Ann Arbor mayor: Downtown police foot patrols may increase when weather gets warmer
John Hieftje
"The department's always working to provide more foot patrol," Hieftje said. "The chief is very confident that they're serving downtown with the cars, and a lot of times they're just around the corner if something goes wrong. But we're always moving in that direction and there's a couple of strategies that are probably a little premature to talk about."
Hieftje said he and Council Member Stephen Rapundalo, who heads the council's labor committee, are working to get the city to a point where it won't be making further staffing cuts to the police department. He said it may even be possible to increase staffing next year because of savings realized from a new labor contract negotiated with the police officers union.
An Ann Arbor police car drives through downtown during the summer.
Steve Pepple | AnnArbor.com
"That gives us a little more flexibility in terms of dollars," Hieftje said, noting those savings kick in Jan. 1. "Our first challenge will be making up for people who retire, and we're expecting some retirements at the end of the year."
But with winter setting in, Hieftje said getting more officers on the streets of downtown likely can wait until warmer weather arrives.
"One of the things that does happen because of the climate here is we get a little break from some of the issues that some of us are worried about in the downtown area, and that gives us time," he said, predicting talks about adding foot patrols will pick up later on.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Go Blue
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 2:06 p.m.
Must be council has another art project that is more important than safety, police, fire. What's wrong with taking care of this NOW? Everyone else is out in the winter, why not an extra patrol now? Sounds like nothing more than a meager comment tossed out to pacify the voters. We will probably continue to have a bone tossed out to remind us about all the great things this council has done for us and to vote them back in.
Jon Wax
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 12:39 p.m.
sure are a lotta folks whining about stuff. heres an idea: how about you guys handle it? its a non violent crime, prolly being done by some teenager (one of yours?) so whats the big deal? the cops need to focus on important stuff, tagging isnt it. personally if i saw someone tagging in Ann Arbor, id kick his or her ass. give em a face fulla spray paint and move on. what are they gonna do? call the cops? this town has gone soft and you guys are all just suburban lofters who are too scared to confront a kid with a can of spray paint. back in the day, this would never have been an issue. peace B
Goober
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 9:50 a.m.
Let's tell the world that we will wait for warm weather to return. This is like advertising that I am going out of town and will leave my house unlocked. Anything our mayor says is suspect. He, like all of city council has no credibility.
lester88
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 2:58 a.m.
And they may not.
Star Brady
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 2:47 a.m.
As usual, the mayor's priorities are not where they should be. I'm not saying graffiti isn't a crime, but let's be realistic. In most cases, graffiti can be cleaned up in less than a day. I can't say the same for a rape victim. Emotionally it could take years & sometimes a lifetime to recover from something so traumatic. It is a shame he is more concerned with how the city 'looks' as one passes through rather than the overall safety. I find it hard to believe that when something happens there are patrol cars right around the corner ready to serve when they just laid officers off and are below the national standard. If that was the case, these criminals would not be getting so out of control because they would be getting caught by all the officers out there. So how many officers are on the road to make one just around the corner? Do they still have beat officers on foot? I didn't think they did. No facts, just the chief's opinion. I'm sure neither one of them walk the streets to see what is actually going on, since they probably have cars paid by the citizens and a parking spot at the back door of city hall.
nowayjose
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 12:46 a.m.
Heifjte has no idea how a police department works. He also has no clue on crime trees and what the weather has to do with it. He has no control over the police like in bigger cites other than the staffing level. It's not like this guy can walk into the department and say, "I want three officers walking the beat today". Doesn't work like that. This is all a political show, so he can get his cronies re elected to counsel, where they can be a one minded decision making machine that doesn't have a alternate viewpoint.
nowayjose
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 12:46 a.m.
Oops, trends, not trees.
JFJ
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 11:52 p.m.
"The department's always working to provide more foot patrol," Hieftje said. What? There aren't any downtown foot patrols now, as far as I know. Did you mean to say the department is thinking about the possibility of maybe having foot patrols at some time in the future? How come this issue is coming up now? Perhaps elections remind city hall of what residents really care about. Too bad this decision wasn't considered a priority in the Spring when we had all the attacks on women. I wonder if Lumm's voice at the Council table might not have given foot patrols a higher priority. Elections really are a good thing.
julieswhimsies
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 11:07 p.m.
WHAT?! Are they saying crime only occurs in warm weather?! It was around 50 today! Do they expect it to warm UP?! I know our police officers are hardier than that. For me this is another WTH moment on A2.com!
xmo
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 9:57 p.m.
If I wanted Law & Order, I would vote for candidates from the "Other Party". Hieftje and the "progressives" will next be cracking down on all of the others laws they ignore just to show that they are "TUFF" on crime. Is Hieftje switching party's?
jcj
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 9:49 p.m.
Take this to the bank! There will be at the most token patrols. And most likely no patrols! Anyone that can't see through this charade is wearing blinders! A ploy just before election!
WalkingJoe
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 9:29 p.m.
Let me get this strait, the mayor wants more public art downtown but wants to clean up the graffiti.
tommy_t
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 8:49 p.m.
They might catch too many colds thereby driving up the city costs for health insurance.
Jerome Blue
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 8:37 p.m.
Great news!
Dog Guy
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
PLGreen
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
Sounds like it is going to be a long winter!
Sparty
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
Nice try, the Mayor is trying to help his buddy in Ward 2, Rapundalo, keep his seat but let's hope it doesn't work out. Jane Lumm is the most qualified candidate and is desperately needed to bring some leadership to the Council. And, she doesn't need "talking points to help her seem to be knowledgeable and engaged". Jane is the real thing -- she is knowledgeable and engaged on the issues! Vote No to incumbents on the City Council -- bring some leadership and diverse balance to a council in desperate need of it.
Mike58
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:41 p.m.
"Hieftje said he and Council Member Stephen Rapundalo, who heads the council's labor committee, are working to get the city to a point where it won't be making further staffing cuts to the police department. He said it may even be possible to increase staffing next year because of savings realized from a new labor contract negotiated with the police officers union." Sounds like Mayor Hieftje is trying to help out council member Rapundalo in the upcoming election. Too little, too late.
Ron Granger
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.
Bike patrols are best.
Mike
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:37 p.m.
Yep, Sounds like mayor Hiefjte has his priorities right. - He doesn't want to pay for enough officers to arrest rapists. But dang, in the spring were going to add officers so they can walk beats and deter graffiti!
A2comments
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.
But with winter setting in, Hieftje said getting more officers on the streets of downtown likely can wait until warmer weather arrives. "One of the things that does happen because of the climate here is we get a little break from some of the issues that some of us are worried about in the downtown area, and that gives us time," he said, predicting talks about adding foot patrols will pick up later on. ATTENTION CRIMINALS! You have until it warms up in April to commit your crimes in Ann Arbor...
Sarcastic1
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:02 p.m.
Not going to happen.
Pixie Belle
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
Really now I was not aware that life in downtown slowed down in the winter. There are defiantly not as many panhandlers out because they have either returned to their home state or have entered a shelter for the winter. However the worst or the population can not take advantage of shelters in the area because they are drug dependent or are violent. I have worked downtown in the winter and had to walk at 6 am by myself down Liberty St. from Main to State. It's not a fun place to be. I saw druggies both in the graffiti alley and in the stoops or between the lobby doors of businesses sleeping. Mind you this was in 2009. It may or may not be the same.
grye
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.
Bike patrols would be more mobile yet still local. Stop the graffiti downtown with a greater police presence and you will probably see it increase someplace else. How about we close down Ann Arbor and have the TSA screen everyone for spray paint cans. Amazing how we have had graffiti problems in a single location for many years and it has just become a problem.
leezee
Thu, Oct 27, 2011 : 6:38 p.m.
"...a lot of times they're just around the corner if something goes wrong." Darn! Missed them again! Makes them sound like Keystone Kops.