Category Archives: failed city

Progressive policies in action: Seattle Police won’t respond to alarm calls without “supporting evidence”

Posted on September 30, 2024 by | 3 comments

Thanks to the liberals’ “Defund the Police” movement in 2020 and BLM’s campaign to disparage police, the Seattle Police Department has lost more than 700 officers in the past five years and is at its lowest staffing level since the 1990s.

The consequences of this? From Fox 13 Seattle:

Seattle Police: Officers won’t respond to burglary alarm calls without evidence

From the article:

“A triggered alarm system at a property in Seattle will soon require more information to get an officer’s attention. Seattle Police Department (SPD) announced a new policy for responding to alarm calls.

SPD’s interim police chief, Sue Rahr, announced the updated standards in a letter dated Sept. 13. She wrote that, beginning Oct. 1, “SPD will only dispatch officers to calls from alarm companies with supporting evidence, such as audio, video, panic alarms or eyewitness evidence that a person is illegally entering or attempting to enter a residence or commercial property.”

“The challenge with that is it’s only two weeks’ notice. We have to notify all of our customers, we have to change how we monitor those alarms, we have to change dispatchers on how they respond to alarms in Seattle,” said Woodman. “We’ve been told that [SPD] has been working on this for eight months, but they never reached out to the industry or the monitoring companies. So, we are asking that they now work with us and just give us some more time.” 

Woodman and others from Washington Alarm gave public comment on Tuesday during Seattle City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting and full council meeting. They voiced their concerns, not only about the short notice from SPD, but also the impact on customers who don’t have audio or visual capabilities on their systems.

“Law enforcement and the security industry can work together to come up with a solution that benefits our customers in a way that doesn’t leave them stranded and vulnerable at the most dangerous moment,” said Ashley Barber of Washington Alarm.

“Our fear is that the business owner or building owner is going to go down to that building and see what is going on. And with no police there, we could potentially be in a dire situation if there’s actual criminal activity going on at the property and they don’t have police to back them up,” said Woodman. “Other cities that have done this [have seen] the crime has gone up. And we certainly already have an issue in the city of Seattle with crime, and we would not want to see crime go up.”

Read the whole article here.

Yeah, don’t hold your breath waiting for the police in Seattle to back you up. That isn’t how most of us roll:

Alas, in demorat-run Seattle your options are limited. They never learn, do they?

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, failed city, safety

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Priorities for NYC democrats: Wigs, prosthetic penises and breasts for “trans” prisoners

Posted on September 10, 2024 by | 1 comment

New York City is having all kinds of problems due to democrats being in charge and their importing illegal aliens.

The New York Post reported last week that migrants are flooding the city’s justice system and they now make up 75% of arrests in midtown.

Seven months ago it was reported that a NYC neighborhood was turned into a giant toilet as migrants litter a park with poop and leave cups of urine on doorsteps.

Last June I reported on a townhall meeting with New York City Councilmember Crystal Hudson where residents were furious over crime occurring outside of a illegal alien shelter housing 3,000 men. At the time, Hudson blamed the mayor for a lack of support in dealing with the migrant crisis.

Councilmember Hudson prioritizing the mentally ill.

But don’t worry New York, Hudson is on top of the “migrant crisis” now. Her latest bill:

Trans prisoners to get wigs, prosthetic penises and breasts under Democrat bill

From The Daily Mail:

“Trans prisoners in New York City will have access to ‘gender-affirming’ devices such as prosthetic penises and breasts under a new bill proposed by a Democratic lawmaker.

Councilwoman Crystal Hudson’s bill would also give guards at NYC prisons access to items like breast binders, wigs and tucking undergarments, as first reported by the New York Post. Hudson is expected to introduce the bill during Thursdays city council meeting.

The legislation is backed by fellow Democratic councilmembers Farah N. Louis, Chi A. Ossé.

‘This bill would establish a process for people in custody to obtain wigs, hair extensions, chest binders, tucking undergarments or gaffs, prosthetics, or other similar items or medical devices that are used by individuals to affirm their self-determined gender identity,’ according to the NYC Council website.

‘The bill also requires Department of Correction staff to have access to gender-affirming items or medical devices while at work.’ According to the bill, it would be up to the NYC Department of Correction to decide who foots the bill for the gender-affirming care.”

Read the whole story here.

Good job New Yorkers in electing Hudson. You can safely sleep at night knowing that illegal aliens and trans people are being coddled with your tax dollars.

Remember in November:

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, failed city, failed state, illegal immigration, LGBT, The Left

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Illegal alien indicted on rape released on $500 bail

Posted on July 1, 2024 by | 5 comments

This is America under demorat rule…

(story starts at :20 mark)

Story from MSN:

Cory Alvarez, an illegal from Haiti, is accused (and now indicted) of raping a disabled 15-year-old at a Massachusetts shelter. He’s been released on bail — despite a request from federal immigration officials to keep him in jail.

The perp was arrested in March and held without bail until he was freed on a $500 bail last week after the Plymouth County Superior Court ignored a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to keep the suspect in custody.

The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office requested that Alvarez be held on $10,000 cash bail with numerous conditions of release. The judge set bail at $500.

The good judge released the perp with an ankle monitor, but ICE officials can’t track him because Boston is a sanctuary city — meaning local authorities don’t have to cooperate with the feds.

The suspect was also ordered to remain in home confinement, surrender his passport and check in twice monthly with probation, according to legal filings obtained by the Globe. He is due back in court on Aug. 13.

Federal immigration authorities said in March that they had filed an immigration detainer against Alvarez with the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. However, a spokesperson for the enforcement and removal operations division of ICE told the Globe that Plymouth Superior Court officials “refused to honor” its detainer.

The perp came to the US in June 2023 under President Biden’s parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV).

Read all the details here.

The illegal alien is being housed at this Comfort Inn in Rockland which was turned into an immigrant shelter, courtesy of taxpayers:

Think the perp will give up this great living condition and show up for his August 13 court date?

Maybe he will. Illegal aliens/criminals seem to have better odds under our current legal system than law-abiding citizens.

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, failed city, illegal immigration, Joe Biden, safety

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Identity politics doesn’t guarantee a “better representative of everybody”

Posted on June 20, 2024 by | 5 comments

The left are big into identity politics. For some reason, they’ll tell you that the color of their skin and sexual orientation makes them better able to govern. Case in point: Crystal Hudson, who represents the 35th District of the New York City Council.

When Crystal ran she outlined her “Black Agenda” for her district. She mentioned numerous times on her web page that she is “unapologetically pro-Black, pro-queer, pro-justice.”

Her page also states that she was elected in 2021 and made history as the first out gay Black woman ever elected in New York City. How did that turn out for the residents who voted for her? They aren’t too happy:

Furious residents erupt at NYC town hall meeting over crime outside gargantuan migrant shelter that houses 3,000 men

From The Daily Mail:

“A community meeting in Brooklyn devolved into a shouting match when concerned residents from several family-friendly neighborhoods expressed their extreme dissatisfaction with their councilmember over a huge migrant shelter in the area.

City councilmember Crystal Hudson was met with ire from her constituents as she attempted to speak at the community meeting on Monday night.

Residents in the family-oriented neighborhood of Clinton Hill remain uneasy about the migrant shelter that opened last summer right next to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The shelter currently accommodates more than 3,000 single men who  crossed the southern border illegally before being transported to New York City. Residents fear the massive shelter puts their children and the area in danger.

Hudson did not help her case when she stood up in the middle of the meeting to announce a stabbing had occurred earlier in the day right by the shelter. ‘There was an incident earlier today – it’s not the first incident, I hope it will be the last – there was a stabbing that was at the park,’ said Hudson.

But Hudson’s comments nonetheless further ignited intense frustration among the crowd at the Boys and Girls Navy Yard Clubhouse.

The news prompted several already angered constituents to stand up and begin shouting. ‘You are avoiding the issue,’ said one man into a microphone, speaking about the shelter. ‘Is there a universe where the city can safely house 3,200 single men together?’

‘It can’t!’ shouted some people in the crowd in response. ‘It is unsafe! It is unsafe!’ cried others.

During the meeting, Hudson – who had City Speaker Adrienne Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander by her side – encouraged angry attendees to save their wrath for City Hall.

She went on to blame the mayor for a lack of support in dealing with the migrant crisis. ‘We have literally said exactly what you just said … I understand the frustration. I get it … But my office has done everything we can,’ she said, according to local reporter Arya Sundaram.

Alejandro Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Councilwoman Hudson, said in a statement to the New York Post that her office confirmed its commitment to ‘caring for’ undocumented migrants.”

Read the whole story here.

When, oh when, are voters going to learn:

DCG

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Posted in clueless, Democrats, failed city, illegal immigration, safety, The Left

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Hey criminals: Head to Boston for fun!

Posted on May 30, 2024 by | 8 comments

Mayor Michelle Wu, welcoming to criminals.

Do your hobbies include shoplifting, larceny, disorderly conduct, receiving stolen property, driving with a suspended license, and breaking and entering? Then head to Boston, my friend, as Mayor Michelle Wu has declared that those activities should not be prosecuted!

From NY Post:

“Boston Mayor Michelle Wu advocated a soft-on-crime agenda by pushing to abolish the gang registry and arguing that criminal behavior – such as theft – should not be prosecuted. 

Prior to being elected mayor, Wu filled out the “2021 Boston Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire” from Progressive Massachusetts, a 501c4 nonprofit organization that tracks and ranks how progressive elected officials are.

According to its website, the group “intends to transform Massachusetts into a bold laboratory for progressive state initiatives.”

In the document, Wu outlined her most progressive commitments, including her support for noncitizens voting in Boston’s local elections. 

The mayor was asked, “Do you support shuttering the Boston Police gang database?”

She answered, “Yes.”

Then, Wu was asked whether she supported a do-not-prosecute list enacted by the former Suffolk County district attorney, Rachael Rollins.  DA Rollins enacted the policy memo identifying more than a dozen charges she said should be declined for prosecution.

Those crimes included shoplifting, larceny, disorderly conduct, receiving stolen property, driving with a suspended license, breaking and entering with property damage, wanton and malicious destruction of property, threats, minor in possession of alcohol, marijuana possession, possession with intent to distribute, non-marijuana drug possession. 

The DA was later brought into the Biden administration, before resigning after an ethics probe found that Rollins committed “egregious” ethical violations and “abuse of power.”  

“Do you support the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s do-not-prosecute list and expanded approach to dealing with such low-level offenses? YES/ NO?” Progressive Mass asked.  “Yes,” Wu responded. 

Wu also promised to advocate for reallocating some of the police’s budget towards other city priorities as mayor. The mayor said she believes law enforcement should be “demilitariz[ed].” 

Wu said police should not have the ability to use tear gas, rubber bullets, and attack dogs.“

Read the whole story here.

Boston, y’all about to find out the hard way:

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, drugs, failed city, safety, The Left

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Denver democrats prioritize illegal aliens over citizens’ safety

Posted on April 18, 2024 by | 2 comments

There’s a valid reason why many say “liberalism is a mental disorder.”

For over fifty years Denver residents have elected a democrat mayor. In 2023 the residents continued that tradition by electing Mike Johnston.

Mayor Mike Johnston: Y’all got suckered!

One of Johnston’s stated goals when he was running for mayor? He planned to spend $20 million to hire an additional 200 first responders to address violent and property crime.

Fast forward less than a year after he assumed office and this is the reality (via Daily Mail):

Denver city council approves defund the police cuts – the largest ever in city’s budget – to pay for migrant crisis

Details:

“Denver City Council’s Finance and Governance Committee has approved plans to defund the police to pay for the migrant crisis that is costing the democrat-led city about $89.9 million. 

The finance committee determined that $41 million in cuts from multiple city departments is needed to house migrants on Tuesday, reported KDVR. 

The police department is expected to experience $8.4 million budget cuts, the sheriff’s office could see a $3.8 million cut and the fire department is expected to cut $2.4 million. 

The sanctuary city’s progressive Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled the budget proposal last week, allocating $89.9 million to assist incoming undocumented migrants, whom he refers to as ‘newcomers.’

The amount will be drawn from approximately $45 million that’s used for public programs and services, the rest is coming from city wide budget cuts.

‘After more than a year of facing this crisis together, Denver finally has a sustainable plan for treating our newcomers with dignity while avoiding the worst cuts to city services,’ Johnston said at the press conference discussing ‘Newcomer Operations and 2024 Budget.’

‘So many times we were told that we couldn’t be compassionate while still being fiscally responsible. Today is proof that our hardest challenges are still solvable, and that together we are the ones who will solve them.’

The proposed budget cuts will now go to the full city council for a vote on April 22, and if passed could go into effect by May 10.

Denver plans to spend the $89.9 million on various migrant assistance programs in 2024, including $3 million to ‘Program Administration,’ $51.7 million to ‘Shelter and Housing,’ $9.7 million to ‘Supportive Services,’ $9.5 million to ‘One Time Capital Costs’ and $10 million to ‘Contingency.’

‘Kinda crazy how much of an insult this is to Colorado’s residents. You’ve got money for migrants but meanwhile homeless people have ruined downtown and every piece of infrastructure needs attention,’ said Spencer Davis on Facebook.

‘What about our local homeless, veterans that really need help,’ said Michele Santi.

‘Put that 89 million into the schools instead,’ said Quin Williams. “

Read the whole story here.

Y’all gotta learn the hard way:

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, failed city, illegal immigration, safety, The Left

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Crime pays: Ilegals in NYC to receive free taxpayer-funded debit cards

Posted on March 26, 2024 by | 3 comments

As the invasion continues at our border, the criminal illegal aliens arriving in New York City are rewarded. From The Daily Mail:

NYC begins handing out migrants taxpayer-funded, pre-paid debit cards, with 450 people set to begin receiving up to ‘$18,200-a-year’ payout

From the article:

“Migrant families in New York city have begun receiving prepaid debit cards as part of a controversial scheme that could see them receive up to $18,200 a year. Officials began distributing the cards to the first ten new arrivals at the city’s Roosevelt Hotel shelter on Monday. 

The cards are preloaded with a week’s worth of funds and will be rolled out to 115 families, equivalent to 450 people by the end of the week.

Mayor Eric Adams is pressing ahead with the $53 million scheme, despite a furious backlash amid fears the cards are open to abuse.

The debit cards can only be used at supermarkets and bodegas, the city leader said. A family of four with two children could receive up to $350 per week, depending on the children’s ages.

Participants will also have to sign an affidavit swearing they will only use the cards for food or baby supplies at the risk of being removed from the program.“

Read the whole story here.

Anyone with a brain knows that this is unsustainable.

And anyone with a brain knows that you’d better vote wisely in November. Unfortunately, many have not learned this one rule:

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, failed city, illegal immigration, Joe Biden, The Left

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Another one bites the dust: The North-Face closing hometown San Francisco store

Posted on March 8, 2024 by | 5 comments

San Francisco is failing. Due to progressive policies (soft-on-crime DAs, open-air drug use, Defund the Police movement, Prop 47, etc.) many businesses have shutdown their stores in San Francisco.

Now goes another:

The North Face is closing its only store in its hometown of San Francisco that’s situated in dying downtown area

From Daily Mail:

“San Francisco shoppers receive another shocking blow as another major retailer is all set to move away from the crime and drug ridden city. 

The North Face officials have announced that they will be closing the doors of their Union Square store on March 31.  Although the rock climbing and camping supply company was founded back in 1964 in this city, the Union Square store is the only location to exist. 

Hailey Albright, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement: ‘The North Face was born in San Francisco, and we have cherished the time spent here, building roots and creating lasting memories.’

The retailer has not provided a clear reason for the closure of the 180 Post Street store.”

Read the whole story here.

No “clear reason” is required on behalf of The North Face.

Earlier this week voters in San Francisco passed two ballot measures to take steps to curb homelessness, drug addiction and crime. The initiatives require drug screening for welfare recipients and give police more surveillance power and less oversight

But it may be too little, too late. After 60 years of democrat rule, it will probably take DECADES to undue the damage progressive polices have created for that city. Y’all learn too late:

DCG

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Posted in Crime, Democrats, drugs, failed city, failed state, safety

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Crime in Houston: Over 260,000 criminal cases suspended due to lack of personnel

Posted on February 28, 2024 by | 6 comments

Although Texas is still a “red” state, the city of Houston is run by demorats. Houston hasn’t had a republican mayor since 1982. The district attorney for Harris County, Kim Ogg, is a demorat who was backed by George Soros.

Soros-backed DA Kim Hogg

Houston’s current demorat mayor, John Whitmire, came into office last December. When he ran for office he stated, “I know how crime impacts our lives. I have instituted groundbreaking reforms reducing prison populations because we can be tough and smart on crime.”

Lifelong bureaucrat Mayor John Whitmire

Considering what’s been occuring (or not occuring) in Houston during the past eight years, Mayor Whitmire is going to have a lot of cleaning up to do:

HPD says over 260,000 criminal cases were suspended due to ‘lack of personnel’ over 8 years

From Fox 26:

“Houston Police Chief Troy Finner has released some new information regarding criminal cases that were suspended. 

Last week, Finner identified 4,017 cases of alleged sexual assault administratively suspended for “lack of personnel” – investigations essentially kicked to the curb back to 2016.

On Monday afternoon, Houston police released a new statement saying:

“Our review of adult sex crime cases suspended with a code of “lack of personnel” has expanded to include all other divisions in the department found to be using that same code. We have determined that department-wide approximately 264,000 such incident reports since 2016 were suspended with this code. That figure represents about 10% of the 2.8 million incident reports filed with HPD in the past eight years. Of those 264,000 reports, about 100,000 of them are property crimes. Our efforts to review sexual assault incident reports and contact potential victims continue. We are also moving additional personnel to other investigative divisions to address these incident reports involving crimes against persons.”

Last week, Finner said he first became aware sexual assault cases were being suspended for lack of manpower in 2021 and ordered the practice stopped. He says an internal investigation is underway to determine why that explicit command was disobeyed.”

Read the whole story here.

Best to avoid large, demorat-run cities. Between their soft-on-crime district attorneys, progressive policies toward incarceration, and overall lack of functional leadership (especially when is comes to addressing public safety needs), no one is safe in these cities.

DCG

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Crime in Missouri: St. Louis frees hit & run driver who killed mom and daughter

Posted on February 26, 2024 by | 1 comment

St. Louis, Missouri has had a democrat mayor since 1949.  The previous Soros-backed district attorney, Kim Gardner, finally resigned in May 2023 after a serial criminal who had violated house arrest 51 times caused a teenage girl to lose both of her legs. Read that whole story here.

Yet since Gardner’s departure, criminals are still able to roam free in St. Louis. Example:

St Louis driver, 22, who killed two Drake fans in horror crash as they left concert is FREED on $20k bail

Victims Laticha Bracero and her daughter Alyssa Cordova

From The Daily Mail:

“Horrific surveillance footage captured the moment a mom and daughter were fatally ran down by a speeding motorist running a red light – who has since been released on bail.

Laticha Bracero, 42, and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21, were leaving a Drake concert in St. Louis, Missouri on February 14 when driver Monte Henderson, 22, allegedly plowed into them at the intersection. Two other teen girls and a 61-year-old woman were also injured in the crash, which saw Henderson collide with several other vehicles as he blew through the lights. 

Free on bail: Perp Monte Henderson

Police say he was speeding at over 70mph when he allegedly caused the tragedy.

However, Judge Annette Llewellyn ignored a probable cause statement arguing he is a danger to the community, allowing him to be freed on a $20,000 bail, according to STL Today. 

Judge Annette Lewellyn

Reported court records showed he was freed on Friday morning after posting 10 percent of his $200,000 bond. He is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the deaths of the mother and daughter. 

Cops say he blew through the stop lights on Olive Street in the center of the city, with the footage showing the red light at the same time he sped past the intersection in his Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was seen travelling at a high rate of speed before initially colliding with the front bumper of another car, which led him to careen into Bracero and Cordova. 

Bracero was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cordova died shortly after being rushed to hospital, police said.” 

Read the whole tragic story here.

Just another reason to avoid large, democrat-run cities that favor defunding their police. And cities with Soros-backed district attorneys who coddle criminals. Your life may depend upon it.

DCG

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