Manchester crime thread

[Dave Ridley]

This is an NHfree.com thread for discussing the crime problems in Manchester.   If you are here because of the invitations I handed out at the anti-crime meeting...welcome! 

After the infamous bat beating and the killing of officer Briggs, what do you think people should do about it?  What if anything can folks in other parts of NH do to help?   What should Manchester residents do?  What should they *not* do?  Are there any other forums where action is being discussed?  Can you think of ways to beat this problem without a lot of government spending?

Be forewarned that folks here do tend to be biased in favor of private solutions rather than police and city hall solutions.  But you are welcome here regardless..at least by me!  There will surely be some debate, but please don't be deterred by that.

If you know anyone who lives in Manchester and wants to take action...please invite them to this thread.  The direct link is:

tinyurl.com/YCF8HB

Now...what should the citizens do about this problem?   What are *you* doing?

[Rocketman]

Well, I think decriminalizing pot would certainly remove one major layer of government aggression and reduce the number of conflicts that can lead to violence.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Agreed.  Legalizing drugs in general would help in bringing back some of the worst neighborhoods in most cities. Curtailing Gang activity would be a good idea, too.  I don't know any market solutions for that, though. 

[d_goddard]

Curtailing Gang activity would be a good idea, too.  I don't know any market solutions for that, though. 

The fastest way to get rid of gangs is to dry up their money supply. And the fastest way to do that, of course, would be to legalize drugs, bring them out in the open where we can regulate them like we do with alcohol and tobacco.

I strongly recommend that anybody interested in reducing violent crime should watch this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4193106910171759777

[Quantrill]

Gang activity in New Freaking Hampshire?   What is the world coming to???

[Rocketman]

Gang activity in New Freaking Hampshire?   What is the world coming to???

More evidence that NH is in danger of becoming "just another state."  We have to learn from our mistakes, as well as the mistakes being made in other states, and move forward instead of backward... before things are too far out of hand.

[Dave Ridley]

I wen to the anti-crime meeting at the spot where Officer Briggs was shot and handed out links to this thread.  Hopefully some folks will drop by.

[Rochelle]

Get rid of the section 8 housing. The neighborhood where Officer Briggs was killed (one  block away from where I live, incidently) is filled with it. That brings down the property values in the whole neighborhood, good people move out, and bad people move in.

[KBCraig]

Get rid of the section 8 housing. The neighborhood where Officer Briggs was killed (one  block away from where I live, incidently) is filled with it. That brings down the property values in the whole neighborhood, good people move out, and bad people move in.

Sounds like you're going to have lots of company in your quest to help clean up the neighborhood. I hope they don't adopt the bullhorn approach: "Stay inside and lock your doors. We are here to protect you."

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Battle+begins+on+city+streets&articleId=cd0c5928-ac8f-41bf-8807-56230883a6ae

Kevin

[Dave Ridley]

Not good.  Also I see no one has taken me up on the offer to visit this thread, or at least if they have they haven't posted.

any ideas what's the best thing to do?   Obviously I'm limited and have to defer some since it's not my town, but I was glad the folks seemed welcoming at the rally even tho I'm from Keene.

I'll probably call cheryl again and see what she needs that is not wrong to give.

[Dave Ridley]

BTW who on this thread so far is a manch resident besides rocketman?

[Fluff and Stuff]

any ideas what's the best thing to do? 

Manchester has lower than average crime.  That is good considering it is the largest city in the state.  Most of the crime in Manchester is victimless crime.  End victimless crime laws and crime will drop by at 70% - 90% although I am not sure how much reported crime will drop because the vast majority of crime in never reported.  You and everyone else here is already working to end victimless crime.  If you want to help reduce crime in Manchester the best thing you could do is tell the other people in Manchester about this.  If they need more info on certain details tell them about the effort to legalize pot by LEAP.  Maybe help them set-up LEAP classes in Manchester colleges, high schools, to city workers...

[KBCraig]

BTW who on this thread so far is a manch resident besides rocketman?

Rochelle is:

The neighborhood where Officer Briggs was killed (one  block away from where I live, incidently)

[Rochelle]

Sounds like you're going to have lots of company in your quest to help clean up the neighborhood. I hope they don't adopt the bullhorn approach: "Stay inside and lock your doors. We are here to protect you."

Hah, my housemates and I (the vast majority of whom are FSP members) were joking about how we should convince more FSP-ers to move into this neighborhood. Instead of cops being shot, robbers would be  The news would be filled of reports on how outraged citizens gunned down a burgler So, comeon, everyone: buy houses in Ward 5!
But it's not my quest, in anycase. I'm just renting a room until my husband gets here. Then we'll find somewhere else to live. It is sad to see the neighborhood go downhill, though, I like a lot of the architecture.

Manchester has lower than average crime.  That is good considering it is the largest city in the state.

Yea, I was a bit surprised at how everyone was freaking out about this. Yes, a cop was killed. But the city I come from (2.5-3 times larger) has already had like 14-18 (I haven't been there a while ) homicides this year. People here just aren't used to it, so it catches them off guard.

BTW who on this thread so far is a manch resident besides rocketman?

Rochelle is:

Oh, yea, I am...duh.

[KBCraig]

Yea, I was a bit surprised at how everyone was freaking out about this. Yes, a cop was killed. But the city I come from (2.5-3 times larger) has already had like 14-18 (I haven't been there a while ) homicides this year. People here just aren't used to it, so it catches them off guard.

Yet another point for NH: they're still shocked and outraged at murder.

Little Rock is less than twice the size of Manchester (180,000 vs. 110,000), and has had 43 or 44 murders so far this year (I've lost count).