A Comment Worthy Of A Post

Mayor Wannabe Ireton do you remember this article?

March 27, 2009

Mayor challenges Ireton on city crime statistics

By Laura D'Alessandro
Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- No apology is forthcoming after Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman requested mayoral candidate Jim Ireton back up campaign statements she characterized as false or apologize to city employees.

Tilghman said Thursday Ireton's statements regarding crime and code enforcement were demoralizing, taking away from the pride city employees feel for their jobs.
The mayor and Salisbury Police Chief Allan Webster have made several attempts to reach Ireton for one-on-one conversations, but were ignored. Webster sent an e-mail to Ireton on March 18 citing the differences in their crime data, but said he received no response.

Tilghman said because of Ireton's refusals to sit down and talk, she was forced to bring the dispute to the public arena.

"Jim Ireton leaves me no choice," she said. "As mayor, if he knows something I don't, I need to know. If there are facts out there to back this up, give them to me."

In response, Ireton said, "How can you apologize for something that is true."
The former city councilman said statistics on the Federal Bureau of Investigations uniform crime report Web site speak for themselves.

Ireton and Webster draw their conclusions from the same source, but interpret the data differently. Ireton cites the per capita statistics and statewide rankings, while Webster measures Salisbury's raw data from year to year -- and both may be right. Serious crime may be down from 2006 to 2007 as Webster and Tilghman said, but overall crime may be on the rise as Ireton says. It all depends on how the data is viewed, and who's viewing it.

Tilghman also cited Ireton's critique of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance, a city department which Tilghman said has drastically improved the quality of life in Salisbury over the years. But Ireton has said the department is not strict enough and allows blight to continue to bring crime and gangs into neighborhoods. Tilghman wants proof.

Tilghman invited Ireton to come on the radio with her, on WICO-AM 1320, to provide taxpayers with evidence. Ireton likened the experience to a mouse crawling into a den of lions, and has yet to accept the invitation.
"Why isn't anyone asking her why she's running Gary Comegys' campaign for him?" Ireton said.

But Tilghman described her news conference Thursday as part of her mayoral duty, to stand up for the city and its employees, though she did not deny her support for Ireton's opponent, Salisbury City Council Vice President Gary Comegys.

Or better yet Jimmy do you remember this article? Proof positive that you are a whimp and a bag of hot air!

March 20, 2009

Webster calls out Ireton on crime

FBI report: Salisbury's serious crime down 8 percent, but candidates' takes are different

By Laura D'Alessandro
Staff Writer

SALISBURY -- Mayoral candidate Jim Ireton and Salisbury Police Chief Allan Webster are drawing crime statistics from the same databank, yet one says crime is on the rise, while the other says it's headed down.

Webster said the 2007 Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report -- which Ireton has said is his source as well for crime data -- shows serious crime down by 8 percent since the year prior. Ireton's response: "It is wholly inappropriate for Chief (Alan) Webster to be engaged in the political process."

Ireton's campaign literature also includes a push for the reopening of neighborhood substations -- small police posts scattered throughout the city in which officers are stationed -- saying they provide a form of community policing that would offer a first line of defense in the city's neighborhoods. But Webster says since their closure, statistics show declines in crime in most every neighborhood.

"I would hope anyone campaigning understands their first job is to give the public true facts, and I would hope that is being done," Webster said.

In response, Ireton did not directly address the police chief's concern, saying he was appalled by Webster's interjection into campaign rhetoric.

"In my administration, I won't use department heads for political purposes," he said.
Webster said since Ireton's campaign, the mayoral hopeful has maintained a position that crime is on the rise in Salisbury. Webster said he felt it necessary to defend the work of his agency, this week releasing crime data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Report and e-mailing those figures to Ireton for a response. Webster said Ireton responded only by saying that he looked forward to working with him when he becomes mayor.

The chief says he pressed the issue, replying to Ireton by asking him if he truly thinks crime has increased.

"He didn't respond," Webster said.

"Salisbury is a good community, and I hate to see people tear Salisbury down or say bad things about this city," he said. "We are bringing crime down, and I'm not going to just sit here and not say anything. The stats are the stats. I don't make up the stats. Crime is down and that is a direct reflection of this community and its police department."

Ireton's opponent, City Council Vice President Gary Comegys, joined Webster's praise for the Salisbury Police Department and said crime is down to the level he saw it in 2001 and 2002 thanks to more experienced officers and the discontinuation of a revolving-door trend in the department.

"Our crime rate is still not where I'd like to see it, but I think we've made improvements over the past few years," he said. "For Mr. Ireton to say that crime hasn't been affected by those efforts is false."

Ireton did not provide a response, but said in a forum Thursday hosted by the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce that he will present a "Make Salisbury the Safest City in the State" plan next week.

Comegys detailed his ideas to continue tackling crime in a news conference Tuesday as part of his "One Salisbury" initiative, calling for a regional approach to fighting crime and the institution of a revamped neighborhood watch program.