Violent Video Brings Strong Reaction

[tcrashfx]

Tanya Mendis

May 3, 2007 - 6:13PM

Police have identified several people seen on video beating up a teenager, and firing gunshots into the air at Chattanooga's Woodlawn Apartments. However the video NewsChannel 9 tracked down on MySpace.com has now been removed, but not before the police took a hard look at it. Those who live in the apartment complex tell us, that video was nothing more than a spotlight on a problem they see every day. Kim Petty says gunshots are an all-too-common occurrence in the Woodlawn area. "It scares me," she said. "It scares me to be here." Petty said she recognized nearly every person in the video aired on NewsChannel 9.

Kevin Williams asks, "What more does it take until we're able to get some help in this particular area."

Tonight detectives tell newsChannel 9 they have made positive identifications of those in the video and that there could be arrests made. However many of those seen are teenagers. But some think it shouldn't take a video to police the neighborhood.

"They get paid to serve and protect but they can't do it if there's not enough of them," said Williams.

www.newschannel9.com/articles/video_11936___article.html/police_petty.html

[Gary]

"They get paid to serve and protect but they can't do it if there's not enough of them," said Williams.

Let's repeat the salient point:there's not enough of them.

She's correct, but most likely not in the manner in which she was thinking. Her thinking is that her slice of the city needs shoulder-to-shoulder police protection, while he poijt merely illustrates that the entire police force is undermanned and cannot possibly do what she wants without leaving other areas of the city underprotected.

This city truly needs about anouther 100 officers. And I just don't see that happening until the payscale is brought into line with reality - if one has the desire and dedication and moral willpower to become a police officer, why would one work for dimes when the agency just down the road offers quarters?

It's more a question of priorities with local government and tight-fisted budgets littered with misguided thinking ("We don't need to pay the cops more, but look at this neat bunch of rocks we just bought that we'll call art"). Until the City Council gets off the dime and addresses the very real financial and manpower issues the CPD faces, Ms. Williams can complain all she wants, but she might as well start raising flying pigs.

In the end, it all comes down to money. And those that control it are not spending it wisely.

[voxpopuli]

For once I agree with Gary.

This concerns me.

[stray]

I know folks that would address the Woodlawn 'issue' for free. Just deputize them and let justice take its course...

[Longshot! [ Saint ]]

*Sigh*.

[TNBear]

The City "leaders", and the County ones too, are too damn scared of raising taxes and loosing elections to do something as costly, and needed, as raising LE pay and hiring more of them.
How many here are willing to go for a tax increase to help 'Shot and his comrades make Chattanooga a safer city for all citizens?

[Gary]

How many here are willing to go for a tax increase to help 'Shot and his comrades make Chattanooga a safer city for all citizens?

First of all, we don't need to raise taxes - we need the City and County to reasses budget priorities. There's a lot of money being spent on "quality of life" things (like anything Missy C. is involved in) that would be better spent on improving the real quality of life of the citizenry by improving the police department with better salaries, etc.

[Diremaker]

I'm just waiting for the cop bashers to start in with how this is somehow the fault of the CPD.
I also agree with Stray, and if nothing gets done by city officials, they may not wait to get deputized.