Trotting out lower crime stats is always tricky stuff. It’s a leap of faith in lieu of a capricious violent crime moment filleting the message. Just ask former Mayor Bill Finch who recited crime statistics last summer to anyone willing to listen to him. Overall crime was down in the city and historically Bridgeport crime is generally lower than Hartford and New Haven. Problem was the former mayor trumpeted lower crime rates over and over in response to horrific shootings, a point Joe Ganim seized upon on the campaign trail calling the incumbent insensitively out of touch. On Friday Ganim kicked out crime statistics for the first one-third of the year he says includes shootings down 41 percent and homicides down 83 percent from the same period last year. There’s been one murder this year versus six last year.
Bridgeport has experienced 33 percent fewer shooting victims so far this year, according to a news release issued by Ganim. Incidents of rape have declined by 15 percent, burglary declined nearly 30 percent compared to 2015 numbers to date, and felony larceny is also down by 6 percent so far this year.
“Even though it is early in the year and early into our new administration, we are very pleased with these numbers,” said Ganim in a statement. “Since the appointment of AJ Perez as chief, Bridgeport Police have pursued an aggressive, pro-active strategy to combat violent crime and property crime, targeting hot spots and ridding the streets of Bridgeport of dozens of illegal guns. Clearly there is more work to be done but I think it is clear to see that our new strategy is bearing some fruit and our neighborhoods are on their way to becoming safer.”
That deep sigh you just heard was from Ganim hoping it remains relatively quiet. The key, however, when violence does occur is to show compassion and quick response rather than preaching lower crime stats, as Finch often did. Now that Ganim has his own chief in place, he has often cited Perez’s leadership in addressing violent crime.
“I made a promise the day I was sworn in that we would not tolerate the lawlessness and reckless endangerment of our citizens’ lives that resulted in a spike of shootings and homicides last year,” said Perez. “We are watching areas that have been criminal havens in the past and we are cracking down. I thank the community for all of your cooperation and I continue to ask for your help. Our violent crime reduction task force will continue its hard work, also targeting perpetrators of assaults and we will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone thinking of stealing a car in Bridgeport. This is just the beginning of new, smart, aggressive enforcement of the law to keep our communities safe and change the perception of our city.”
The only crime statistics showing increases in 2016 are felony assaults and motor vehicle thefts, according to a grid released by the city. The city claims, however, “those increases are due to spikes at the beginning of the year and have since declined significantly following the appointment of Chief Perez and the new strategy he has pursued to combat violent offenses and property crime.”
Crime report statistics for January through April of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015:
*** These first-quarter numbers mean nothing in terms of overall crime in Bpt. Just political stat sheets to justify for more money in the future to fight crime! It’s still early yet in the year and you never know when the devil will show his claws, no? ***
I’m sure the mayor and the police chief will put out the numbers when crime goes up.
Ron Mackey, take a look at the list and read the article again. It shows and the Chief acknowledges felony assaults (people can die from an assault) and auto theft are up.
What are some possible contributing factors? Unemployment causes stress and can lead to more arguing between family or associates who can’t pay or collect money owed. Parties or events where alcohol or illegal drugs are used.
Just because an auto is reported stolen doesn’t mean it wasn’t an insurance fraud committed. I remember over 25 years ago, around income tax refunds time, people would give up a set of keys with a fee to have their cars disappeared, burned, stripped, smashed, etc. In many cases cars are stolen to be used in burglaries and robberies, but notice both categories are down. Looks like there’s a lot of auto insurance fraud going on. I can go on, but I’m just the B.P.D. Janitor.
HEY OIB MEMBERS. I NEED SOME HELP. This is a completely different subject. Couple of months ago, there was a little discussion of a fat-rendering plant on the West Side. Can anyone tell me the name of it? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.
Herman Isaacs. I still have a perfect memory of that smell wafting over the South End.
Please, we lived in PT Barnum during that time and the odor of Herman Isaacs on one side and the City Dump on the other side, which burned for weeks.
Why? Are you starting a soap business? Or are you thinking of sending the mayor’s proposed budget there so they can trim the fat?
Ha ha Joel, that was a good one.
Okay, now I may be off the wall, but Perez was sworn in on March 1st and Ganim spent most of his first few months trying to figure out the budget. Violent crime is down 8% for the first four months compared to last year and has been falling for the past several years. So Ganim and Perez take credit! What did they do in two months? Four months? Was there anything they can point to that accounts for the decrease? Maybe Gaudett deserves some of the credit since he was chief for half of this four-month period! Or better yet, maybe this is just luck and Ganim should just ‘fess up he got lucky again.
You are right on the money.
The only constant in that time period would be former chief Wilbur Chapman.
Maybe Ganm should be thinking of bringing Chapman back as chief.
He gets results.
Oh Burnin’ Herman, I remember it well. Worked at South Ave Sikorsky, second shift during that time. We used to eat our lunch on the end of the parking lot at Cedar Creek during low tide. Burnin’ Herman in front of us, the dump behind us and dead fish floating on top of the creek. Then we would go to Maloney’s for last call. Those were the days!
And you guys are worried about a little cement dust over there?
What about education statistics? Grades up? More kids in our schools? More getting appropriate special ed programs? Suspensions? Terminations? Graduations vs dropouts? Great system indicators or metrics but if they were published and available on line at Bridgeport Schools site or City web site, would they get noticed and provided with the type of financial response Finch and Ganim have provided to the Police Department? What’s really going on? While Mayor Ganim is the winner of the Public election for City leader, the real director of Bridgeport policy is a small businessman who serves up the “pasta at a good price” to large groups but casts a greater shadow in the community where the value equation may not be so friendly.
What statistics does the DTC chair require to understand education contracts require more funds to honor union contracts, just the way Mayor Ganim is supplying more funds to Police and Fire to fund pension plans with swollen needs because of overtime served that counts for pension purpose in the State plan, but not so previously with City Plan B?
Where is our “Office of Fiscal Analysis” in the City of Bridgeport? Why doesn’t the City Clerk request a PRICE TAG on every item that appears in a Resolution so the public knows how much will hit one or more future budgets? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, I’m watching President Obama speaking at Howard University and spoke about how to make changes and he said you must have a plan and a group that supports the plan and go forward and give that plan to those who can make those changes because just talking about it doesn’t make changes and make sure we vote for those who support that plan. Time will tell.
Ron, my friend, you know one of the big problems we have these days is plain old coming together (respectfully) anytime or anyplace. Interesting situation?
Plans are not the problem because Bridgeport has had plenty of PLANS. Going forward is not a problem either as we keep going forward, budget year after budget year spending our future resources in what leaders indicate is the right direction. How are we doing? Speedometer? Gas gauge? Compass? Feedback from group on plan? Do we follow any metrics from year to year? Accountability? Can we see the roadmap and the organization chart to get there? Transparent? Is the table OPEN to all with serious intent? Are we being HONEST?
You are a wise man and we are in agreement on many items, however over years now you remain unmoved in the face of my invitation to sit with you, listen to you and come to know you better.
That possibly can become a sustainable group of two. Does the group require more people, more ideas, more willingness to chew the plan up and digest it into detail, more agreement on how, who, etc. and???
Starts with one step, one yes, and a risk taken. Waiting for those who will commit to open governance in Bridgeport with almost any plan will likely prove as impractical as it has for the past 40 years. Yet there have been days when the community has gathered around some simple ideas that required a larger YES than NO, or sometimes a large NO. When the leadership through two regimes says fund 15% of employees much better than everyone else, and ignore the education of youth, is this such a time? Where have the people been? Is it time for us to have coffee? Time will tell.
Say Amen, Ron.
JML, there are plenty of education statistics and metrics that are readily available online, and they aren’t too encouraging about the BPS. IMHO, the real problem is the Bridgeport Education Association, the teachers’ union, doesn’t play hardball like the police union. If the BEA could turn out votes and teachers at rallies, politicians like Ganim and Testa would start to pay attention. The teachers and schools in Bridgeport have a LOT of influence, but the district and the BEA are afraid to marshall their resources (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun!) to make an impact on our vote-counting, self-serving pols.
You know Ron, the way JML keeps talking about getting together for a cup of coffee, I’m beginning to believe he thinks the Boston Tea Party was a meeting of our Founding Fathers to sample the wares of a tea merchant down by the harbor to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed tea tax.
Fortunately they knew talk changed nothing and action drives results. Otherwise we would still be part of the UK.
Ron, to the point you were making about President Obama, I used to tell residents pretty much the same thing when I as on the council and they would seek my advice as to how to implement change.
I would tell them one person speaking to the council would mostly do nothing. But if you had different people addressing the council at every meeting along with 20 people in attendance then you would get the council’s attention.
Many times they would complain it would be too much work. And I would tell them even in a democracy change isn’t easy. But with a group of people willing to do work, change will happen.
And in today’s environment, blogging and pontificating will change nothing. Get out. Knock on doors. Circulate petitions. Encourage action and prove you have other voters with you.
Well then, what we have learned from the sharp-tongued Troll is he does not even care enough to show up at those public sessions he used to tell people about. And unfortunately Ron does not do that either.
However there is a handful of people who do currently and they are gathering notice. So perhaps we are stumbling on a tactic or strategy? But where are Ron and Bob?
Bob, Ron and I have bumped into each other on a couple occasions, and the subject of coffee comes up, but it is not something he has chosen to embrace yet. I am yet hopeful. Time will tell.
Bob, what JML doesn’t know is I was attending City Council meetings back in the 1980s when Lisa was council president and you were there and Mary Bruce was one of my council members, Caruso and so was Finch. I would go to every meeting and sometimes I was the only one left in the chamber at the end. I would watch and listen but now I have no desire to do that anymore. Bob, let’s say I met with JML and I learn what he knows, now what, who am I? I’m just a retired firefighter.
You are a retired firefighter. You are a long-term observer of the governance story in Bridgeport, a historian, if you will. You have personal and specific knowledge of how racial identity plays into jobs, educational opportunity, and “aggressive” pursuit of taxes as well as other subjects.
I am a listener to many people so I can “learn what they know” as your words express. And I have not learned enough of what you know or had the opportunity to respectfully discuss areas where we may currently disagree. So I continue to be interested, have time and keep the coffee offer open. Time will tell.
Bob does have a point. I represented the 131st district (six years) at a time when the conditions there were at their lowest point. One area I paid special attention to was Wentfield Park across from Mojo’s home. Looks good, eh Mojo? I got a lot of pushback at the beginning of my term from Joe Ganim. After having a discussion with Joe and Mario, we came to an understanding. There was no money was all I was being told.
The Fruitrich Cadillac land on Fairfield Avenue was owned by the city and they wanted I believe $450,000 or $400,000. One day, Bob Walsh and Americo Santiago came to me and wanted me to meet with officials of Mutual Housing as they wanted the land to build homes. Problem was Mario Testa had allegedly once told Mutual Housing they would never build anything in Bridgeport. There was bad blood between them. Mario and Joe agreed to leave and honor decisions in my district between me and my council partner Alberto Negron. We both like the Mutual Housing proposal. We arranged the sale to Mutual Housing. I took an unusual step while I was at it. I managed to create a special account (Liza Parziale was very helpful too) for the Wentfield project and set aside half of the proceeds of the land sale on the account. Grants and matching funds added to the account were used to make Wentfield what it is today.
A little while after Mutual Housing finished the project, I fond out Michelle Retamar (Americo Santiago’s girlfriend at the time) got the job of Property Manager and Bob Walsh was working for them. The Wentfield project process took some organizing of Baseball Teams. We filled City Hall twice and made our case. I even got the city to stop charging baseball teams for electricity cost during night games. Go see how much teams pay today to play night games.
And I am just a retired council member. Did my time. Tried my best. Knew enough to know it was time to move on.
If there was no one to take my place, then so be it.
I feel the same way. You get what you elect! The difference between myself, you and others is I have a 7- and a 13-year-old. I still have time to do great things given the opportunity. When I die I don’t think anyone would want to “take my place.” One thing is for sure, whatever place is taken from me, it won’t be in the shoes I’ve walked in. 🙁
*** I’m sure most council members tried to do something good for their districts/neighborhoods while serving on the Bpt. City Council. Depending on the times they served, who was the Mayor, the extent of the operating city budget and economy at the time, also their individual political savvy, all came into actual political reality on what they wanted to do and what they actually were able to accomplish! Myself during my sixyears, I was able to get a Happy New Year yell at every home on New Years, candy for every basket at Halloween, a flag for every Vet on Memorial Day, a parade on every Fourth of July, a day off for most on Labor Day, a day of being thankful and counting our blessings on Thanksgiving, and a day of being with someone instead of alone and giving of yourself on Christmas Day! Oh, and wishing all in my district a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” on their Day! *** NOT BAD FOR SIX YEAR’S WORK AS THE REPRESENTING BPT “CITY COUNCIL PERSON” FROM THE 131st DISTRICT. *** WHOOP ***