Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 Source: Clarksdale Press Register (MS) Copyright: 2002, Clarksdale Press Register Contact: http://www.pressregister.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1656 Author: Steve Bingham AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE POLICE CHIEF I am writing this in hopes of clarifying at least some of the thoughts shared by citizens through the local newspaper. Though as I write, I am continuously reminded to be careful of what I say, as I have no intentions of offending anyone regardless of whether they have spoken with truthfulness. I have found that a lot of people simply hear a word or two and repeat it with authority without realizing the validity. You must realize that the chief of police, by design of policy and procedure, does not have autonomy. He must answer to the mayor and commissioners as to what directions the Police Department must go, who is hired as a police officer, and who is terminated. Based on this, it is imperative that the mayor and commissioners, as well as the chief of police, democratically work together for the betterment of the city. While it is true the first few months of this newly elected board was trying for all, I can truthfully say that the majority of the board is attempting to dedicate themselves to all of the people, not just a few. I must make mention that I have found Mayor Henry Espy to be fair with all of the department heads and commend him for allowing all of us a chance to prove ourselves with him and his administration. I can say that I have open communication with all but one commissioner, and this is not by my design. Now to the meat of the matter: crime in Clarksdale, Police Department morale, and criminal investigations. Let me start with the crime rate in our city. First of all, a computer printout of the past several years shows that it is about the same. We are lower in some areas and slightly higher in others. However, using projections as of this date, we should come in lower than in the past. I say this because I see the reports daily and have access to past crime reports. I would like to offer to you what directions and courses I would like to implement for our city to help reduce crime as well as make our department a more efficient, professional and proactive (not reactive) department. First, the city is now divided into four beats and staffs a compliment of seven officers per shift. I would like to further divide the city into six beats and staff a shift of nine officers. The design allows for crossover beats and provides for officer safety as well as high visibility of uniformed patrol officers. Along with this - and integrated with a newly installed multiagency dispatch - is a computer software package that is state of the art. The city already has this package, but it is not implemented at this time. However, as of this week, I have set aside a week of training from the software company to initiate the start of this program with a tentative target date of being online May 1. This package, when incorporated, will provide the officers with past histories of calls, arrests, visual photographs of suspects, and MOD of suspects previously arrested. Along with this program, I would like to place an arrest vehicle, staffed by two officers per shift. These officers should be newly hired officers who are in training. This allows them to fully understand the criminal element of the city as to where they live and the high-crime areas - and to begin to know the criminal suspects by meeting them upon their arrest. This is caused by them going directly to the arrest site, placing the arrested persons into a transport van equipped with a terminal to facilitate booking process, and then transporting the arrested persons to the Coahoma County Jail. This allows for the beat officer to stay on his beat without any disruptions of having to take time out to book and jail offenders, thereby creating more visibility in their assigned beats as they assume patrol. I believe with this instituted and more aggressive, proactive patrol we will see our crime rates begin to fall. I must caution that because of today's fast-paced rate of unemployment and drug infestation, our crime will not cease, but we should have the strong upper hand. Since I mentioned drug infestations, let me assure you that we are working with several state agencies as well as federal agencies to combat our drug population problems. I will guard how we will work this problem. Let the drug world be assured: You are known and time is short. We will always target the drug problem, but we will not "air" how we will solve these problems. This also incorporates the gang problems, which are mostly drug-oriented. I know Sheriff Andrew Thompson feels the same way about these problems as I do, and we both have talked about this. Both our agencies work together and have a good relationship. By the way, Sheriff Thompson has always extended a helping hand to us when we've needed it, and I intend to always have anything he needs from us to be at his disposal anytime, anywhere. As to the morale problem within the department, this is an inherited problem, and I wish to do away with it. Some of what I've said above will help this matter. I must mention that morale can only become stronger when officers know there is a chief. Presently, I will not mention a name, but there is micromanagement within our department. This person is constantly telling some of the officers that I must go and that I am a walking time bomb. This person will not talk with me directly about any problems, nor will this person offer any suggestions. It is this person's intention to replace me. I have no reason to fear this person nor give him credibility, as this person for all practical purposes remains in the shadows lurking. To this person I ask: Come out in the sunlight. Come to the table with your beliefs. Give supportive information how we can work out what you believe to be problems. You do not know me, my principles, nor my goals and directions for this department. This reminds me of a statement by our president to the terrorists who plotted against us. Now to address the investigations by this department. I can find no fault at all with them. Nor does the district attorney's office. Because we are understaffed in this area, some cases are slowed because we have to work on current crimes that continuously come in. But I can assure you, your case is important and your victimization concerns us. There are but a few investigators in this department, but their tenacious desire to solve crimes far surpasses any that I have seen. They are very professional and take their work seriously. There is not one person in this division who will not work tirelessly to convict those who blight our city. I had a conversation with a citizen a few days ago about our conviction rate. May I suggest something to all who are asked to serve on jury duty: Stop requesting to get off. This is your city, your neighbors and your friends who are victimized by criminal activity. You expect the officers of this city to maintain a vigilance against criminal element and to bring good, solid cases to court. You expect the district attorney's office to prosecute these cases with the same vigor. We are. Are you doing you part? Please don't use the excuse of poor jurors. I have seen them, but where were you? While it may be true a jury may sometimes consist of the elderly, they do not all go to sleep. These are sometimes people who live in the same area crimes have been committed. They can't sit on their porches and enjoy their sunset years because of what is happening. Could it be they might be afraid of retaliation? It is hard enough to get witnesses to crimes because of the fear factor. What makes you think they will convict? To those elderly, strong people who serve on the jury and vote your convictions based on the evidence presented, God bless you. We all have a part in making Clarksdale better. I will not respond to other letters in the paper about this subject matter, but I will have an open door at the Police Department for you to come in, sit down, talk about your convictions, and attempt to work out solutions to our problems. While I have not addressed every problem in this column, please be assured that I will always attempt to do the very best that I can to provide better service to you through this department. I will close by saying openly, the Board of Mayor and Commissioners as a whole is concerned and is working with me as well as other department heads to make this city a safer, cleaner, more viable community. Steve Bingham is Clarksdale's chief of police. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth