Posted on 10/15/2005 8:35:11 AM PDT by abb
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Plywood covering Terry Knister's back door had been pulled off, the stained-glass window smashed. Knister could see the alarm panel had been ripped from inside his home and he feared a burglar could still be there. So, innately, he let his fingers make those three keystrokes: 9-1-1.
Trouble was, no one was willing to help. All he was given by police was an incident number for insurance purposes. No officers were dispatched.
Police say they can't explain Knister's experience and they say it's an exception. But as this devastated city repopulates, and the number of military and out-of-town law-enforcement agents drops, the challenge of dealing with crime grows.
"We just don't have enough police officers to handle the calls we're getting," said New Orleans Councilman Jay Batt, who has received calls from more than 100 other residents voicing similar concerns.
Victims' accounts vary. Some allege police refused to take reports, others say their calls were never answered. None of that squares with the picture painted by the department.
"I would not say we're at 100 percent. We're still in the process of rebuilding our infrastructure," said Capt. Marlon Defillo, a police spokesman. "But in terms of the department's responsiveness to the community, we are functional."
Tell that to Knister. The 49-year-old lawyer was told police would not be sent to his home.
"What about the bodies?" Knister asked the dispatcher, questioning what authorities would do if he or intruders were killed in a potential showdown. "They said, 'Call back if that happens.'"
If there is increased difficulty responding to crime, it would be understandable. New Orleans' streets are patrolled by a much-reduced force.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
New Orleans' government and police are so corrupt neither can be counted on again for anything.
I wonder if he even had a gun? If I were going back there, I'd have to have a large suitcase just to hold all my ammunition.
Was reading a post on a self-defense related forum elsewhere that told the story of a cop who went to NOLA to assist.
This officer was armed with an HK MP-5, a Sigpro pistol, a backup mini Glock in the same caliber and many extra magazines of ammunition.
He was paired with a group of guardsmen who tagged along. After some discussion he discovered a couple of interesting things about the soldiers.
None of them had been issued a sidearm, and even though they had rifles and many extra magazines, they had been issued only twenty rounds per soldier.
Similar situations were reported after Hurricane Andrew wiped out South Florida.
Seems the Feds won't take the chance some looter might get shot while "at work"
Excuse the above!
I just found out that the real reason for no ammo (or very little ammo) being issued is that the nice FederalPersons don't want to burden the citizens with higher workmen's compensation bills if looters are shot while "hard at work".
</rant off>
If the Bush Administration does not recognize that the state and local Louisiana governments remain dysfunctional, too politically motivated to ever make sound decisions, and take appropriate action beginning immediately, then the second round of post Katrina violence and chaos will make the first round look like a hurricane party.
Posse Comitatus is not and never was intended to be a suicide pact.
The local officials are stuck on stupid, and their constituents are now, again, at risk because of it.
President Bush, which comes first, politically correct behavior, or the lives that are now clearly at stake?
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