Buena Park GESTAPO Harrass homeless parolees

Friends of Liberty | 1/09/02 | Wiley Drake

[Wiley Sr]

After almost 10 years of a great working relationship with the California Department of corrections and Parole, the City of Buena Park has put enough political pressure on the State to close down the parole program at First Southern Baptist Church.

This week many being placed, and others who have already been placed have been told, "It came down from above" The Buena Park Police Department says no parolees are permitted to stay at the church.

In past years parole officers praised the church for it's willingness to work with anyone on parole. Pastor Drake said , " if a person has paid his debt to society, and is on parole we watch them very close, but give them the benefit of the doubt."

Many parolees have been successful, and one man is now a security gard, member of the church, and sings in the choir. He has served his time and is even now off parole.

Former Police Chief Richard Tefank, and current Chief Gary Hicken have both said, that they wanted all the homeless, and parolees out of Buena Park.

Now these parolees will have to go back to the area where they came from, and back in trouble with the old crowd.

The system is working in the old fashion way, backwards.

[Fish out of Water]

Sure sounds like a bad decision.

[A CA Guy]

That city is pretty close to me and houses Knotts Berry Farm.

I could only guess the church was next to some residences and the citizens were getting freaked out by watching these guys around the neighborhood all day!

It's ashame the work is being hindered. I also wonder how many from that very church complained to the city and state?

[StoneColdGOP]

Are they still at this?

[scouse]

When I lived in Garden Grove, I have seen these parolees standing outside supermarkets holding hand made signs and collecting money for some anonymous prison charities. Some people were actually scared into donating.

[Buckeroo]

Do you think it is a responsible action of local government to safeguard local area landowners and other residents (that pay a majority [90+%] of the taxes) to usurp and discourage the re-location of non-tax paying residents harboured in a church?

[sinkspur]

Are these just a bunch of homeless guys hanging around a church?

Remember what St. Paul told his churches "He who does not work, does not eat."

The news story makes Buena Park look like a bunch of ogres.

We just might need to know a little more.

[sinkspur]

Do you think it is a responsible action of local government to safeguard local area landowners and other residents (that pay a majority [90+%] of the taxes) to usurp and discourage the re-location of non-tax paying residents harboured in a church?

Buck, it IS a responsible action by Buena Park.

You've summarized the situation exactly and perfectly!

[Fish out of Water]

You should ask Wiley Sr the poster and author.

[Partisan Hack]

I grew up in Buena Park. Went to Walter Knott elementary school.

[Buckeroo]

I believe in folks having local government control of their own lives; I dispise larger forms of government having control with the exception of some normally insignificant services that we can't do on a local basis for ourselves, i.e. national defense. But when it comes to the possibility that "undesirables" live next door to me, you better believe I am going to shout. I don't care if they live in a church or the house next door. Local government control is the key to individual freedom as throttled by the Constitution.

[sinkspur]

Most likely a case of the Orange Co. yuppies not wanting these parolees in their backyard--whether working or getting back on their feet.

What's wrong with that?

The article mentions ONE guy, a security guard, who has managed to get a job and is a member of the choir.

If this church is doing its job and mainstreaming these parolees back into society, I'm sure the Buena Park residents wouldn't be complaining about loitering in the neighborhood.

Sorry, but committing a crime and doing jail time doesn't guarantee a parolee an easy ride back into society. These guys ought to think about this before doing the crime.

[A CA Guy]

Yep, it does happen.

[A CA Guy]

That's nice. I went locally in another city as well.

[A CA Guy]

Absolutely possible. As a homeowner, would you feel safe with your children seeing GRUNGY men NOT WORKING all day across the way.

[spectre]

A paroled felon is a "security guard"?

Say what??!!!

[A CA Guy]

They have to be liscensed as an official home with facilities for long term care of all these men. I bet they had no such facilities on that property. Also could have been a zoning issue.

Zoning because it is most likely in a residential area.

[A CA Guy]

As long as there is no temptation they might be quite fine doing that.