Today's Courier editorial on the Plainfield Police Division's restructuring unfortunately muddies the waters about what IS and IS NOT happening under Director Hellwig's reorganization. You can find the editorial here.
While certain types of crime are down, there are others that are not spoken of by Director Hellwig and, consequently by the Courier's editorial writer -- specifically HOME INVASIONS and BURGLARIES.
Just last week, there were TWO HOME INVASIONS on Oakland Avenue, as reported in an email circulated among residents --
Date: Wed, February 25, 2009 12:01 pmA close reading of the message suggests residents were home when at least one of the two incidents occurred. The incidents led Councilor Burney to post tips by Chief Santiago on his blog (see here).
This email is to advise you that on 24 February 2009 @ 1942 hours the PPD responded to a Burglary in Progress at on the 1000 block of Oakland Avenue. Actor/s unknown had kicked in the front Door and ran sacked residence. A canvass of the neighborhood was conducted. Residents are unsure what was stolen at this time.
At approximately 2114 hours Plainfield Police responded to another call this time on the 1100 block of Oakland Ave for another Burglary in Progress upon arrival of several marked units it was determined that actor/s kicked in the front door and ransacked the house taking a laptop, an IPod and numerous pieces of jewelry.
This appears to be the work of the same actors. Fortunately no one was hurt. Police canvassed the area. Extra patrol and unmarked cars are in the area and an investigation is ongoing. If you have any information about this, no matter how small you may think it is, please contact the Police department. Also, please report ANY suspicious activity or anything unusual, immediately to the Police at 908-753-3131. Don't leave it to someone else to call.
If you feel it is an emergency dial 911.
I have to say that in my twenty-five years in Plainfield, I can only recall ONE home invasion before the rash of them that has broken out in the last year or two.
This cannot leave Plainfielders feeling more comfortable in their homes.
Secondly, the editorial conflates the two themes of 'getting more officers out from behind desks' and the previously noted top-heaviness of the staff 'with administrators and non-patrol staffers'.
The specific criticism by the State was that the Division was too top-heavy with BRASS, a situation that has not been corrected. In fact, a review of the current numbers of Captains and Lieutenants as compared to a few years ago might surprise the Courier editorial writer.
As for the much-touted, long-awaited surveillance cameras, here we are in year four of the Robinson-Briggs administration, and still planning.
As for 'initiatives targeting youths and gang prevention', this is a year-in, year-out endeavor, isn't it? And the best and most effective program seen to date -- S.A.L.T. (Save A Life Today) -- was dismantled by the Union County Prosecutor's office.
Meanwhile, word in the street is that a number of cops have filed complaints against Director Hellwig that may eventually wend their way through either the courts or the administrative law system and throw a somewhat different light on the restructuring of the Police Division.
The public would have benefited from an editorial that took a harder look at what is really going on with the Police Division.
- Courier News: "Plainfield police plan getting job done"
- As I See It (Burney): "Ten crime prevention tips"
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5 comments:
Was the editor who wrote this a friend of Hellwig's? Editorials that remain so surface and do not dig do nothing for the public good. I had a conversation with Hellwig, with the Mayor present where he told me that the racism that exists within the police department is nothing "above the norm." The culture in the PD needs to be examined. I imagine if fellow police officers are allowed to be victims of racism that is "normal" than the citizens of Plainfield don't get similar or worse treatment.
While your reporting that burglaries are up in Plainfield, unfortunately, there is no mention that they are also up and a problem in Westfield and Mountainside. Please don't do what the newspapers do and target Plainfield as if we are the only city having issues. Times are hard, and even the more affluent cities are having the same problem.
Last week, Councilwoman Annie McWilliams had an opportunity for the first time to see how politics work in NJ. Her, Cory, and Adrian have been fighting the other council members dealing with the issue of the IT Department. Now here’s an issue that the city of Plainfield is losing a fortune of money over because of a lack of communication dealing with today’s technology. The word in City Hall is that they, McWilliams, Storch, and Mapp, don’t have an answer, so she calls an emergency meeting at City Hall and invited the County of Union’s representative to show that the City is wrong in the direction it’s going. BUT, we are told that that is not the case, and that the City is RIGHT! Also, we were told that the City needs a Director in order to have a successful operation.
Two months into the new year, and ALREADY you see the lack of experience. I’m hoping that after she has embarrassed herself and the New Democrats in this ordeal, she will begin to listen to the other council members who are trying to do the right thing by the City with this issue, and back away from Cory Storch and Adrian Mapp who do nothing but COMPLAIN and yield no solutions to the problems this city is facing.
I have attended a couple of council meetings, and I find Ms. McWilliams a bright and intelligent woman, but has a lot to learn regarding the issues this city is facing. One thing she is going to learn very fast however, is that her generation is not interested in how a person sounds or presents arguments, but the SOLUTIONS they bring to the table, the EVIDENCE of wisdom.
Dan,
Home invasions have been around a long time. I have lost more than one tenant because the door was kicked in at my Watchung Avenue properties. 4 times to be precise. As a result, I installed a burglar alarm system,lighting and fencing (chain link/barbed wire. Then at North Avenue, Plaifield Police kicked in a door, ran sacked a shop and ripped down ceiling in the basement. They were on the hunt for drugs; they didn't find any and didn't pay for the damage.
One thing I have noticed is that the Sleepy Hollow area of Plainfield is not very well lit at night. The street lights in NYC are the more golden colored lamps that put out a brighter and wider arc of light. All of plainfield should have its street lamps updated, with the brighter lamps installed.
Homeowners should also consider motion detection light for their home's exteriors.
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