should be laid at the feet of the person who created the problem. If that is the Chief of Police then so be it, but I suspect if the truth was known the real culprit is the man really trying to run the police department and that is the City Manager.
Incredible. I'm guessing the City Manager is also the reason the Parks & Rec complaints are on the front page of the News & Record today. I'm guessing the City Manager is also the reason they are having trouble finding a new Fire Chief.
Slowly, steadily, this city is becoming irrelevant. It is on the way to being a bigger Gastonia. People will pass through Greensboro on the highways and say this is the armpit of North Carolina. Each time that Council fails to address the issues, starting with the City Manager, we take a step back that we won't soon make up. We used to compete with Raleigh and Charlotte for supremacy. Now, there is no competition, in large part, due to failed leadership over the years.
Thats my nickel.
Posted by: John | January 31, 2009 at 09:32 AM
John, one of the reasons I am doing this blog is because I am concerned about Greensboro. I agree that the city has taken some serious hits-- some of which have been entirely self-inflicted.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | January 31, 2009 at 11:27 AM
"Greensboro: A Bigger Gastonia!"
Now there is a slogan!
Posted by: Roch101 | January 31, 2009 at 01:16 PM
How about "Greensboro: Detroit Redux Lite"
Posted by: Bubba | January 31, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Bubba, one gets the feeling that some in our local political class would not be unhappy with any extent to which Greensboro moves toward Detroit.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | January 31, 2009 at 08:19 PM
Joe said, "...some of which have been entirely self-inflicted."
Change "some" to "the vast majority."
Posted by: RecycleBill | February 01, 2009 at 10:55 AM
I agree with everyone here...it is becoming harder and harder and harder and harder to live here comfortably and to make the attempt to raise my daughter here. Trying to raise a family on $9 an hour is one thing (thanks to our new service-driven economy), trying to do it with the politics involved in this town is something else...and it is starting to stink really bad.
Posted by: Erik "E.C." Huey | February 01, 2009 at 12:34 PM
A story comes out about discrimination against African American women in the Parks Dept. on Saturday that is countered by a story that announces the Bryan Foundation (along with tax credits) will pay for the rest of the Civil Rights Museum on Sunday after 15 years of trying. These stories are interlinked and soon I will tell you how. For a moment, think about all the players involved and if you are well informed you might start to connect some dots.
Posted by: Dugan | February 01, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Billy, certainly with respect to the Police Department and crime, the vast majority of the city's wounds are self-inflicted.
E.C., you are right. The stink is getting downright rank.
Dugan, will be looking forward to your analysis.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | February 01, 2009 at 02:28 PM