"Would you believe today we had an incident which needed attention of our city police. I called the non-emergency number and GOT A RECORDING stating they were busy please leave a message or call back later. I don't know what is up next. We have no narcotics task force, no one in charge of gang activity. I think we have been put on a raft down a fast moving river. It is time the chief went down the river on that raft and take his cronies with him. We need a chief who will stand by his personnel and be a man. He needs to be a chief that will take his job serious and protect the people in this city. We ask last week to send e-mails to our city council members about replacing the chief. There was 4 -5 e-mails. Evidently the citizens are feeling "safe". I for one don't feel safe knowing the drug dealers and gangs have a free hand. We need police who can run them out of town. Let your voices be heard or we are in a lot of trouble."
You called a non-emergency line obviously before business hours and you get a recording. What's your point, other than to use it as a segway into more whining and pontificating?
ReplyDeleteIn today's Daily Times it mentions that Councilwoman Debbie Campbell complained about the lack of the chief's participation in the "Law Enforcement Round Table" (sic) so there is also dissatisfaction within the Mayor's earshot. I don't understand the lack of concern by the people. They don't have a clue how much crime is really going on because SPD minimizes or deliberately excludes statistical information about crime in the area. Just ask the street officer and watch the sarcasm and despondency in their face as they admit how helpless they are and frustrated they are with chiefy and his worthless lapdogs. PITIFULLLLLL.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think I know who wrote that comment! 8:17, why are you so afraid to use your real name, especially when you promissed me you would.
ReplyDeleteI really think people are tried of saying something because it seems nothing ever changes. We still have Chiefy; we still have Paul Wilber; we still have Pam Oland; we still have slumlords and we still have a city council that votes 3-2. No one seems to want to do a recall petition on any of the city council members so I guess we just live with what we've got and hope we're not screwed too much more or longer. I know two council members work for us tirelessly, but it seems like they are stuck in mud and just spinning their wheels.
ReplyDelete"The one big stumbling block was that we did not have the cooperation of our chief of police in getting information," Campbell said.
ReplyDeleteAnd why not???????? Seems that, even tho he is county, Mike Lewis ought to have some input in this also. From all outward appearances, it seems the Webster has overstayed his welcome, I keep reading about the lack of morale within the department, the shortage of officers, the officers that are leaving, the low pay, and the crime that appears to be running rampant. Oh, whatever happened to my good ole Salisbury????????? jackkcharl@aol.com
Jack, you wouldn't recognize the Salisbury you left: apathy, low morale, fingerpointing, borderline corruption, ignorance and the most glaring of all: lack of leadership. Someone the people can rally around. The closest thing to a "leader" we have is Sheriff Mike Lewis. Ireton apparently doesn't have the willpower to force his promises on the landscape - thus disappointing his many prior supporters.
ReplyDeleteGangs, thugs, and wannabes. Try going to the movies or the mall at certain times of the week and you will literatlly be run out by the rude and borish behavior with the idiotic "security" people riding their sissified segways (boy, now thats real deterent there kid).
A county executive how doesn't have the political OR PERSONAL courage to fire corrupt, incompetant, and criminal employees and DEPARTMENT HEADS.
Yes, Jack, I hate to say it but you are probably better off in Florida. Who was it, Thomas Wolfe, who said you can't go home again? Well, sadly, whoever said it knew what he was talking about.
The "old Salisbury" is dead, buried, and gone forever. Let's face it.
8:26 I noticed you didn't answer the question.
ReplyDeleteAt what time did you make the call to the police dept.? Please answer the question.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I looked there are no "after hours" for the police department. They are there 24/7. The call was made before 5:00 pm for your information.
ReplyDeletePeople who take dealers, robbers lightly probally has not been faced with these problems. You were not the kid working at fast food looking down a barrel of a gun or a club where someone could beat you to death just to get the money you helped make all day. You are not the child in a drug infested neighborhood having to deal with dealers, gangs. Our people deserve better than this.
Until you have delt with these items dont snear at people who want to make things better. Get on the band wagon. Come out of your cozy nest and see how ther other half of our people live (survive).
Ahhh SPD where the chief of police is more interested in solving the crime of who sent the picture of the dead prostitute to Joe Albero than solving the crime of who killed her. At least he solved the picture part. To this day her murderer still walks among us. Way to go Chief Jack n Coke.
ReplyDeleteTo that first comment, the police lines ARE 24/7. The 911 line is for EMERGENCIES, as in life threatening or potentially life threatening (e.g., serious traffic accident, robbery in progress).
ReplyDeleteA drug deal going down is URGENT, but not always life threatening. These people made a judgment call not to take police away from a 911 situation. I salute them for doing their best to report crime.
8:17, just because you're one of those in the little I-hate-Debbie Campbell circle (or I-hate-Joe-Albero club) is no reason to attack people trying to do their civic duty who have drug dealers right outside. What a jackass you are!
My neighborhood is becoming another Smith Street, less than 100 feet from the Salvation Army daycare playground, drug deals are an everyday occurance.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in this same house 17 years, in the last 8 years this whole area just gets worse day by day.
I'll be at the city council meeting Monday Night! Everyone needs to show up and express our discontent with SPD leadership.
Takes longer to get through to the police with 911 in the way.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a drug dealer bleeding in the street maybe I will use 911 so he'll bleed to death while trying to figure out jurisdiction before help arrives!
The police lines are 24/7, but the urgency to answer a non-emergency line is not. You people just love to twist a story. If the person that called the non-emergency line was doing so for an emergency, then shame on them. Time to grow a brain. Since I assume the matter was one that didn't need immediate attention (or why would the person be calling the non-emergency line) what's the issue? Hate to inform you backwoods hicks, but there are plenty of police agencies throughout the state and country, large and small, whose non-emergency line will kick over to a recording if not answered in a timely fashion. Would you rather the call not be answered at all?
ReplyDeleteWe are not paying Chief Webster to employ an answering machine. He is allotted funds to pay a person to do this job. I have called MSP and WCSO numerous times and have NEVER gotten a machine. I always got a response and they dispatched a unit to follow up.
ReplyDeletejack you wouldn't even know ocean ciy
ReplyDeleteWould you rather the call not be answered at all? It wasn't!
ReplyDeleteWe need a tax increase to pay for more police staffing. How would you pay for another person to answer the phone?
ReplyDeleteGo to these stupid tea party rallys, for lower taxs, then complain when services are not up to your expectations.
Start a referendum.
ReplyDeleteAccording to 11:10, every one of us "backwoods hicks" should be calling 911 for everything dealing with crime. Maybe he's right.
ReplyDeleteBut how many times have the mixed messages been given to the people by the police? Call this number (non-emergency) if you see anything suspicious.
If I get popped for abusing 911, will 11:10 a.m. bail me out?
Tim Chaney has the right idea. Go to the meeting Monday night and tell your story of dealing with the police.
Tell the council. And tell Mayor Ireton to make the changes he promised. It may take time, but no one is seeing anything from the new mayor that indicates any change is coming.
If I were in contruction during times like this I would advertize installing window bars and steel bar entry doors so we can look like Compton near L.A.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading Joe's blog page for quite some time and to be honest I love reading it..He DOES INFORM us of things that have happened long before it hits the news and then sometimes it never hits the news. But can't we do it without all the name calling and mud slinging..Geez and we wonder why our kids act the way they do..We can voice our opinions and get our points across without all that can't we? and im sure i will get comments as to "well just dont read the page then" but if you read what i wrote i love it..im just asking a question which doesn't need any smart or vulgar remarks...thank you...
ReplyDeleteCheif Webster is a freind of mine and a good man.
ReplyDeletealbero just wants to whine and cry abt someone not kneeling down to him.
Why would you call the city police on a none emergency line about a crime , call 911 that is what it is there for.
Or call your hero Mike Lewis.
I am not sending e-mail to city council to try and remove the Honerable cheif Webster.
ReplyDeleteYou help elect city council, if there is a problem with the cheif are they not worthy of dealing with it themselves.
Maybe your just making this up in your mind for personnel reasons.
It is either that or the city council , that you helped elect is not capable of doing there job.
If there really is a problem.
People, people, stay focused on the chief and the crime issue.
ReplyDeleteIf you think crime is fine and the chief's wonderful, stay home.
If you think crime is terrible, police response is poor, that killing off the drug task force, that officers leaving the force -- again -- are due to poor management by the chief, show the heck up Monday night!
Otherwise, you get the government you deserve.
12:13 - it would help if you could spell. Such a demonstration of ignorance nullifies most of your argument. To paraphrase ex-heavyweight champion Larry Holmes (when referring to Rocky Marciano) "Chief Webster couldn't hold Mike Lewis' jockstrap". I don't care if he is a friend of yours or not - he is NOT a friend of Salisbury and the citizens who pay his salary.
ReplyDeleteIf I saw a kid hit by a car I'd consider that an emergency.
ReplyDeleteYou really want people to tie up an emergency line for thousands of drug transactions a day?
You should think before you speak.
Joe , I don't know if you have noticed but the whole country is getting like that also. I 'm
ReplyDeletestarting to think that we are on the verge of a major revolution.
Words and bitching aren't getting
anything done. We will see some
very radical things shortly. Stock
up on protection devices , anything
that can save you and your family.
you have to except it , Salibury, md is a S===
ReplyDeletehole of a town,starting with its people and then the river well it is just another sewage line to the bay.
The increase in Crime in this city and the influx of homeless drug and alcohol addicts started when the transit system began running. Salisbury, being the Social Services hub of the eastern shore, has attracted this group from all over the peninsula. GET RID OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM!!!
ReplyDelete12:13
ReplyDeleteThen why has Mike lewis not cleaned up the drug and crime problems in wicomico county?
Maybe he is holding your jockstrap!
I AGREE WITH 8:47, 100% NOBODY'S LISTENING ANYWAY !!!!! WE STILL HAVE THE SAME CRAP AS WE DID WITH TILGHMAN. WEBSTER, OLAND, WILBER KINDA LIKE THE THREE LITTLE PIGS HUH.
ReplyDelete1:48, if you don't know how to reference the proper message when responding (as you just did), then get off the computer and go back to playing your nintendo set.
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of vehicles cruising the area looking for drugs with Delaware tags. Looks like Delaware police have run them down here.
ReplyDeleteI can hear them now, "go to Salisbury to hook up with drugs, all the cops have are bicycle patrols."
1:48, We need the transit system now more than ever. Before, we had people so dumb they'd walk in front of a bus. Now, at least, we have the tool to get rid of some of them!
ReplyDeleteLOL I have read the word "segway" twice in the comments but it had a different meaning each time (segue,segway)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow-I concur with Anon 9:08,you are almost afraid to go to the mall or movies or any large pubic place in Smallsbury these days.Whenever I have to visit Salisbury,I do it early in the day.
And I never heard of even the smallest backwater town NOT having someone answer their phones,even if it just call forwards to a deputys cell.
Just 4 or 5 emails? What is wrong with your town and you people? You'll turn out in force for a downtown plan, but you won't turn out in force against crime and lousy police leadership?
ReplyDeleteSupport the writer of the post and put some pressure on your elected officials. That's what other places do and they get results.
You got results for your downtown. Why won't you do the same with something as important as this?
Puzzled Visitor
Face it.
ReplyDeleteSALISBURY SUCKS.
HELLO ALL, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF SPD I CAN TELL YOU THAT SPD HAS NO LINES THAT ARE ANSWERED BY A MACHINE, UNLESS ALL OTHER LINES ARE IN USE, WHICH I HAVE NEVER SEEN. CHECK THE NUMBER YOU CALLED AGAIN!!
ReplyDeleteBS I have that number on speed dial butthead!
ReplyDeleteAll those caps must mean that's Lynn Cathcart's big mouth. Biotch
8:16AM is correct. The phones will go to an automated service if all lines (particularly dispatch)are busy. That is why it is a NON-EMERGENCY line. Give it a rest people. It's Salisbury PD. Our phones ring off of the hook day in and out.
ReplyDeleteNow quit complaining about useless stuff and go to the city council meetings and get SPD more officers and more pay to keep the better qualified officers.