Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Shelley Aloi (R)
Public safety priorities include confronting growth of gang activity, undocumented residents and overcrowding. Addressing these concerns requires a community-wide effort to include the work of law enforcement personnel and code enforcement staff supported by community education and active citizen involvement. I fully support the proactive policing efforts of the Frederick Police Department and the work of Code Enforcement staff in cooperation with other non-government organizations already active in serving the community. We must also examine traffic issues when addressing public safety. For this effort, I support cooperation with state and county planning departments to ensure adequate funding for infrastructure development.
Bill Ashton (R)
I think the most important public safety issue is street crime. I would advocate for more saturation by police in the high crime areas, also the use of foot patrols where it is needed. I would also advocate that all sworn police officers holding administrative positions be put back out on the street. I would also advocate that just recently the Sheriff's Office and the State Police joined together and formed an criminal investigation bureau, I think the Frederick City Police should join and participate.
George Bauer (R)
The best way to fix the crime problem is to stop crime before it happens. I propose a satellite office for the Public Outreach division of the police force on the Golden Mile, revamping our city's inspector's roles and powers, and addressing the issue of inadequate street lighting in higher-crime regions. The satellite office should rent a space in the area so that once the crime rate drops in that specific area for a sufficient amount of time, the office can be moved to the next most crime active area. Flexibility is a key to crime prevention.
Josh Bokee (D)
We must address the increase in the rate of robberies throughout the city; work to prevent and stop local gangs who attempt to recruit our kids; and stop the ill effects created by both overcrowding and absentee landlords who let their properties deteriorate. We have an excellent police force but we need to staff unfilled civilian positions to get uniformed officers back on the street and fund future recruit classes. Strengthen the NAC initiative so residents are empowered to work with police. The city must have clear authority to go onsite to address property safety issues created by irresponsible landlords.
Bob Cassidy (R)
My priorities in addressing public safety in the city would be more foot patrols and targeted intervention by the City Police in high crime and troubled areas. The City Police do an outstanding job of keeping the city safe, I would like to see this continue. I think directing more focus on troubled areas would also aid in keeping the public safe.
John Daniels (D)
100% funded, 100% manned Police Department
The most important job the government does is to protect its citizens. As Aldermen, the most important thing we can do is to fully fund the police department. As of now, we are short eight sworn officers, with the possibility that two additional officers will retire this year, and we have two civilian positions within the department that are not funded. Making matters worse, the department is operating out of a wholly inadequate facility. All of this has a direct impact on the department's ability to fight crime through police presence on the streets.
Amanda Haddaway (R)
We can't continue to cut the police department's budget. As our population grows, the number of calls for service will increase and it is likely that there will be a need to increase police staffing. Without appropriate resources, we will be unable to protect the safety of our neighborhoods. We also need to provide ordinances that allow code enforcement officers to effectively deal with violations on residential properties. Code enforcement and the police are limited in what they can do to solve sanitation, parking, overcrowding and crime problems at rental units, so I am also proposing a rental registration program.
Alan Imhoff (R)
Public safety involves more than policing efforts. Code enforcement, fire and rescue services combined with citizen involvement in disaster preparedness all overlap under the public safety umbrella. This administration has spent a considerable amount of taxpayer dollars to insure our police department has the technology and other tools necessary to perform their duties. The administration has also increased the number of code enforcements officers and continues to make strides in educating our citizens on "being prepared". I have been in the forefront of these efforts and will continue to do so through my assignments in WASHCOG and MML.
David "Kip" Koontz ( D)
We need a new and modernized police station that better suits the department's needs. I'd like to see a police sub-station on the West and North ends of town as well. We must work with the county to ensure a fire station is located in the North end as well.
Andrew Kotkin (D)
Public safety will be a main priority if I'm elected. I will ask to increase our uniformed Police Officers so as to put more patrols on the streets, more often. I will also seek to give the Code enforcement personnel more leeway to act on and enforce the current code laws. The Police and Code Enforcement go hand in hand when addressing public safety. I will work with FCC and the high schools to try to market law enforcement as a career choice worth pursuing so as to have a solid stream of qualified recruits to handle our increasing growth.
Carol Krimm (D)
Drug and gang activity threaten our community. I support Chief Dine's community policing efforts through the NACs and using current technology like crimereports.com and nixle to communicate with the community. Also using best practices from other cities like the Safe Streets initiative in Annapolis will give us ideas on ways to be more effective fighting drug and gang activity. This program improves communication among government agencies. Another practice from Baltimore County is focusing police efforts in areas of high traffic accidents and crime. This allows police to be pro-active in promoting safety on our streets and deter crime.
Donna Kuzemchak (D)
Priorities in public safety are to be sure the Police Department and Code Enforcement are fully funded and operational around the clock. I support having more officers on the street, and tried to move $250K from the Mayor's Contingency fund to the Police Department in this budget year. I got support for about half that amount and will continue to push for more police presence in all neighborhoods.
Michael O'Connor (D)
Gang and drug activity are increasing. As a result residents want an adequate number of police officers on the street, available to respond when needed. To do that, we must fund necessary civilian positions so uniformed personnel can perform law enforcement functions.
Expanded technology in cars allows officers to essentially operate mobile substations, filing reports remotely, and reducing down time. Expanding our auxiliary in support of our department would allow uniformed patrols to spend time doing law enforcement. I also believe a new headquarters facility will improve efficiency, and keep officer morale high.
Kelly Russell (D)
As an Alderman, I will work to:
Appropriately fund the Frederick Police Department and Code Enforcement
- Ensure adequate staffing for those departments
- Retain Chief Kim Dine as our Chief of Police
- Find a long term solution for appropriate police facilities
- Enact legislation for speed cameras
- Review/revise ineffective "health and safety" legislation
- I will facilitate our law enforcement leadership in implementing the goals of the FPD
Strategic Plan to combat crime:
- Enhance technology to improve efficiency/effectiveness
- Acquire enhanced training to maximize use of intelligence/information
- Encourage participation in outreach initiatives to build partnerships
John William Shupe (R)
If I am elected Alderman I will work diligently with the Frederick City Police Department and all NAC groups in the city. I can however not do it alone we all must work together to make this city the safest city in the state of Maryland. Our Police Department on a scale of 1 to 10 is a 9 now, but we will give them the tools they need to get above 10 for the safety of the people of our city. That is a promise I make to all of you.
C. Paul Smith (R)
My priorities for addressing public safety in the city are to continue to have a well-trained and well-equipped Police Department, to continue to foster positive relationships between the Police and residents; continue to educate residents, including students about the dangers and threats of drugs and gangs; to make appropriate use of speed cameras to control speeding near schools; to make key road and traffic control improvements, including (1) at Thomas Johnson & Opossumtown Pike, (2) at Butterfly Lane & 180, (3) Monocacy Blvd & US 15; and (4) Monocacy Blvd & Gas House Pike.
Karen Lewis Young (D)
Despite overall reported crime decreases, crime has increased in some neighborhoods such as Hillcrest, Amber Meadows and North Market Street. Gang-related thefts are on the rise as are unreported crimes. Some of the priorities I would like to address are the continued enhancement of community partnerships, locating a sub-station in the western end, ongoing police training on gang identification and activities and utilizing databases for crime intelligence. I would also like to investigate the feasibility of obtaining more grant money for underfunded programs. "Best practices" studies are available on a number of crime-related issues such as community gang problems.
Email Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.