Crime watch group discusses crime prevention, hears from candidates

Details

By Kate Cole

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Hits: 571

The College Cultural Neighborhood Association Crime Watch April 19 discussed its new office, closing of the Pierce Senior Center and the rental committee activities.

The group also heard from Rep. Jim Ananich (49th District) and judicial candidates, Jill Bauer and Judge Herman Marable (67th District Court).

Don Potter said that for two years the watch group has monitored criminal incidents to identify potential issues using a Patrol Notes computer system and Red Alert cell phone and computer messaging system.

The group, he said, had agreed that the next step would be the creation of their own office, financed and manned by neighborhood volunteers, to bring the neighborhood closer together and to identify potential problems. Information gathered would be provided to law enforcement and result in a reduction of neighborhood crime.

The crime watch office, 825 Commonwealth Ave., opened April 21.

Mott Community College is included in the neighborhood. Its public safety department regularly assists the Flint Police in the area adjacent to the college.

Neighborhood boundaries are Robert T. Longway Boulevard, Dort Highway, Interstate 69 and Gilkey Creek.

Stephany Diana, updating the group on the rental committee's work, said the group's web site was changed to provide more information on area property ownership.

"The web site is more friendly and helpful to people dealing with problems," Diana said. "We are empowering people to make the phone calls they need to contact the city and resolve a problem."

Joe Tolbert asked if anyone knew why city officials are replacing Pierce Senior Center with a banquet center.

"Surely, the foundation behind this property did not intend it to be used for non-community activity by private enterprise," Tolbert said.

He said the banquet center will be at the edge of the College and Cultural Center in a residential area next to a public elementary school. The surrounding area currently contains single-family homes.

Ananich updated the group on recent appropriations that affect the city's lockup and the county jail.

"The state's budget has $3 million in it set for the county jail to reduce overcrowding. There are 47,000 outstanding criminal warrants with 27,000 of those being multiple warrants. We need to get multiple offenders off the streets," Ananich said.

Next year's fiscal budget will also appropriate money for the city's 72-hour lockup and $900,000 for the county prosecutors office to speed up the criminal court process, he said.

More state troopers are coming to Flint, bringing the number to nearly 40 officers, he added.

Ananich said he has proposed new statewide regulations and delayed payments for scrappers to reduce metal theft scourging the city.

Marable also talked about metal theft. He said he has recently sentenced offenders in metal theft in six cases that were plea bargained by the city's attorney's office down to an attempt charge.

"Nobody is doing 90 days, the mandatory sentence set in city council's emergency ordinance," Marable said. "The sentence is 45 days for an attempt. There's not a whole lot a judge can do about it. I am bringing it to your attention if it's something you are concerned about and want to monitor."

Marable also mentioned a new program for offenders in which some are assigned to community service supervised by the Citizens' Nuisance Task Force.

"I think it's important that offenders do community service in the same areas where they committed their crimes," Marable said.

Marable also mentioned his Student of the Month and Year program that gives every 10th grade student in Genesee County a chance to compete for a scholarship and savings bond. He asked members to seek out students and encourage them to participate.

"I'm concerned that participation by students in Flint schools is low," Marable said.

Bauer, candidate for 68th District Court judge, spoke to the group about her goals if elected.

"My focus would be on education which I believe can make a big difference in reducing crime," she said.

She supports a literacy court for offenders as part of their probation program.

Statistics indicated that 75 percent of the people in prisons are illiterate, she said.

"This is a diversion program. Completing the program will dismiss a felony label. I believe in second chances," Bauer said.

Bauer said that funding could come from grants.

"To house someone in prison costs the state $35,000 to $50,000 each year," Bauer added.

Bauer is a lifelong resident of Genesee County, a graduate of Southwestern High School and UM-Flint and she has a law degree from MSU. She has taught at UM-Flint and Mott Community College for 13 years.

• < Prev
• Next >