DeSantis: "I don't want to act like I care, I do care"

I feel the momentum for Mark DeSantis building - don't you? DeSantis outlined his 5 point public saftey plan in the Perry South neighborhood on Pittsburgh's Northside earlier this afternoon, and I felt he did a great job in handling the impromptu questions from one of the local store owners. The clips can be found here on KDKA's website.

The two quotes that stuck with me are when DeSantis said when it comes to crime "The buck stops with the mayor" and when the store owner told him they want the mayor to act like he cares DeSantis stated "I don't want to act like I care - I do care." Great line.


Remember, this used to be Mayor Ravenstahl's city council district. The store owner from the press conference stated that police used to walk the streets of his neighborhood and that they just drive through nowadays. DeSantis wants more cops on the street rather than what Ravenstahl has been doing - which is hiring more cops and putting them behind desks.














Bram analyzes the DeSantis 5 point public safety plan over at the Comet. The full text of the plan is bellow:

DESANTIS UNVEILS HIS PLAN TO MAKE PITTSBURGH THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA

Pittsburgh, PA – At a late morning news conference mayoral candidate Mark DeSantis alongside his public policy chair, Chief Ophelia 'Cookie' Coleman unveiled his 5-part Public Safety Plan.

Chief Coleman is currently the Police Chief in the borough of Wilkinsburg. She began her current position in December 2006. She is the first female African-American police chief in the borough's history. Previously, Chief Coleman spent 26 years on the Pittsburgh Police Force. Prior to her departure, she served as a detective on the force.

PLAN: Making Pittsburgh the Safest City in America

Mr. DeSantis believes that crime should not be an easy alternative for our youth. His plan combines a restructuring of the City of Pittsburgh Police Department together with community participation to reach a solution. "I want to talk about police, and I want to talk about community. I want to talk about all of these things, because I can't talk about them separately" said DeSantis.

Mr. DeSantis unveiled his policy at the intersection of North Charles Street and Perrysville Avenue due to the recent crime rate in this area. "We're here today, on this corner, because crime has become an easy alternative in this neighborhood," said DeSantis.

1) Four months ago in Perry South, a man fired a semi-automatic weapon through the windshield of a car carrying a mother and her 11-month old baby.

2) On July 8, 2007 an 18-year old graduate of Oliver High School headed to Edinboro University, was killed just down the road on Brighton Place, while he was waiting to take his girlfriend's nephews to a Pirates game.

3) On July 23, 2007 an 18-year old man was gunned down with an assault weapon on the Mexican War Streets.

4) On July 24, three men were shot here on North Charles St.

5) Approximately one week ago, in the California-Kilbride section, a man was killed by two teenagers in a drive-by shooting. Those same teenagers are suspected of another drive-by shooting right here on North Charles Street.

"If we're going to be a true community and a truly great city, we have to be accountable when bad things like this happen in our city. And we have to work together to make sure these things don't happen at all, " said DeSantis.

FIRST: COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING

We have 30 police officers dedicated to community oriented policing. I want the entire department dedicated to community-oriented policing.

Policies need to be established that encourage all officers to be proactive in the community, empowering them to solve local problems and to prevent crime before it happens.

We need greater geographic consistency in officer assignments, so that officers can develop relationships with community leaders and organizations and the people in the neighborhoods.

A commitment to community-oriented policing will allow officers to become well-known and trusted in the communities they serve

SECOND: MORE POLICE ON THE STREET

In the aftermath of the consent decree, the Pittsburgh Police installed one of the most sophisticated and effective tools for tracking police behavior and performance, the Performance Assessment Review System (PARS).

Using the PARS System, I will take a hard look, hour by hour, at the functions being performed by all of our officers

Wherever possible, any function currently being performed that doesn't result in arrests or time spent by an officer in the community will be civilianized, computerized or eliminated

This will allow lower cost personnel to handle administrative functions

Examples:
Police officers right now are delivering inter-office mail and staffing reception desks.

Despite Act 47 mandates to stop the practice, there are still officers serving as clerks for zone commanders.

Uniformed police officers, while on duty, are scheduling off-duty work for their fellow officers.

Finally a police commander is serving as Chief of Staff for the Police Chief. That is an administrative function that should be filled by a civilian staff member.


THIRD: MERIT-BASED PROMOTIONS

Police should be hired and promoted based on merit, not seniority or patronage

Promotions and assignments are no longer based entirely on merit. Merit has given way to a system that promotes favoritism.

I will work with the Police Chief, using the performance information provided by PARS, to identify and promote officers who spend their time serving and protecting the community


FOURTH: CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

As Mayor, I will conduct regular public safety surveys to identify the concerns and problem areas in each city neighborhood so that we can better allocate police resources

I will reinvigorate the Public Safety Council. The Public Safety Council, which represents each of the city's 88 neighborhoods, will meet regularly with police, fire, health, building and code enforcement officers to identify problem areas in the city and develop strategies for solving them. This group can be a real force.

Police will work with neighborhood block watch groups to train block watch captains.


FIVE: BROKEN-WINDOW POLICING

I've taken this idea from New York City, where it made a huge difference. As Mayor, I will have a zero tolerance policy for crime, no matter how small.

Tolerance for low-level crimes, such as vandalism and graffiti, creates an environment that leads to more serious crime

We need to identify and condemn nuisance properties that are staging areas for serious crime

We need to use data to target high crime areas and times, and have the police make every legal vehicle and pedestrian stop in those areas at those times. This strategy was implemented in NYC and, in the first month, this program resulted in 98 felony arrests, 662 misdemeanors and 127 drug and gun seizures.

"And with these five strategies, my administration will work toward fulfilling the most important job of any Mayor: working with the police and the members of our community to lead the fight on crime, and to make our great city safe" said DeSantis.