Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Police Layoffs in Detroit

Ask and you shall receive. We were unaware of this story until a reader pointed it out in the comments section. Seems Detroit is going to merge it's 12 precincts into 6 districts, downsize command staff by 40 spots, combine or eliminate redundant job positions, all of which will lead to 100 more officers on the street while eliminating 150 spots.

This is VERY interesting on many levels, especially in a bureaucratically bloated department like ours. It has been suggested that 25 districts is about 3 to 5 districts too many, especially in light of the improved technology and shifting demographics over the years. This city hasn't had a district remapping since the Summerdale scandal. It's long overdue. The trouble is that this city isn't going to eliminate 5 complete command spots, command staffs, equipment draws and housemouse positions just to save taxpayer money. Or would they?

The city has either built, are building or have on the drawing board 19 new district stations. 19 is awfully close to 20. Manpower is down to 9,700 (title code 9161). Could the city be preparing behind the scenes for a wholesale district realignment down to 20 districts? No layoffs would be involved as we are already short a couple districts worth of officers and they could always stop hiring to let attrition cut the numbers.

Quick survey! What 3 to 5 districts would you eliminate for realignment tomorrow? We shall begin: 013, 021, 023

22 Comments:

Blogger SCC said...

Please have a reason that you would eliminate a listed district, not just because you dislike the people living or working there

8/31/2005 06:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here are some reasons:

023: was created in the 70's when all they did was take a chunk of 019, since the station was moving so far west, the clout types on the lakefront started to whine. HOWEVER: will never happens the fags have way too much power + Hubermann is "That way" so forget it.

013: 2nd smallest in the city & in the past 5 years has slowed down dramaticly. HOWEVER: in the last 5 years has gone from mostly getto to yuppie, and we all know how much power they and the developers who build the condos they live in have.

021: Created for the sole purpose to take chinatown out of the duece and the manpower burdens that the projects placed on it. HOWEVER:
this one might be possible. The duece has improved, the projects are gone, and the clout that Chinatown has seems to be waining.

One out of three aint bad.

8/31/2005 07:12:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad to se you posted my suggestion M.

No district stations should be closed. Zip, ziltch, nada, none. It fact, we probably should take a faster district or two and divide it in half, like "back in the day" when there were more stations.

Some of those useless command posts and hangers-on would be eliminated and sent to the newer districts. (I know this means sweetbabyray would return to a district desk job, but he can handle it. Although he'll have to give up the company car.)

Newer stations are not being built because Daley cares about the police, it is just more revenue for his pals. Maybe there should be an investigation there, eh?

I would however, gladly back the elimination of some of those posts at the Ivory Tower that are a complete waste of money, but M. is right, that'll never happen.

8/31/2005 07:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Quick comment on 7:12 post which was written as I typed mine.

The honchos at University of Chicago will NEVER allow 021 to close. They wield too much power. (And no, not all of them are liberals!)

Pretty mature comments on the gay population. Why do they scare you?

8/31/2005 07:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd get rid of 003, 005, 006, 007, & 021.

8/31/2005 08:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Districts to close are
013 (merge with 012 mostly), 020 OR 023 (merge together mostly), 021 (merge mostly with 001 and 021).

There is ample justification in the numbers themselves in patrol. The troopers and bosses in 013 and 020 have done a great job over time, but their job is mostly done. They have way fewer beat and response cars than fast districts. Beats are provided and aligned by crime and population density (and politics), among other things, but in a city where some districts have 15 beats, its hard to justify having numerous other districts with 9 beats.

And in a city where some fast districts need 15 rapid response cars (and then some) just to handle the anarchy and deluge of 911 calls, its hard to justify having numerous other districts that can barely afford or justify putting up 6 or 7.

And just to preempt the idea that maybe more districts should be created, the problem is that the city does not have a great history of sharing information between districts. Nor does it have a great history of providing good leadership. Sending gang teams to the areas was a pretty obvious move more than 10 years ago. Having good commanders in both 007 AND 008 would have always been a good idea. Or most other adjoining districts. Problem is, you'd get one district with a saint and another with someone who should have been run up a flagpole.

While you are talking about changes, I have a suggestion for some districts. How about a "scout" car. Put a senior responsible and affable police officer with a younger one, and have them tour the district for 40 hours a week to ONLY talk to people and see what problems they can identify. In other words, why not make naborhood relations people actually go out into the naborhoods systematically?

8/31/2005 08:25:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The city (once it figures out how to make unreportable income from the process) should look at the three largest districts; 004, 008, and 016. 008 has gooten very fast in the past few years, with significant amounts of HUGE dope (that Narcotics can't find because there are no more long term teams)on the west end, and street violence throughout the remainder of the district. 004 could easily be split into two, as could 16. Response times in these districts at peak call times is horrendous, and RAPs are very common.

8/31/2005 10:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was the fifth comment and yet I'll add that I agree with parts of the sixth comment though it contrasts my own.

The 4th, 8th and 25th districts have been untenable from well before 2000. That said, I think I'd just adjust borders of other districts, rather than splitting anything.

015 should be given part of the responsibility for 025. Although 015 is a fairly fast district, its still only got 9 beats. Definitely room for expansion there.


007's western border should be moved over to Western (at least) to absorb part of 008. It won't help the radio, but the east end of 008 is really just the west end of englewood anyway.

Hard to say what to do about 004. Yeah its big, but a huge part of it is basically uninhabited. That said, maybe move the 3rd district border up to 79th street or 83rd street? That would take a good part of 004's busy work away.

Some other thoughts. 014 has been so mismanaged over the years that I'd rather give responsibility for 014 over to 013 than shut 013 down. Why punish the well-managed place by eliminating its identity? Same thing for 020 versus 024. I'd give responsibility for 024 over to 020. No offense or nuthin.

Anyway, the moderator's basic point is 100% accurate. Whether you agree with what I suggest or what another suggests, the city is long overdue for a realignment. Its ridiculous to ask (response) units to regularly criss-cross 004, 008, 016 or 025, particularly as these districts have gotten busier since they were created and the criss-crossing has only gotten worse.

8/31/2005 10:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

021 will not close because of U of C. The area is being built back up and the calls for service are expected to go up alot when all the building is done. However, no plans for a new station have to be a concern.

8/31/2005 11:00:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

M.,
How come no link about the 700 or so Shiite pilgrims killed in the bridge collapse near Baghad?

Yea, yea, I know, just about all the visitors here could give a tinker's damn about the Iraqi people. Even the innocent ones.

8/31/2005 12:21:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They're already shifting responsibility. 002 is handling all arrests and paperwork from 009. The WC in 002 is responsible for all their TRRs, pursuit reports, initial approval of probable cause, etc. 009s WC just signs the A&As and does a log. Whoever planned that didn't count on the cars from 009 getting stuck at 002 during change time costing overtime and less manpower on the streets in 009 as the officers are waiting for the vehicles to be returned from 002 before they can hit the streets.

8/31/2005 12:54:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Build new station in Englewood,
expand 007 to Western or even Kedzie. Give them the help they need. Do not allow the beat cars to leave the primary low crime beats in 008, 004, 022.

Have 006 go up to 71st Street.

Close 021 set up a satelite station at the University of Chicago PD station. Enlarge one and the deuce. 009 is a lousy facility they need a new station.

may be the previous poster is right if the WC is handling everything in the Deuce, remember they claim that 002 is becoming a good place to work, perhaps they could pick up part of nine.

8/31/2005 02:09:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who is the idioit that keeps posting under one topic and then bitching under another that it was deleted? Remember where you put it fucktard!

8/31/2005 05:30:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who is the idiot that can't spell idiot? Just checked Webster's Dictionary for fucktard. Definition - a moron who can't spell but insists on placing his thoughts in a public forum anyway.

Nise gowing fuck nutts

8/31/2005 07:00:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

close 011. the new 010 district is 6 blocks away. redraw a new "Lawndale" district, 010 gives up everything south of 31st St, 011 gives up everything north of Madison. You have a centrally located station in a medium large district. Harrison/Kedzie becomes a Detective only building.

8/31/2005 08:31:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

010 gives up everything south of 31st to who? Cars from 008 already cover enough territory, and 009 stretched from 26th and the Ryan to 55th and Kedzie.

OTOH, if you are saying close 011 and consolidating some of the hispanic areas of perhaps 009, 010 and 008, I think you might be onto something. Draw 007 a bit farther West. And suddenly the rest of 008 is more manageable.

What are you suggesting they do with the rest of 011? God help whoever ends up with 1112's current beat.

8/31/2005 09:22:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think spliting Districts is a bad idea. The end result is a District thats too big and unmanagable. Look at 016,025,008.The response times are terrible because the distances they have to cover and travel are ridiculous.

8/31/2005 09:24:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Little police boy get his feelings hurt because he can't navigate the internet?

8/31/2005 09:26:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It goes without saying that 008 is too big to patrol. So is 016. You shave alittle of 010 here, move 008 around a bit, give some to 007, close the Duece (its all vacant anyway), reopen a new 002 district somewhere south of 008, maybe taking up the slack of the overly huge 004 district. Hell, we got ALL the balls in the department right here! Someone get us a map!

8/31/2005 09:42:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I say... Just one central district. Close the rest. The City doesnt want any true policing so why have any open.

No squards either... all foot patrols. This way no car chases, no gas to buy, no wasting money on motor maintenance.......

Big Savings all around.


Oh no radios or PDTs either... just be like the old London Cops.. Black whistles to blow for help.

Thank You,

Joey "no nose" Carmeni
Chicago Mob Lt.

9/01/2005 03:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey No Nose... arent you real good friends with Cline?

9/01/2005 03:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey,leave 023 alone guys! Don't give them any ideas downtown!!!!

9/06/2005 03:54:00 PM  

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