Mayor Williams' Response To Crime

[Rick Rowlands]

This needs to go on indefinately, not for just a 30 day period.  Vindy article today gives some examples of the criminals arrested because of minor traffic violations.  THIS MUST CONTINUE!!! 

When the 30 days are up does this mean that the police dept. goes back to their usual policy of not enforcing the law?  We all know how well that works.

[Towntalk]

Last year (2006), Youngstown had 5,723 crimes and there was an increase in the number of rapes, robberies, felonious assaults, burglaries and car thefts.

[Towntalk]

A quick check of Google came back with 96 hits from across the country about the killings. Even newspapers in London, England ran with the story.

[Towntalk]

Don't hold your breath waiting for Williams to ask for help, and from what we heard from City Council member Pancoe this afternoon on the Ron and Casey Show, he is as worthless as a rotten apple. Ron tried every way to pin him down, but the Councilman refused to respond.

I'm very disappointed in both the Mayor and City Council, and wish that there was a way that we could recall all of them. Either they are too afraid of the gangs to do what needs to be done, or they simply don't care.

Councilman Atkinson had his car shot up by  gang of punks so he  should be leading the charge but what is he doing?  He wants the police overtime money to go toward increasing patrols and police presence. Perhaps Williams should step aside and let him be Acting Mayor.

Does it have to come down to the good citizens of Youngstown having to take the law in their own hands before they act? It's quickly coming to that.

Councilwoman Righetti's response amounted to a shrug of the shoulder and a 'what are you gonna do?'

Councilman Pancoe: "I don't know how you stop it ..."

Councilman Gillam Sr.: "Things like this we cannot stop..."

Aside from Councilman Atkinson, none of the others are worth two cents.

[Micky]

We heard today that all the Mayor has to do is ASK for help from the Mah Co Sheriff Dept and other State & Federal depts. 

We hope that this zero tolerance will work.  Many people have stated that they're worried about retaliation over the recent events.  If these people have been feuding for the past year, someone must know who the involved parties are and where they live. 

[Towntalk]

The incident I talked about the Sheriff's Office patrols inside the city I was referring to was on the North Side. The Sheriff's cars were on regular patrol and the Sheriff also had horse patrol on Fifth Avenue. It was nothing to see both YPD and Sheriff's cars responding to calls as a team as well as the YSU Police.

During the time that the city had the agreement with the Sheriff's Office and YSU we would see police cars on our street on an average of one every hour (I live on a main street of the North Side).

[AllanY2525]

I would really like to see the sheriff's office start to respond to youngstown calls or even just patrol. I can't remember the last time i seen a deputy inside city limits (at least on my side of town!)

I agree....the Mahoning County Sherriff's department can, and should, help the Y.P.D. as much as possible.
After all, Youngstown IS the "County Seat" of Mahoning County.

I also think that Mayor Williams should be talking with the F.B.I. and other Federal and State law
enforcement agencies about gang violece and drug problems in Youngstown.  They need to get
some under-cover operatives to infiltrate the drug dealer networks and neighborhood gangs, then
"set 'em up and take 'em down".

The upper South Side used to be one of the nicest parts of the city when I was growing up in
Youngstown, now it seems to be rapidly declining and turning into one of the worst parts of
the city in terms of crime and violence.

[Mary]

I would really like to see the sheriff's office start to respond to youngstown calls or even just patrol. I can't remember the last time i seen a deputy inside city limits (at least on my side of town!)

[Towntalk]

Absolutely, but don't forget that several years ago while Ungaro was Mayor, there was a major crack down and YSU - PD and the Mahoning County Sheriff's office loaned men to the City for about a year. It was nothing to see them respond to calls. I know that the area where I live was a war zone and now it's as quiet as a mouse house.

I just hope that Mayor Williams isn't going to let this go after a few weeks.

[Mary]

I was very glad to hear he is putting all available officers on the streets. However according to a person within the department this can cause problems because there isn't anyone to investigate the crimes because they are all on the street. We just plain need more police.
As for it working, i don't know. I just really hope that since he is starting this now it will not affect the summer. We all know how bad it gets when the temps rise.

[jay]

Following the quadruple murders on the south side of Youngstown, Mayor Jay Williams announced a zero tolerance crime policy for the city.  Will his program work?  What more could he do to stem the violence?