Unfortunately Flint has become one of the most violent and dangerous cities in the United States. If the city continues in this "elite" class for an extended period Flint will have a good likelihood of losing what few enticements remain to attract people to the city.
Those enticements include Kettering, U of M Flint, MCC and others. Why would parents want to continue to send their children to a college or university that is located in one of the most violent areas of the country? Unless the violence is stopped, and stopped soon, they won't.
When reading the local newspaper one gets the impression that the Flint City Government is treating the situation as "business as usual". It recently took 4 murders in less than a 24 hour period to get the city jail opened for just one weekend!
I'm certainly no expert when it comes to the control of crime. However, when you are part of the "management team" leading a city that finds itself in the extraordinary circumstance of being the second most violent city in the country than extraordinary measures may need to be taken to correct the situation.
Any constructive ideas on what the Flint City Government can do to turn around the present situation and make Flint a reasonably safe city that attracts new residents, businesses and students?
Its past, present and future... or The Good, The Bad and (maybe) The Ugly
City of Flint
Downtown
7 comments:
Yes, I have a comment. This should alleviate crime somewhat. Make people coming into banks stop wearing disguises. Last week in Flint, two guys robbed a bank wearing panty hose. The bad part is they had to walk really close together!
More to come.
First of all, kudos to the webmaster. Good site. Just like that Mark Bonto site!
I agree with your comments. I do think Flint can be saved, though. There's quite a bit we, as a city, can pull together and do. Strength is in numbers.
"I agree with your comments. I do think Flint can be saved, though. There's quite a bit we, as a city, can pull together and do. Strength is in numbers."
True, but when or how do we "pull together" to do something? There certainly is "strength in numbers". I would hope that there is someone or something within the Flint area that could organize us as citizens to empower us with some clout. Apparently the act of voting on election day doesn't do the job.
That's a great idea, but how much clout? And who would be that person or entity empowering us? The strongest position in this city is at odds (as you know) with the city council, so that position wouldn't be able to give the power. Can't a group of concerned citizens get together and use the old Peter Finch line, "We're as mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more?!"
Can't a group of concerned citizens get together and use the old Peter Finch line, "We're as mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more?!"
That is a great concept. The "mad as hell" part is easy as I'm sure there are thousands in Flint that feel that way. It seems to be the "get together" part that is proving difficult. How can we do that?
It seems that we need someone with enough name recognition and resources to organize the good citizens of Flint into a "mad as hell and we're NOT going to take it anymore" group. And, hopefully, a very large group with sufficient numbers that can't be ignored.
All, Although Gary,IN has alot of work to do they have dropped their crime rate considerably. They deployed a system called Shotspotter. This system tells police within seconds of a gunshot in the community. Police are albe to respond quicker and the system directs police within 20ft. of the incident. Their website is www.shotspotter.com They came out and did a free demo for Gary and we have expanded ever year all with Grant money. Just notifying the community that this was deployed deterred alot of crime.
Yes, I agree completely!
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