I have in my possession one of Curtis’ door hangers that is going throughout the entire City of Provo this weekend as the final blitzkrieg of campaign activity is well underway. I want to address each of Curtis’ issues on this document, and I suggest reading a previous post titled Amplitudo Epitome which covered very similar subjects early on in the campaign. [1] This documents, which is broken up into Curtis’ three favorite words (Safety, Prosperity, and Unity), revisits some old points and addresses some new, unheard points. This post will be split into three separate posts, due to length.
Safety: How will I make our neighborhoods safe? (On a side note, ladies and gentlemen, Curtis cannot make our neighborhoods safe by himself. Only WE can make them safe.)
No Gangs in Provo Plan: through Prevention, Suppression, and Rehabilitation. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT be sucked in by this absolute half-truth. The three-step plan IS NOT Curtis’ unique idea of how to fight gang activity, but is a commonly and currently used method of law enforcement all around the world. For Curtis to grandstand the ideal that there can be ‘no gangs in Provo’ is, sadly, not realistic. In the society we currently live in, there will always be individuals who prey on others through drugs, violence, and criminal activity; even if people were equal in all things, people would still try to cheat and steal in order to get more than their neighbor. This doesn’t mean we have to succumb to individuals who finance their lives on the suffering of others, but to believe that there can be no gangs in Provo is a wishy-washy fairytale conjured up by John Curtis and his campaign strategists. He wants you to feel safe under his plan, but the REALITY of the matter is that no elected official, not even the police, can promise you that any plan they implement can eliminate gangs from our community. The methods we take may reduce gang activity, but there will always be people present who will attempt to usurp law and order. Mr. Curtis does not have the capacity, knowledge, or expertise to even begin a plan to eliminate gangs in our community, and I submit there is no individual on the world that can eliminate gangs from society. If you are wondering why, that is because if there was a sure plan or individual who could eliminate gangs, then gangs would have been gone a long time ago.
Stop Increasing Trend of Drug Use: Equipping our police with the proper tools – Narcotics K-9 Unit, Technology, and Training. For some background on this subject matter, please read the story on my blog titled Gentleman in a Green Sweater makes Curtis Sweat. [2] I will be the first to admit that I would love our police officers to never want for anything; just as I would like to see the same with our schools, recreational outlets, non-profit organizations, and a whole host of other institutions and organizations. However, in the real world, we all have to live within something called a budget. This simple word causes Mr. Curtis to immediately enter a state of frustration and anger, because a budget limits his ability to blow pixie dust into the brains of Provo citizens. What Mr. Curtis is talking about here (i.e. developing a narcotics K-9 unit, including necessary training and technology for all Provo police officers to fight drug use in our community) will literally cost the City of Provo, meaning the taxpayers, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. Do not believe that our current budget can sustain changes that Mr. Curtis wants to implement, because it cannot; and no matter how much Mr. Curtis will want to tell you he can simply run the government like a business, he cannot because the laws and ordinances which create the Mayor’s position will stop him from making risky investments like he would in the business world. If you think Mr. Curtis can provide this step in his plan without taxing you, raising utility rates, or cutting City services, then you are very wrong.
Unite Neighborhoods through Mobile Watch to fight gateway crimes like graffiti and keep our families safe. This idea, to Mr. Curtis’ credit, is a great start, but does have an inherent flaw that cannot make it a reliable part of a mayoral plan. For those of you who do not know about Mobile Watch, you really should read up about it, and I have provided a link to their main website for your convenience. [3] The same aspect that makes this organization great also makes it not realistic for a solid municipal plan, that being this “aggressive crime prevention program” relies solely upon volunteers. Most of these volunteers patrol their neighborhoods on Friday and Saturday night (when most crimes take place), and will scan their neighborhoods for suspicious activity. Special patrols can also intervene during any time of the day to ensure the neighborhoods are safe. However, crimes do not occur only on the weekends, and criminals, like viruses, can adapt to meet the difficulties of their host. It is important that individual citizens take an active role in the safety of their communities, but you cannot force them to play the part. Curtis would need to somehow convince citizens, who work 9-5 and have families to tend to during the weekend, to give up four hours of their evening to watch for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. It is not impossible, but it would be difficult. However, to say we will unite neighborhoods through this program is assuming that each neighborhood will automatically endorse and fully support it. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, may be impossible.
[1] http://whoisjohncurtis.blogspot.com/2009/10/amplitudo-epitome.html
[2] http://whoisjohncurtis.blogspot.com/2009/10/gentleman-in-green-sweater-makes-curtis.html
[3] http://www.policevolunteers.org/programs/index.cfm?fa=dis_pro_detail&id=2358
