Joe, I know that this doesn't belong here but, like always, my emails that I send to you bounce back for some reason.
I just wanted to mention something I saw tonight. I was grocery shopping at the Food Lion on Tilghman Rd and Rt 50 tonight and notice something rather comforting standing at the front of the store; it was an officer in tactical uniform. I believe it was a State Trooper, but I can't be completely sure since I do not know what MSP's tactical uniforms exactly look like.
I was in the grocery store for about a half hour and the officer maintained his post at the front of the store from the time I entered through to the time I left. Now, I can't be sure that he was on duty or maybe simply waiting for his wife or some one to show up to do some shopping, but I thought that it would be something worth mentioning. The fact is, whether on duty or not, he had a presence in the grocery store tonight. Presence certainly does make a difference on citizens' sense of security and deterring criminal activity.
My question to you Joe, is do you know if MSP officers are doing this type of detailed patrol or was this just some officer making an off duty presence? Either way, it is truly great, but I think that the MSP should be praised if they are truly trying to do certain things to reduce crime.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
The last few times i had been in there, there has been one in there. it was nice to see for sure.
ReplyDeleteFood Lion on 50 has had a officer on duty for about a month or so now! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThey are "rent-a-cops" that have been hired by Food Lion here in our area to keep the bad people away... :-) They DO look like they are in tactical unifoms! HA!
ReplyDeletemust be on duty... i saw the same thing this weekend
ReplyDeleteThere was one in Nanticoke Rd Food Lion About 3 weeks ago in the evening as well
ReplyDeleteFood Lion on Nanticoke Rd has the same thing especially on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights. They are security guards, not MSP. Doesn't matter to me, they have guns that should be enough to deter someone with the wrong thing in mind
ReplyDeleteThey are not "rent a cops." Food Lion hired armed guards because of all of the violence in our town lately, some of which has been occurring in Food Lion. I, for one, appreciate the effort from Food Lion to reduce the risk of crime in their store.
ReplyDeleteThey are actual officers. Food Lion hires the MSP to patrol the store. The officers are paid separately for doing this and this is not part of their schedule from the MSP. This is something extra for them.
ReplyDeleteThey work for a security company in town. I work at pemberton apts and they do the security work there as well. They are a great outfit and the guards are very pleasant and professional.
ReplyDeletewhich actually is it?..everyone who has commented is 50/50 on MSP and security guards..ha
ReplyDeleteanonymous 7:34, here's a really unique idea. CALL FOOD LION and ASK.
ReplyDeleteits a local security firm in town which some of its employees have firearms permits.from knowing some of the employees and the company im not sure of the actual protection they can offer but the presence will keep a lot of trouble away.
ReplyDeleteThey are from a security company, they do not carry guns,they carry a tazergun.
ReplyDeleteI would like one of them when I leave my office after 5PM in the dark! I never know who is lurking outside after dark around Salisbury!
ReplyDeleteI talked to the officer at nanticoke road food lion. They are contracted from a private security agency in Washington D.C., and are NOT affiliated with MSP. They have all been through the academy and are fully trained.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at the Nanticoke Rd. Food Lion on Friday night there was an uniformed WCSO on duty at the front of the store. Made me feel safer and uneasy at the same time. Uneasy that this is a reality for Salisbury. :(
ReplyDeleteTazer or 9mm who cares they are serving the purpose. To keep the bad people out and the community safer. But they also have hand cuffs or the ones on Nanticoke rd do anyway.
ReplyDeleteTim
I prefer the tazer to a loaded weapon in a crowded place like that.
ReplyDeleteEveryone should carry one as it is the only legal weapon left in this sorry State of MD.
That tazer is no match to a pistol its a sure way for that rent a cop to loose his life! Don't gt me wrong I'm glad to see Food Lion is reacting to a bad situation. The Guy I saw on Snow Hill Road in uniform was not much out of high school and looked like he was scared to death.
ReplyDeleteThe Food Lion on Snow Hill Rd. has had one since they were robbed.
ReplyDeleteThe ones I've seen have been dressed in a WCSO uniform. There has been one at the Bank of Willards in the KMART parking lot too. It's sad that it has come to this but it is what it is. Time to take our streets back!
I wonder why everyone is so happy to see these officers there, yet noone seems concern that this area has gotten so bad that we now need officers there.
ReplyDeleteAt least there is one business in our quaint little sleepy town that is taking a proactive approach.
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad that we have come to this way of life here.
10:34, I was just reading all these posts and thinking how we have come to this level. I too go to Food Lion on Tilghman Rd. and the police office has been there since the one on Snow Hill Rd. was robbed, I think. How sad for all of us. We can't carry guns, but can we carry tazers.... I am going to get a water pistol and put it in my pocket, that might help!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should put them in the mall,schools,high school sporting events,movies,dances,Denny's, Farmer's Bank, Mitchell's Martial Arts, all events at county parks.
ReplyDeleteOh thats we have them there. W.T.F. people do you what we have become. I agree with officers posted at all the mentioned locations.
The question is as a society what are we doing to help ourselves. This City and Couty are still of a size where we can make things safer for our children. I for one am sick of thugs and punks that put us in fear that we need this type of protection. It is like living in the middle east, just the terrorist where Red, Black, and Blue flags of dishonoer.
We have become liberal and tolerant to crime and thugs. It is time for Wicomico to take back our streets. There is no room for crimnals. We the people need to support our local law enforcement.
The City and County goverments need to support the men and women fighting the battle on the front line. The couty needs to protect their deputies with insurance and retirement that fits the bill. The City neees to do the same thing. They need to buy tools to aid in the fight on crime. They need not purchase one piece of land or four hundred dollar trash cans when they will or can not provide the police the basic needs to protect those fighting.
I am disgusted with local politicians lips service at election time. They do not give a rats ass about the men and women fighting the war on crime. They proven it time in and time out. Ted Shea was shot for God's sake. Cildren being murdered while they spend millions on future parks and parking lots.
I hope they are listening because they have failed in providing the needed insurance these men and women deserve.
May God watch over each and everyone one of you because I know for a fact your elected officials are not.
It is time for a clean sweep at all the polls in the next elections. maybe Holloway could do a ride along. Maybe Ireton needs to walk Church street alone at 3 a.m. on a Saturday. Cannon should go with the tactical unit on the next raid and be the point man. LOL I know you will not see one of these dandies up to their eyeballs in the heat of the battle.
People better get angry and soon. The lions are in the gate. The police are all you have left. Unless you are one of those people that are willing to take a human life to protect yours.
Disgusted County Resident.
The smell of fear is in the air. There is a lot of crime on the shore that you never hear about. I don't know if that's as to not scare off tourists or the retirees that come here and bitch and moan about paying taxes to improve the schools. I have a home on the shore that Ive closed up to take a higher paying job in Philly and frankly the people here are not so cranky butthurt bitter and fearful in their own community. They actually get out in their neighborhoods and involve themselves beyond the walls of their homes and churches.Racial and economic entitlements lost it seems all most have left on the Shore is to just embrace fear apathy and intolerance.
ReplyDelete10:22?? Where have you been lately?
ReplyDeleteThis is just great. Now the criminals who want to rob a Food Lion will have to come to mine in Delmar, which isn't armed. Just great.
ReplyDeleteWait. I haven't seen Nanticoke Road mentioned. Or Fruitland.
I guess that means we're 1 of 3.
Not much better odds than trying to buy Shell gasoline around here.
Not a good picture, is it?
I agree that it is a safe feeling seeing the guards in the stores, but think of the cost of all of this. Food Lion is not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. The cost of having guards in all of the stores is passed on to us customers in higher food costs. I am not advocating against the guards, I'm just pointing out that the crime in this area is costing all of us in ways that we are just starting to realize.
ReplyDeleteThe police have been at schools and at school events since at least 2000.
ReplyDeleteMy Gosh people, come on! How about we just let Food Lion know we appreciate them taking our safety seriously! With all of this talk about rent a cops, who are they, are they armed, they aren't armed; let them do their jobs. This is like the media telling the terrorists what we are doing so they can attack somewhere else! I hope they are armed and will take down anyone who attacks our family members and friends and law abiding citizens! When we ALL cared less about the "rights" of criminals and more about bringing down the hammer on them we didn't have to be so afraid. I say we take our town back, more so take our Country back!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to mention that I was shopping at the Food Lion on Snowhill Rd. lastnight, there was an officer in the front of the store and when I came out there was on riding around slowly in the parking lot, I felt so comforted by that!! Thanks
ReplyDelete