07/21/06 BIG TIME CRIME DEVELOPING IN DALLAS

  As you may know, I grew up in Providence, R.I. in the  50's.  I had work assignments during the 60's in Baltimore and Detroit.  In the 70's, I had work assignments in the Flushing N.Y. and Newark areas.
 
  I'm leading to the fact that those cities in those eras took on the criminal appearance (gangs and violence) that is frequently appearing in Downtown Dallas and branching gradually throughout the city. 
 
  In Providence, Detroit, and other cities, the gang violence grew into vast arson incidents to the levels that many residents left the city core (many abandoned their property).  Decay began with businesses boarded up (those that were not burned out).  Citizens driving down to the core of town later in the evenings were met at intersection signal lights by gangs with chains who smashed out the vehicle windows as they terrified the occupants (after robbing and assaulting them).  Fire department crews who attempted to fight the arson fires were actually shot at while they were on assignment. 
 
  Although the Mafia existed within Providence, they had their own objectives and were nothing of a problem such as the gangs to the common residents.
 
  Dallas city management had better study up on big city crime history and take corrective actions quickly or no one will want to visit, walk, or drive the streets of the city alone at night. 

  Dallas city management continues to watch crime as it festers and then reacts later.  That is not the solution. 

  An aggressive task force needs to study the problems in Dallas, research how other cities have reacted and worked the criminal elements, and it needs to be done quickly.

  Like it or not, the Guardian Angels (working in numbers) in other major crime cities were not afraid to address the goons that attacked innocent women, children and the handicapped.  The Angels, for the most part, are tough, seasoned, street people (Council does not like that) who have been there and "done that".  They contributed greatly to the solution. 

   The Dallas "bike" patrols in the downtown area are not going to cure the cancer that is festering in the Dallas urban environment.

  In Dallas, there are VIP units driving around areas where MS-13 gangs reside, and the volunteer patrols are not being warned by city leadership about the eminent threat and dangers.

  Three or four off duty officers working in a parking lot will not solve the problems as they transpire on the streets. 

  It will take efficient intelligence gathering and action by those in law enforcement who are truly serious about their profession.  They must know what needs to be done (without each of 14 Council Representatives telling the Chief what corner to stand at on certain days of each week).