1. Recently, you have cited the inordinate amount of policing thatis required in the Hess Village area and illustrated the point byciting that Hess Village generated 54% of the downtown calls from the period January 1 to September 20th. You called for continued paid duty policing, albeit in revised numbers. We suspect that most Hamiltonians will recognize the need you are identifying as meritorious and worthy of consideration. Despite that, it continuesto be necessarily a reactive approach to what amounts to a challenging and significant problem.
We are wondering if the police, in partnership with otherstakeholders, has or will engage in tandem, in an alternate approach to the problem which may include meeting with thestakeholders and discussing best practices and preventative strategies to curb the offending conduct in the first instance. Has there been such discussions, or will there be? We envision a range of topics which may include tips from police on how to prevent escalating behavior to possible changes in policy regarding alcohol serving and consumption, (that latter of which obviously would have to come from other stakeholders and not the police.)
2. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know aboutthis issue?
Inspector Mason responded as follows:
the residents of the ward should be responsible for the cost, through a special tax levy.
ReplyDeletewhy should residents of ward 8 be sharing these cost's? what benefit do they deride? nothing.
You want it? Pay for it.
Conversely, I think the Police should be gathering data on offenders, store it in some sort of computerized filing system, so they can deal with scofflaws accordingly.
Makes sense.
I love the Police, my first line of defence.
orangemike
It's true. Ward 8 residents never leave their ward. They are well served by the wealth of perfectly adequate cultural destinations along the west side of Upper James.
DeleteRimshot
vomiting "beers of the world" qualifies as a cultural experience?
DeleteFill your boots.
orangemike
This is an issue that requires shared responsibility. From the patrons to the owners of the drinking estbalishments. It should not be offloaded to other Hamiltonians.
ReplyDeleteSorce
This response is a typical non-answer that we are now well versed in getting those who are paid by our tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteWhat doesn't the HPS understand about the questions asked? I expect an answer to questions asked, especially when they are meaningful to city residents. Don't get me started on HPS's pattern of hiding, obfuscation and mismanagement.
PS, the silly excuse of 'why do my tax dollars pay for things across the city' are meaningless. Our taxes go into a pool and it's doled out from there. Lots of things happen inside wards outside of your own that have no impact to you - it's part of being a city.
However, why aren't we trying to solve the cause of the issue more than the result of the problem? Overserving is the largest problem here - why not work with the bar owners to have an earlier last call, or better enforcement of tossing the drunks before the bar closes, or serving those who are clearly too drunk?
Mountain Man
"overserving is the largest problem here"
Deletebut why hold the "overservers" accountable when you can blame the Police and make everyone share costs equally?
Why is your outrage so selective?
Ryan
What's to blame with the police? The police wouldn't be needed for extra coverage if not for the drunks coming out at last call. Does this happen on Augusta St.? Does it happen in Westdale? Upper James? Centennial Parkway?
DeleteMountain Man
"this" does not happen anywhere else in the City. Every area receives calls for assistance.
DeleteYet this 4 block district garners a wildly disproportionate amount of attention, with associated cost and effort.
As you rightly point out, if ownership were responsible and accountable, the problem would disappear.Police do not serve alcohol, they only deal with the consequence.
The area now sullies our reputation, rather than bringing any appreciable benefit. A public disgrace.
Ownership should be absorbing any associated cost, and passing it on to the consumer. If Farr believes this is unfair, then let his constituents step up and claim their prize.
Ryan
Ryan, are you saying that only Ward 2 residents visit Hess? Is not it drawing from across the city? I don't understand the point you are attempting to make.
DeleteMountain Man