Code Enforcement Officers of Moss Point

[Casey]

Is Moss point losing there Code Enforcement Officers? If so who's going to continue to help get our city cleaned back up?

[Jason]

Moss Point? Clean? As long as the city condones crackheads hanging out at the liquor stores at the corner of Main and Martin Luther King, building brand new car washes for drug dealers to conduct business, and more businesses with bars on the windows to scare away passers by then the city will NEVER be clean. You could have a hundred code enforcement officers and it would never happen.

[FRED]

Jason you have alot answers to the questions and solutions to the problems,so why don't you be a Police,Code Enforcer,mayor,sheriff,and we will see what you can do to solve these problems?

[jason]

Who says I'm not?

[jason]

Just take a look for yourself. Imagine you are a wealthy business investor. Take a drive through main street Moss Point. Not any of the back roads or side streets. MAIN STREET. Look at the bars on the windows. Count the Pawn shops and Liquor stores. Stop at the red light at Main and Martin Luther King. Count the crackheads hanging about. Then get out at the car wash on the corner of Main and Pearl. Stand there for fifteen minutes and see if you are not robbed or propositioned to purchase narcotics. Count how many police cars you see during this entire time. Then go home and make a decision whether or not a smart business person would actually invest there. Law enforcement is a burden of the citizens. Without support of the community none of the official positions you named above will make much of a difference in the long run. Only the PEOPLE of Moss Point can change this enviornment. When neighbors get together and make a stand for what is right may things change. And instead of making fun of those who offer suggestions or opinions in a forum that is designed just for that reason, get off YOUR duff and go to work with me.

[Concerned]

jason wrote:

Just take a look for yourself. Imagine you are a wealthy business investor. Take a drive through main street Moss Point. Not any of the back roads or side streets. MAIN STREET. Look at the bars on the windows. Count the Pawn shops and Liquor stores. Stop at the red light at Main and Martin Luther King. Count the crackheads hanging about. Then get out at the car wash on the corner of Main and Pearl. Stand there for fifteen minutes and see if you are not robbed or propositioned to purchase narcotics. Count how many police cars you see during this entire time. Then go home and make a decision whether or not a smart business person would actually invest there. Law enforcement is a burden of the citizens. Without support of the community none of the official positions you named above will make much of a difference in the long run. Only the PEOPLE of Moss Point can change this enviornment. When neighbors get together and make a stand for what is right may things change. And instead of making fun of those who offer suggestions or opinions in a forum that is designed just for that reason, get off YOUR duff and go to work with me.

Are you really an officer? You make the statement "get off Your duff and go to work with me" but you're not working - you're just posting comments in the forum.

[jason]

Concerned wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you really an officer? You make the statement "get off Your duff and go to work with me" but you're not working - you're just posting comments in the forum.

Are you asking me or telling me? It seems you have put both in the same quote. You stated something that you have absolutely no idea of. That is whether or not I am working or just posting. I certainly dont know who you are so as a civil person I have better sense than to make claims about what you personally do or dont do with your life because I have no idea. Anyway, all of this does not take away from the fact that everything I stated about Moss Point is absolutely true. Quibbling over who I may be only distracts from this fact. Without law, order, citizens making a stand for their community, and careful planning of what types of businesses are condusive to healthy growth, Moss Point will always be the playground for criminals that it currently is.

[Concerned]

jason wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you asking me or telling me? It seems you have put both in the same quote. You stated something that you have absolutely no idea of. That is whether or not I am working or just posting. I certainly dont know who you are so as a civil person I have better sense than to make claims about what you personally do or dont do with your life because I have no idea. Anyway, all of this does not take away from the fact that everything I stated about Moss Point is absolutely true. Quibbling over who I may be only distracts from this fact. Without law, order, citizens making a stand for their community, and careful planning of what types of businesses are condusive to healthy growth, Moss Point will always be the playground for criminals that it currently is.

Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. I wasn't asking nor telling you anything. I only quoted what you said - "get off Your duff and work with me." Then I asked were you working or merely posting comments (only talking about the problem) because you are right, if the citizens get involved with the law instead of upholding the criminals, Moss Point could be a better place.

[Mike]

Duncan you said it right. Im not from there but visit. Jason you seem very negative you should at the least support those trying to get the city together and or cleaned up, which you arent doing by posting the foolishness above and not aswering the question at hand. The city should be trying to hold on to the code enforcers cause they are the ones who are getting the CRACK HOUSES tore down. Oh and Jason, please remember the problems of moss point didnt happen over night so dont think that they will be fixed over night, Good evening!

[Public Defender]

The truth hurts doesnt it!!! You are absolutely right. The problems of Moss Point didnt happen overnight. It took years of ignorant leaders for it to get that way. The police department in 1997 had eight patrolmen per shift. They had six detectives. There were several code enforcement officers. With all these employees there was still a lot of crime and as you say "crack houses". Lets skip forward to today. There are three officers per shift on average. This number includes the supervisor. There is one, thats right, ONE detective there for all of that crime. And the kicker is none of the citizens have held their elected leaders accountable for this nonsense. So Mike if you think losing a few code enforcement officers is going to raise any eyebrows in a city that doesnt care about enforcing anything, then you are the one thats foolish.

[I agree]

FRED wrote:

Jason you have alot answers to the questions and solutions to the problems,so why don't you be a Police,Code Enforcer,mayor,sheriff,and we will see what you can do to solve these problems?

Kudos to you Fred. Jason always has a lot to say,he knows it all. Could he be a part of the problems or is it that he likes to throw rocks and hide his hands.

[Really]

Public Defender wrote:

The truth hurts doesnt it!!! You are absolutely right. The problems of Moss Point didnt happen overnight. It took years of ignorant leaders for it to get that way. The police department in 1997 had eight patrolmen per shift. They had six detectives. There were several code enforcement officers. With all these employees there was still a lot of crime and as you say "crack houses". Lets skip forward to today. There are three officers per shift on average. This number includes the supervisor. There is one, thats right, ONE detective there for all of that crime. And the kicker is none of the citizens have held their elected leaders accountable for this nonsense. So Mike if you think losing a few code enforcement officers is going to raise any eyebrows in a city that doesnt care about enforcing anything, then you are the one thats foolish.

Actually they had THREE Detectives and some wise person, probably you, thought that was too many. So why don't you join Jason, and the both of you talk to Moss Point's city government so they can be enlightened on what they need to do (especially paying the current officers the money they deserve) and attract more qualified officers to that Department. After all the two of you have all the answers.

[Public Defender]

Thank you very much. I do have the answers. I dont know who in OK is giving you false information but there were more thatn three detectives. Captain Guy McGee, Lieutenant Richard Cushman, Detective Chuck Coleman, Detective Brian Vice, Detective Lee Merrill, and Detective Kevin Williams. Maybe you should be more educated before you speak. And to respond to your foolish statement, No I did not think it was too many. There would have been plenty of work for six more. All of this crap you are talking doesnt distract me or anyone else from the point. The people of Moss Point have not come forward in the public demanding more police. They have not held their elected leaders accountable for losing so many cops. Thats because the majority do not want police. I do however agree with you on one point. The police there should be paid more. And by the way, I have the answers because I shed my blood there. Did you Mr. Oklahoma?

[Captains Wife]

Hate to break it to you guys... I don't know who Public Defender is but he is right. My husband put in over 18 years at MPPD. At one time, it was the second highest paid department in the state. It was also a highly respected department that never lacked for qualified applicants. Everyone wanted to work there. Yes there was crime... in the 80's and 90's MP was overrun with gangs but these guys hit the streets every night and fought the good fight. I cannot tell you the numerous times my husband was shot at or suffered various injuries while on duty. These guys were loyal and did the job because the loved it. They stayed on even when the pay starting dropping and PPD started paying more. The downfall of MPPD began when Chief Barber retired and the politicians took over. They ruined MPPD... starting with Ira Polk making Dwight Ray police chief was one of the stupidest things to ever happen in MP. It was down hill from there. I am personally grateful to the dedicated officers who hung on for so long... but you can't eat air and you can only hang on to a sinking ship for so long. My heart and support goes out to the officers currently patrolling the streets of MP. Bottom line... it will take years to rebuild the department and more money than they are willing to spend. It also takes knowledge... rookies can't cut it and you don't want everyone elses rejects. This is the dilemma Chief Smallman must overcome. That and the fact that a large number of MP's citizens think the law is for everyone but them.

[Public Defender]

Thank you Captains Wife! Finally a voice of reason. And tell your husband his service was and is appreciated. Those who served there share a bond that will not be broken, even by greedy politicians or those members of the public that do not support those that protect them.

[Jason]

Holy Cow! I just realized something. Oklahoma must have the patent on idiots! They seem to be producing a lot. Maybe south MS business should be handled by those that live there.

[Public Defender]

Jason, I understand that they didnt have their facts right but you shouldnt resort to name calling. Some people cant help it when they speak about things they know nothing about. Lets keep it civil and factual.