Clash over crime stats

Two city officials have challenged claims by Mayor Pat Morris that the city is safer now than it has been in more than two decades.

[Richard Kimball]

I think that it is not beyond the realm of possibility that both Morris and Penman-MaCammack are right.
It would be interesting to see a plotting of crime trends by geographic section within the city.
Anecdotal observations would suggest that crime is relatively low in the recently developed sections of the city in the Verdemont-university area, which would account for the lower per capita rate.
However, in longer-eatablished sections of the city, such as the Del Rosa area north of Highland Avenue, neighborhood that were thought of as "safe" not long ago seem to be the locality of more frequent high-visibility crime.
I would not be surprised that, if you weere to take a 1985 map of San Bernardino and pinpoint crime occurrances tit-for-tat in the identical locations, it would show that crime is more pervasive.
I think the Morris approach to fighting crime and the Penman-McCammack approach to fighting crime each contain elements of value. They are not mutually exclusive. However, the tragedy is that, in the current climate where San Bernardino has divided into two political camps, and the presumed rightness on one side is thought to presume wrongness on the other side (like an algebraic equation) rigid stances have been assumed on each side that are not going to advance the best interest of the community.

[Anonymous]

In the 1980's San Bernardino was one of the most upwardly mobile cities in the state, if not the entire country. What happened? If you want to see the answer with your own lying eyes, just drive down Bsseline or Highland or Sepulveda or Lugo or Mt. Vernon and you will see the results of parolee-dumping and an environment that has not been favorable to small business in the eyes and faces of the people who hang out and that you pass as you enter every am and pm market. For another picture, take a look at the graffiti on the city Stop signs and sidewalks or the potholes on every street and the fact that 90% of those on city payroll live in other cities.

The question is, what happened? The answer is hopelessness and fear. The solution is more jobs, more small businesses to create those jobs, and city employees who live in the city that gives them their paycheck (then they might pay attention to what's happening in their own neighborhood.)

Who knows what the real statistics are? If Robert Rogers says we had 17 homicides in 1985 and The Sun reports 57 homicides in 2005, are we really safer??? What happened to The Sun's reporting on the front page daily the number of "homicides to date?" I have The Sun's reports for several years back; they now report different numbers. I guess we just can't decide on how to categorize the numbers.

[LLL]

Sad how 90 percent of payroll live in neighboring cities...even Morris claims that the chief of SBPD lives in neighboring Redlands...its no doubt that everyone knows what a real shitty city San Bernardino really is. And your right, parolee dumping is all over San Bernardino. That's the final destination for these guys...in this shithole.

[Truth]

Of course most of the police live outside of San Bernardino. If I had the guts to be a Poice Officer I wouldnt put my family at risk by living in the city where I work. I would move as far away as I could to make sure that I wouldnt run into anyone I had to arrest.

[Barbara Miller-Moro]

I graduated San Bernardino High School in 1991. My children have gone thru the school district and are located in the University/Shandin Hills area now. I am afraid for them to go to Cajon or any highschool above Highland. I have seen a decline in homes, neighborhoods, schools and violence increase. Police are present regularly at the schools more than usual. I am tired of worrying about the safety of my now teens. I am pulling them out of San Bernardino and relocating to Northridge, Ca.

Good luck San Bernardino and I wish you all the best. I do not feel that it is the safest place to raise my children, or any one elses. http://www.powerfulmothers.wordpress.com

[tiredofitall]

San Bernardino is the most pathetic place I have ever seen. During the 6 months I have lived here, I have heard gunfire in my neighborhood (2-3 per week...not just one shot, but at least a dozen shots per incident). There seems to be a lack of consideration here on "be kind to neighbors". There are packs of loose dogs roaming the streets, which I was bitten by one today in my own yard. People own 2-3 dogs each, none are in a gated yard, they bark all night long, and yet the owners don't even quiet the noise! Are they ignorant of just deaf? It seems to be a fad to honk your horn un-nessicerily and constantly. What gives? I don't want to hear some idiot sit in front of a friends house and honk for 10 minutes! Go in and get him! I don't know which there is more of...pot holes, trash or disrespectful people. There seems to be no rules here. What happened to good old common sense? This city is a dumping ground for all the rejects of the universe!

[pizz]

isn't multiculturalism wonderful? my heart pumps piss for you clowns, you let 'em in here. enjoy your misery.

[Truth]

The blacks were let in a long time ago. Oh you ment the Mexicans?