Will it be a long hot violent summer? Or relatively peaceful? Last week’s historic shootings at Trumbull Gardens housing project that wounded eight and killed a man placed public safety at the center of the mayoral election. How Mayor Bill Finch responds and his opponents react can dictate voter movement in the race.
Sometimes it comes down to something as simple as this: who will do the best to protect me and my kid?
Mayor Bill Finch has emphasized a gun buyback program and bringing on new police recruits to beef up staffing levels. Those recruits, however, will not come on line until next year as the city experiences law enforcement retirements and losses to suburban towns.
For former Mayor Joe Ganim there’s an element of déjà vu. When he was the Democratic candidate for mayor in 1991 challenging Republican incumbent Mary Moran the city was in bankruptcy court placed there by Moran who said she wanted to give the city a fresh start. Bankruptcy certainly was a major issue–ultimately rejected by a federal judge–but crime was the largest issue. Inner-city neighborhoods were war zones for drug gangs fighting for turf and violent payback fueled by crack cocaine. The city was experiencing several consecutive years of a murder a week.
Police staffing levels had dipped below 400 when close to 450 was considered by police professionals authorized strength. Ganim as a candidate pledged to bring on 100 new officers which eventually allowed Police Chief Thomas Sweeney to implement community policing and beef up patrols. It took a few more years to see major reductions in violent crime as the economy improved with increased police presence.
Police staffing has once again dipped below 400.
Ganim issued this statement on Tuesday:
“Finch is failing to act as residents seek help from City to improve public safety in Trumbull Gardens. As Mayor, I would take the immediate steps to improve safety for residents by providing the community with a 24/7-onsite police outpost. I would increased police patrols and assign officers to work with community leaders to make the community safer.
“With schools about to begin their summer recess, I would call on the City Council to transfer city funds to provide for additional youth summer programs for young city residents.
“Instead, we have a Mayor only engaged in public relations and press conferences rather than providing solutions help to make our communities safer. I know that during emergencies immediate and decisive action is required.”
Foster has emphasized several priorities including additional support from state and federal law enforcement agencies, support groups for victims, recreational programs for young people and hiring more officers with incentives for city residents who understand the culture of a community.
Foster told the Connecticut Post:
“What I am seeing is a lot of hand-wringing, but not a lot of energy being expended to find solutions.”
Three months from an expected Democratic primary, what the candidates say and how they say it may sway the direction of the mayoral race.
More here.
Since it’s managed by the housing authority, Finch could do so many things, immediately too. As well as with PT Barnum and Marina Village. Instead he just fills commissioner slots with political supporters who are apparently incapable of addressing the systemic problems. Coupled with the mayor having a poor relationship with city unions, underpaid police have the hardest job in the state but are one of the worst paid. But hey, there’s a new park on the East Side.
Brick, the worst paid? Funny how the police work here but not in their communities. Strange, no? Maybe the pay sucks but the pensions? Isn’t that what has brought the city to its knees? A regular reader of this blog is a police commissioner, I wonder how he feels about your post? Hey, we may get Scott Walker as a president and unions will slowly dissolve as well as the pensions that have crippled the city, you know, something really ironic. Ask any Bridgeporter on the street and you will find very little support for the pensions and raises after retirement. To be clear, I think our Police do an amazing job. The police may not be happy, they do not vote in Bridgeport, but the taxpayers are grateful that both the police and the city were able to communicate. The taxpayers support the Mayor on this one. The police do not vote in the city and the majority support Finch so we move on.
THE FIRST THING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS A PROLIFERATION OF POLICE ACTIVITY IN THE TERRACE AREA, SHUT IT DOWN. ANYONE, ANYONE BLACK, WHITE OR CANDYSTRIPED, HAVE REG. ON CARS RUN, STOP THOSE THAT COME UP FUNNY, ALSO ANY AND ALL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT HAS GONE UNCHECKED BECAUSE OF LACK OF MANPOWER, MISDEMEANORS, ETC. DO WHAT NEW YORK DID WITH FATCAT AND THE OTHERS WHO MURDERED THE YOUNG ROOKIE COP, it was the community who advised the culprits to turn themselves in, or be brought in in body bags. It amazes me this tried and true past practice has not been employed YET.
Hector, so what do these people look like who you want taken off the streets?
I’m not sure Ron, murderers come in all colors, genders and creeds. I’m talking about shutting done EVERY FORM of illegal activity in the North End from the guy taking numbers to the ones selling guns. They don’t necessarily have to arrest as much as STOP business as usual. This event made national news and there are people in all parts of the country waiting and watching, talk about what’s bad for attracting businesses.
Hector, this is the United States of America, we don’t go into a community with armed police and occupy its people.
Again Ron, you’re misreading my post. What I’m asking for has been done for many years in situations where merited, in New York I can think of two prime and a number of subprime examples, the two prime being The fat Cat I believe officer Byrne(?) said the murderer is remembered better than the murdered, and the case of the undercover detective who was murdered by the body builder. The subprimes all involve the mafia wars where EVERY TYPE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS SHUT DOWN. I’m not asking for martial law, just a “CONCENTRATION” is made on catching these murderers.
Hector, I understand but let’s look at the picture. Today June 18, no arrest, no description of the shooters, no leads, nothing. Who’s in charge of policing Trumbull Gardens and the other public housing projects, the local police BHA, who? Back in the 1970s Bridgeport Police won’t go into Father Panik Village because it was federal housing so the police said they were not responsible for policing thereby drug dealing ran wild. Then housing police was created but they had no arrest power. Mayor Finch and Police Chief are not bringing any comfort and aid to the residents in that area. People are scared to death and are living in fear every day.
What about bringing back the CEDA program? I used it as a child and worked as a counselor a couple summers when I got older.
How about locking up the bad guys, providing educational opportunities for at-risk youth and stop blaming the mayor and the police department for inaction? It’s easy to sit back and say “Finch and Gaudett fucked up.” We already know that. Complaining is only part of the problem, not the solution.
QD, the program you mention is CETA Comprehensive Employment Training Act, which was a federal jobs program.
You can make Bridgeport cops the highest paid in Connecticut and it is not going to change the mismanagement of the police department by the command officers and the police commission.
1. Who knows the manning situation better than the Deputy Chiefs? This is a group of old out-of-touch officers making big bucks and doing nothing.
2. The chief, Gaudett, who should have been aware of the shortage and then taken the proper action to fill the vacancies.
3. The police commission, which has done absolutely nothing to improve the street cop’s job. Why are there so many cops working inside? Get the cops off horseback and into patrol cars. Why is it we can only train 40 cops at one time?
The problem with addressing the violence endemic to housing projects in the city of Bridgeport is the approach. The men who shot up Trumbull Gardens killing one and wounding eight others must be brought to justice in a court of law.
The problem is not as easily cured as that. The root causes of gang violence are lack of educational and economic opportunities. No job training, no encouragement to pursue higher education, no employment opportunities that pay a decent living wage. And scant police protection. After the shooting the police presence was as close to nonexistent as it was prior. Public housing is intended as a leg up, a stepping stone to the American dream. Instead it has devolved into a lost community. Bill Finch doesn’t care.
WWJD? What would Joey do?
More than Finch even with his eyes closed.