FeedNeeded: A touchy-feely chief of police
September 28, 2006 in Overset Tags: Crime, Kevin Lyons, Pam Adams, prostitution, Steve Settingsgaard
Journal Star columnist Pam Adams lived up to her reputation as an apologist for Peoria’s criminals with today’s column on the anecdotal criminal who fathered 11 children with 10 women.
That’s not a criticism, just a nod to reality in a city where the police chief’s focus is so narrow he sees his role as pushing society to lock up criminals for longer and longer time spans. When Kevin Lyons starts sounding like the most reasonable person in the room, be afraid; be very afraid. Or start looking for a chief with a more holistic approach.
Holistic approach? Perhaps aroma therapy might help. Geeze.
I’m the first to agree that the rise in crime has a lot to do with the break down of the family unit. And I assure you that Chief Steve Settingsgaard has similar beliefs. But we all have our roles to play, and Settingsgaard role it to arrest people who the police believe break the law. Kevin Lyon’s job is to prosecute them. And there are defense attorneys and judges with their roles as well.
What Adams didn’t discuss is what role she believes the police ought to play in her version of a “holistic” approach, nor did she suggest what more traditional jobs performed by the police (patrolling the streets, etc.) need to fall by the wayside to make room on the budget for these newer, touchy-feely duties.
I also would have enjoyed reading her thoughts as to the role the welfare state plays in encouraging woman to have as many children as possible in order to secure government benefits, and I’d like to read what she has to say about the effect growing up in a fatherless environment perpetuates the belief that this is how a man behaves.
Just a thought.
And perhaps Adams might want to read her own newspaper, because the prostitutes and johns Settingsgaard’s department are arresting for the most part aren’t getting arrested in the central business district, but are already operating in neighborhoods. And they have been for the last 20 years.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
She would defend the criminal, after all he has to be black if she is writing about how poorly he is treated. Ignorance as usual, claiming somebody else is not doing there job. The Chief’s job is a difficult one, and statistically he is doing very well. This is just another reason we need welfare reform, there is an old saying…” If you give someone an inch, they take a whole mile.” by some dude, or whatever.
Its just too easy to put the blame on someone else, than to actually be responsible and accountable.
There should be a new law that makes it illegal, if you do not take care of your children and remain accountable. There are too many deadbeats with their sorry ass hands out. They need to go to a parental recovery education program that teaches them to be usefull to society, rather than being useless trash in the underbelly, relying on public aid from the day they are born.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
Pam Adams columns are as completely “illegitimate” as the kids in here story and she should be paying to get them published not being paid. She likes to oversimplify the situation and spount personal beliefs vaguely supported by “facts” she garners from an isolated interview with one individual. She tries to do a special feature length topic in a filler spot and the quality shows.
She failed to discuss several critical issues on the topic including: (1) the women’s role in bringing forth 11 children …. they didn’t know the guy was a no-good nothing?; (2) the likelihood that a person lacking of personal responsiblity is going to see the light and become a good father overnight simply because a judge orders it; (3) the fact that the kids are probably better off without this individual influencing their lives, etc.
Our Chief does an outstanding job of addressing his area of responsibility and that is arresting criminals. What the court does with them is not his primary concern — an important secondary one yes — but one outside his direct control. If she doesn’t like the laws as enforced she should start a movement to change them.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
I agree
September 28th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
I assumed everyone was like me and quit reading after seeing a column written by Pam Adams.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
your probably right, I thought it was poo
September 29th, 2006 at 11:32 am
Holistic does not translate to “touchy feely.” Jeez, you guys have as narrow a focus as the police chief and Ms. Adams.
Holistic means looking at the whole picture - a la the judge who gave the kid who shot a gun out of a car (all the rage about a month ago) because it was his first crime, he was a good student and really did deserve a chance. I called that one, and y’all dropped the subject like a hot potato!
Now I’m not necessarily talking about this guy with 11 children - but “holistic” can mean “Sure, we lock deserving folks up. But we also sponsor after school programs and the Boys/Girls Club activities to keep kids on the right path and out of gangs. And we’re supporting our local schools to make them a better learning environment.”
Like those kids who got arrested for loitering, merely loitering, at a gas station. This was a small story someone brought to my attention. The boys were loitering, cops arrived. They ran. Cops searched, found no drugs. No drug paraphernalia, nada. Arrested them anyway. And for your info - this was in the Richwoods neighborhood. Can anyone say, stupid teenagers ran away, but doesn’t mean they should get arrested.
Holistic is a good thing. I can only hope that the Peoria Police will adopt just such a plan.