Police Chief’s resignation
Many residents who have been complaining openly on the radio about Chief James F. Fitzpatrick’s performance got their way with the surprising measure taken last Friday.
It was no secret what people thought of him. While we are being brainwashed by the repetition of “crime is down,” we know better. I’ve done my part trying to keep track of the Daily Log on their website, complaining how it is not updated for many weeks, long enough for people to forget what they were trying to check out. It was also blatant how the information was altered to downplay the dangerousness of a situation and simply lie.
Radio callers usually complained about calling police and not responding at all. In the case of cars being vandalized, the call taker’s response was that they should bring the car to the station and lucky if they got a report for the insurance company. That has always been a struggle.
The Chief’s reputation took its biggest hit after Lee Manuel Viloria Paulino’s murder, the teenager who was decapitated by the river. His head was found some 50 feet away and his hands were cut below the elbow but were never found.
Lee Manuel went missing on November 18, 2016 and considered a runaway even though he was not a troublemaker and a church-going kid along with his family. Lee Manuel was found on December 1st and the police department did nothing to investigate his whereabouts. He had been dead for about 12 hours.
And Mayor Dan Rivera always blames every crime committed in the city to “a drug deal gone bad” without proof or an investigation.
The death of Lee Manuel Viloria Paulino must be weighing heavily on Chief Fitzpatrick’s conscience – or at least, I hope so.
Now, unexpectedly, Fitzpatrick renders his resignation, not to retire but going back to be a Captain and the mayor has to scramble to find a replacement. The mayor praised him for all the advances in the department under his tenure; if he was doing such a god job, why quit?
Instead of issuing a brief announcement, Danny finds another excuse to continue his indoctrination of the population. We published it on page 2. Read the first paragraph where he claims the total number of officers we now have. I don’t want to mock the mathematical ability of our CEO but he should explain to us how he arrived to the number 145 because 115 police officers we had and 23 new recruits adds up to 138. He is probably right on the total but we should not be taken for granted that we will accept anything he throws at us. I just want clarification.
Then he goes on to loud the improvements like civilian complaints when that has not changed. Residents continued being manhandled at the station, lied to and threatened for speaking up. Yes, he has hired bilingual recruits but they are being trained by the old guard and they are showing the same traits as their trainers.
Whatever happened to the well-touted training Ed Davis was to provide? Or, was it just a photo op for the mayor? What I hear is that it was not enforced and many officers refused taking it. Those who participated said it was a great waste of their time.
The mayor refers to the 11th murder last year as “an uptick” when it is really the highest number in the city. Also, that commercial burglary and other crimes have decrease – far from the truth!
The Daily Log has not been updated since December 19, 2017 and the crime stats for December 2017 have not been posted. The most recent numbers posted are through November of 2017 comparing last year with previous years. For example:
2016 2017
Aggravated Assault 330 361
Commercial Burglary 54 64
Larceny 282 395
And that’s not counting the incidents during the month of December 2017. You can check it yourself on www.lawpd.com and go to Crime Reports on the left side of the page. Below Crime Reports you will find the useless Daily Log.
Mayor Rivera thinks we are all dunces and believe anything he says. We are thinkers and can read, Danny!
We know the opioids crisis is a national tragedy, not just in Lawrence. You keep saying about efforts to combat the epidemic and all we know is that you hired a coordinator of services. He’s been in that position for a year and all he has done is attend meetings with other organizations. I can wait for his to appear before the City Council and be asked about his duties and accomplishments.
Now, are you planning to create a search committee to attract the best and brightest of law enforcement to guide this department or hire from within in order to continue micromanaging it from City Hall?
The shelter needs help
I have visited Daybreak Shelter a few times and learned a little about the services they provide. They offer emergency shelter for homeless individuals under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. The City of Lawrence believes that relocating them from under the central bridge or not allowing them to sleep in the public parks is the way to control the situation. That’s just hiding them. Recently, they have been gathering by the river, behind the Boys and Girls Club, hidden by trees.
Daybreak is helping the best they can given their financial limitations which are too many. Every guest has access to a hot dinner, warm shower, and safe sleeping accommodations but they need help. Besides a bigger place or a building of their own, they urgently need towels, sheets and pillow cases because they get washed every day. The expense involved in the electricity is huge and in the summer they opt for hanging everything to dry outdoors.
Remember that among them, there are working people who go to work once they have their shower and breakfast as well as students in our public schools. They just don’t have a home to go to.
You may also contribute with paper goods (plates, cups, plastic utensils, etc.), toiletries, bath soaps and left over food from parties and events. They welcome everything including cash donations.
The work this shelter does is amazing helping people get their lives back with education, training, counseling or whatever they may need.
Go to their website to see more photos. Contact Greg Davenport, Program Director for more information.
Daybreak Shelter is located at 19 Winter Street, Lawrence. Phone (978) 975-4547.
