Community policing
abolition adverse
Eugene Police Chief Jim Hill’s recent announcement that he’s abandoning community policing seems more like a budget-busting tactic than sound public-policy decision-making. Although the police services budget has nearly doubled since 1991 and the serious crime rate has declined 3 percent, Hill suggests he needs yet more money to implement the widely popular community program.
Even though community policing has a goal of reducing crime and at the same time reducing cost, old guard officers apparently believe the program is “soft on crime and is primarily social work.” The strong-arm approach of law enforcement that the entrenched public safety personnel seem to favor has already proven to be a disaster in community relations.
We believe that intimidation and harassment are all too common in Eugene law enforcement, and the exercise of authority is not balanced by attempts at problem solving. The resulting alienation between police and the community reduces the safety of all. Hill’s enthusiasm for New York-style, zero-tolerance policing suggests that he looks forward to further conflict between citizens and police.
The lack of responsiveness by the Eugene Police Department and the city government to citizens’ concerns has led to the formation of the INDEPENDENT Police Review Project. As a citizen group independent of government influence, the IPRP will monitor city law enforcement policy and seek to implement objective citizen police review.
Randy Gicker
Sherry Franzen
IPRP
Bowl game made me
a Duck fan
Having the pictures developed from my recent trip to San Diego reminded me of something I intended to do earlier.
I am an alumnus of the University of Texas and a fan of its football team. I traveled to San Diego with the hope my team would win the game and I would go home happy.
The point of my letter is that my “other” team won the game. I knew nothing about your program or your fans, but I now know the University of Oregon can be very proud of both. You have an intelligent and fast team, and you have some of the classiest fans I have encountered. I have become a Duck fan and will follow the program and wish it all the good fortune it deserves. I will still have to pull for my “Horns” when the two meet, though.
I just wanted to say thanks and hello to all the Duck fans I met and hope we can do it again in the near future. The national championship game would be great. Go Ducks!
Steve Kirkpatrick
Highlands, Texas