Chattanooga Police Investigate 2 More Shootings

[Police Moderator]

Chattanooga police investigate two shootings
Photo by Beth Burger

Chattanooga police investigated two shootings Thursday that left two men injured.

The first shooting took place at 5:12 p.m. when police responded to reports of a 30-year-old man who was shot near Rite Aid, 3569 Brainerd Road, after an altercation, said Master Patrol Officer Nathan Hartwig.

The man fled from the Walgreens parking lot across Germantown Road. He was taken to local hospital where he was listed in critical condition, Hartwig said.

A silver Chevy Malibu still had the engine running an hour later in the rear parking lot of the Walgreens. The front driver side tire was flattened and there was minor front end damage. Bullet holes marked the car and a few casings could be seen near by.

Read more: times free press

[Half-Tard]

As the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chattanooga mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto

And his mama cries
Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It's another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto

People, don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me,
Are we too blind to see,
Do we simply turn our heads

And look the other way
Well the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto

And his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto

Then one night in desperation
A young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car,
Tries to run, but he don't get far
And his mama cries
As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto

As her young man dies,
On a cold and gray Chattanooga mornin',
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries

[augie47]

Littlefield: State Of The City Is Very, Very Good

[Police Moderator]

Since I let aceman post a fairy tale, allow me to post another 'fictional story'; although, told by one not so famous as aceman's:

While I am here, let me say a few words about our police department. Contrary to what you might have heard in the context of political campaigns, I have the greatest respect for our police officers and the work that they do. I have personally worked with more Chiefs of Police than almost anyone still living – and I count many active and retired police professionals as personal friends. Remember, I’ve been in local government for almost 40 years. But I do know that in every administration that I can recall and in almost every larger city that I know of, there is a constant rub between the Mayor’s office and the local police unions. I can recall sitting in meetings back when Gene Roberts was Mayor and listening to some of the same complaints that we still hear today – complaints about pay and benefits and moral. And I hear the same sort of issues from mayors of other cities.

Here are the facts:

During the eight years of this administration - from 2005 to 2013 – the police budget has increased 56% – a cumulative change of over $20 million per year. To put this into perspective, consider that the very controversial tax increase that was such a topic of discussion in the recent campaigns raised about $15 million per year – not nearly enough to cover the annual increase in the police budget. I take exception to the claims that our police officers have been shortchanged or slighted in any way. Don’t believe what you hear from the police unions.

Other facts: During the “Great Recession”, when most cities were cutting back and furloughing and freezing pay, we were hiring, training, equipping and raising the pay of our safety personnel. It has been a stretch and a strain, but we did it.

Over the eight years of this administration, we have hired and trained more than 200 new police officers – over 25 per year. We will leave office with more commissioned police officers that the city had when we arrived: 477.

When this administration arrived in 2005, not every patrol officer had a personally assigned vehicle. Now, each has his or her own – and they can drive it home or not drive it home – whatever they prefer. This administration did away with “pool cars” used by more than one officer on different shifts and so called “park and lock” vehicles that were assigned but the officer could not drive it home. Contrary to campaign claims, the officers’ cars have never been “parked” by this administration. We unparked them. Yes, if you live outside the city (and therefore don’t pay city taxes) a mileage charge is required – far less than the operating cost of the vehicle. Each officer has an assigned vehicle and a choice whether to drive it home. I know of no city with a more liberal policy on the use of vehicles. Don’t believe what you hear from the police union.

Let me just note for your consideration that when this administration took office gasoline was $2 per gallon. Also, police vehicles (and other autos) cost considerably less then than they do today.

I should also add that we offer special housing allowances to our commissioned public safety officers to encourage them to live in the city they serve.

During the two terms of this administration, we have completely replaced the police fleet. Further, we have professionalized our fleet management (in this department and others) so that equipment is replaced on a regular basis before serious maintenance costs and problems arise.

In addition to the new uses of technology described earlier, we have managed to make the Chattanooga Police Department 100% wireless and 95% paperless. We have installed Toughbook laptop computers in every patrol car and digital in-car cameras in 90% of the fleet. The entire department has made a transition from the old analog radio system to the new 800 MHX digital system.

In terms of firepower, we have completed a change over from the 1999 Smith & Wesson handguns to the new Sig Sauer .45. Plus every patrol unit is equipped with urban response rifles to defend against suspects with superior weaponry.

As for pay, I have often said that we can never pay our employees – all of our employees enough, but we regularly compare our pay with that of other comparable communities. We spent years designing and implementing an incentive pay plan for the police to allow those who are willing to take advantage of additional training to qualify for increased pay. I have personally talked with officers who have achieved pay increases of more than 15%. We know that more than 8% of the force has received raises of more than 25%. Interestingly, some who have complained the loudest in recent months actually received some of the largest increases. Just don’t believe everything you hear.

Other improvements in our police services include the construction and equipping of the new Onion Bottom Police Station on 11th Street and enhancement of services operated out of that location including the Bike Unit and the electric 3 wheeler vehicles in our downtown and parks districts. Soon a new $4 million indoor firing range will be added to the complex – giving us state-of-the-art training facilities and replacing the old outdoor range on Moccasin Bend. (This will have the added benefit of permitting the development of the long discussed Moccasin Bend National Park to move forward.)

We have mentioned technology a few times already – and I will cover that subject in greater detail a little later, but I do wish to note while we are talking about police services that they have benefitted from new software packages provided by the city Information Technology department. “Coplink” is a program that provides assistance to law enforcement in identifying investigative leads and allows regional agencies to share details of ongoing investigations. There are more new tools such as cameras that read automobile tags and special surveillance features that have been made available during this administration. Just like we proposed 8 years ago, we have been attacking fear with technology.

I take serious exception to claims that we are short changing our police in any way.

Source: chattanoogan

Littlefield: State Of The City Is Very, Very Good

(Sarcasm noted)

Thankfully.........

[Half-Tard]

Since I let aceman post a fairy tale, allow me to post another 'fictional story'


I was just making fun of how GHETTO Chattanooga is. The inmates are running the asylum. Anyone who raises kids in that shit hole should be brought up on neglect and abuse charges...If you have to live in that festering shit hole get in on the pre-pay pre-arranged funeral plan. You'll need it.