Another shooting in Akron

[bobbyake]

Not sure what this makes it, but cops are all over the place right now on North Street. Around 15-20 police cars and 4-5 fire department vehicles sitting in the Bottom projects.

[ziptrumpet87]

filmed from top of Northside?

[bobbyake]

filmed from top of Northside?

[Sergeant Zip]

Speaking of Northside, there is a new restaurant coming... Dante's in January 2012.

[Blue & Gold]

The Northside Lofts are GREAT! If you've got one, props to you, bobby!

[tbozeglav]

From what I have heard, there were two bank robberies on Market and Brittain Rd this morning between 9 and 10am. Cops apprehended the guys but I didn't hear where.

[tbozeglav]

Confirms what I suspected:

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/suspec...keover-1.251539

A suspected bank robber fatally shot himself and two others were arrested following a “takeover” at a FirstMerit Bank branch Wednesday morning, Akron police said.

According to Akron police, two men entered the branch at 840 Brittain Road about 11:40 a.m., fired shots into the ceiling and demanded money in what they termed a takeover of the bank.

The robbers fled with a money bag containing dye packs.

A witness who identified the getaway vehicle relayed that information to responding officers. A brief chase ensued into North Akron, police said.

Two of the men exited the car in the Cascade Village area. The suspect who remained in the car was arrested, as was a second suspect, about a block away, after a brief foot chase.

The third suspect ran into a wooded area nearby and died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy, police said.

[LZIp]

off topic to this specific incident, but something needs to be done with all of this crime south of campus. I understand they are increasing the police force, but we need a little more than that. Maybe they need to be worry less about busting civil parties or busting somebody for a gram of weed (no, not me) and concentrate more on these robberies and shootings. I decided to stay up at my house for all but a week during this break from the fear of being robbed. I keep a loaded gun in my house just in case.

Maybe some under cover cops or cameras installed in the streets?

[tbozeglav]

There's only so much they can do. Theres no way for them to be everywhere at all times. That area south of campus has, for a long time, been a "breeding ground", of sorts, for crime due to the simple, unavoidable fact that you have students living in rented houses/units that are poorly built and secured and who are guaranteed to have valuable electronics (sellable on the black market). The area is also within a city, meaning its easier for them to get away from the cops. I would say that while many of the robberies are carried out by individuals who live in the same areas as the students, I would also venture to guess that the theives would travel to the area knowing what people in the area typically have in their houses.

Last year when I lived in the area, my roommate kept a loaded gun in his room and I kept a baseball bat in mine. I've since moved out of Akron (wise choice), but he moved somewhere else in the area. Not too long ago, he found that all his windows had been cracked open (obvious sign that someone had been casing his place) and has since installed a full motion-sensing security system that will automatically call police for him in addition to the gun he keeps around just in case. Its just the risk you have to take sometimes for the convenience and savings of living in the area.

I will say UAPD overall has been doing a great job at mitigating the issue the best they can. You mentioned the other nuances and unfortunately thats just a part of the job. I have never heard of them busting civil parties unless they had good reason to, and typically that involves reports of underage drinking, overly loud music, or reports of anything else illegal. Its their duty to enforce the laws and they will if they deem it necessary. Besides... the parties are often when potential robberies are cased, so keeping the big, public parties controlled is a good way to prevent a potential crime.

[bobbyake]

a lot of slumlords own properties in that area because those houses sell between 15-40k. They'll split a house up by room and rent each room for less than $200. It's extremely cheap to live in that area so you get a lot of rift raft wanting to move in there. I get disturbed whenever I see a family with kids living in one of those properties. I understand they're cheap, but they're cheap for a reason. No parent should raise their children in the middle of college students that party all the time, no matter how cheap it is.

I noticed that the city has cameras at a lot of stop lights now. I have no idea if the police use those or not, but I think they'd be perfect for helping solve crime cases. Take North Hill for example, there's only a few ways to get in and out of North Hill. You would be able to use those cameras to determine whether a criminal is still in the area.

A lot of people inaccurately blame the crime on the city for not having enough police. More police isn't the answer. I believe more hidden street cameras are a lot cheaper and more beneficial for solving crimes than more police.

Technology is cheaper and more reliable than more manpower. There will always be a need for good police work, but utilizing the technology we have today could go a long way in helping catch the bad guys.

We also need to start holding judges and the justice system accountable for when they release prisoners early. If a prisoner is released early and commits another crime with victims involved. The victim, or the family (if the victim is deceased) should be able to sue the justice system for making a poor decision allowing that criminal to go free early.

[tbozeglav]

random thought since you brought up rent...

the place I lived in was split - we rented the bottom half, someone else had the top half. Each of my roommates paid $335/mo, meaning our unit alone was raking in $1000/mo. Granted gas, water, sewer, trash were covered, but thats barely $200/mo tops. That means the landlord was raking in, at minimum, $1500/mo for a place that if I bought right now and mortgaged out, wouldn't cost me even half that. Its laughable how much these people exploit the students for every penny they can.

I moved to Stow... have more room, more amenities, better quality of living, better nieghborhood, and pay LESS than I did there. good riddance.

[g-mann17]

....

We also need to start holding judges and the justice system accountable for when they release prisoners early. If a prisoner is released early and commits another crime with victims involved. The victim, or the family (if the victim is deceased) should be able to sue the justice system for making a poor decision allowing that criminal to go free early.

Too much to repost and then write back.

Crime goes beyond police presense or technology deterents. The justice system can only do so much. They have limited space and limited tax dollars to keep people in jail for a long period of time.

The only thing that limits crime is opportunity. If you don't have jobs that pay well in a country crime rates will be higher. Just plain fact.

We are in an economic recession, people are desperate so crime goes up. Additionally crime is due to opportunity. With more vacant property there are more places to hide.

The reality of crime is that despite economically difficult times we are at lower crime rates then we have been in the past. It has heated up lately because while the unemployment percentage is dropping, unemployment as a whole isn't. The rate is calculated by those collecting benefits as those are the ones reporting it. Unemployment is high, many people are running out of unemployment benefits and something has to be done to support themselves.

Bottom line, you get rid of crime by increasing jobs.

[bobbyake]

....

We also need to start holding judges and the justice system accountable for when they release prisoners early. If a prisoner is released early and commits another crime with victims involved. The victim, or the family (if the victim is deceased) should be able to sue the justice system for making a poor decision allowing that criminal to go free early.

Too much to repost and then write back.

Crime goes beyond police presense or technology deterents. The justice system can only do so much. They have limited space and limited tax dollars to keep people in jail for a long period of time.

The only thing that limits crime is opportunity. If you don't have jobs that pay well in a country crime rates will be higher. Just plain fact.

We are in an economic recession, people are desperate so crime goes up. Additionally crime is due to opportunity. With more vacant property there are more places to hide.

The reality of crime is that despite economically difficult times we are at lower crime rates then we have been in the past. It has heated up lately because while the unemployment percentage is dropping, unemployment as a whole isn't. The rate is calculated by those collecting benefits as those are the ones reporting it. Unemployment is high, many people are running out of unemployment benefits and something has to be done to support themselves.

Bottom line, you get rid of crime by increasing jobs.

I am not buying the economic argument. I believe a lot of it has to do with drugs and people being unqualified to work at a lot of jobs because of their abuse. If the police department drug tested everyone they catch doing robberies/burglaries, I'm willing to bet at least 95% of them would test positive for drugs in their system.

Meth is taking over the drug world right now and it's extremely addictive. Once a high school student starts, it's hard to get them to kick it. These meth heads will let the drug tear their world down so that they can't hold jobs. I have family that work in both St. Thomas and City Hospital, meth abuse is very popular in this community.

The economy is recovering right now, I've seen a lot of companies start hiring. Unemployment is falling, Ohio's dropped to 8.5. Current holiday sales have been very strong. New-home sales jumped big in November. It's hard to be bearish on the market right now. I'm a moderate so I'm extremely irritated by the games the Republicans and Democrats are playing with each other right now. I hate politics. If you strip politics out for 2012, 2013, the UPRO could do wonders.

[g-mann17]

I am not buying the economic argument. I believe a lot of it has to do with drugs and people being unqualified to work at a lot of jobs because of their abuse. If the police department drug tested everyone they catch doing robberies/burglaries, I'm willing to bet at least 95% of them would test positive for drugs in their system.

Meth is taking over the drug world right now and it's extremely addictive. Once a high school student starts, it's hard to get them to kick it. These meth heads will let the drug tear their world down so that they can't hold jobs. I have family that work in both St. Thomas and City Hospital, meth abuse is very popular in this community.

The economy is recovering right now, I've seen a lot of companies start hiring. Unemployment is falling, Ohio's dropped to 8.5. Current holiday sales have been very strong. New-home sales jumped big in November. It's hard to be bearish on the market right now. I'm a moderate so I'm extremely irritated by the games the Republicans and Democrats are playing with each other right now. I hate politics. If you strip politics out for 2012, 2013, the UPRO could do wonders.

Ok Reefer Madness.

[bobbyake]

I'm all for the government designing a place(island) where druggies can go live. Let them do their drugs and make them free. Call it Zombie Island. I'd be more than happy to pay for that tax because it would do wonders decreasing crime in cities. What other answers are there?

What do you get if you legalize marijuana?

The Pros: Tax revenue.

The Cons: Drug dealers start pushing stronger drugs to make up for the loss of income from marijuana. Don't think for a second that these drug dealers are simply going to go away if you legalize marijuana.

[g-mann17]

I'm all for the government designing a place(island) where druggies can go live. Let them do their drugs and make them free. Call it Zombie Island. I'd be more than happy to pay for that tax because it would do wonders decreasing crime in cities. What other answers are there?

What do you get if you legalize marijuana?

The Pros: Tax revenue.

The Cons: Drug dealers start pushing stronger drugs to make up for the loss of income from marijuana. Don't think for a second that these drug dealers are simply going to go away if you legalize marijuana.

If you legalize marijuana wish is the largest used recreational drug, 90% of the crime in Mexico and US goes away.

During Prohibition the families that continued to supply alcohol became very rich, and very violent. Once legalized those same families already had infrastructure laid out and became very successful in supplying the nation's demand. Those that didn't want to be involved sold off that infrasctructure to other people.

No one forces anyone to do a drug they don't want to do. Drug pushers? That's a myth. There aren't people on the street corner going, "hey man come here and see what I got." Why? These people aren't stupid that are selling it.

Also the majority of pot users only use pot. All of that D.A.R.E. gateway nonsense is stuff maid up to scare little kids and parents. If you legalize marijuana you create jobs, new industry, lower crime and increase tax revenue and legal wealth (which is therefore also taxable).

[GP1]

If you legalize marijuana wish is the largest used recreational drug, 90% of the crime in Mexico and US goes away.

Also the majority of pot users only use pot. All of that D.A.R.E. gateway nonsense is stuff maid up to scare little kids and parents. If you legalize marijuana you create jobs, new industry, lower crime and increase tax revenue and legal wealth (which is therefore also taxable).

I don't know what the number is, but I agree.

For me it isn't about a new industry as much as it is keeping people out of the extremely expensive prison/probation system and gets them working. People are going to prison, for long periods of time on the tree strikes and you're out system, for selling a basically harmless substance. Then, we bog down already overworked probation officers, who should be out supervising more violent criminals, with this nonsense. We are idiots in this country.

True story. On Christmas Eve, Mrs. GP1 and I went to the Panthers vs. Tampa Bay game here in Charlotte. On one corner were the usual evangelical guys with their signs yelling whatever they yell (just what you want to hear right next to your tailgate while you get boozed up for three hours before a game). Nobody talks to these guys. They actually seem kind of angry. On the other corner was a guy protesting for the legalization of hemp. People were walking by and giving this guy high fives. Even in the Bible Belt people know pot should be legal. What did the Great GP1 take from all of this? We should pray to God for the legalization of pot.

[zen]

guys, really?

I need to make this brief. Feel free to disregard.

Alcohol, by comparison, for all it's dangers and ill effects, does not turn people into unproductive malcontents.

THC will never be legal.

[GP1]

guys, really?

I need to make this brief. Feel free to disregard.

Alcohol, by comparison, for all it's dangers and ill effects, does not turn people into unproductive malcontents.

THC will never be legal.

Millions of non-pot smoking, unproductive malcontents go to work every day. What does that have to do with making pot legal?

[Blue & Gold]

And yet another.

Ohio.com

[Edit]: Actually 2 more, but only one was fatal.

[zen]

guys, really?

I need to make this brief. Feel free to disregard.

Alcohol, by comparison, for all it's dangers and ill effects, does not turn people into unproductive malcontents.

THC will never be legal.

Millions of non-pot smoking, unproductive malcontents go to work every day. What does that have to do with making pot legal?

I can't have a debate with you because I am not supporting it. I'm just telling you why.

Think about it.