Stay Tuned with Holyoke City Hall Happenings and Information at my blog, Holyoke First!

[Kevin A. Jourdain]

http://holyokefirst.blogspot.com

At Holyoke First, I keep my constituents up to date on my activities on the City Council. I also add lots of information about what is happening in City Hall that you may not find anywhere else.

Enjoy!

Kevin Jourdain

[daphne board]

Hi Kevin,
Thanks so much for your response. I am glad that you support the idea of community policing. I feel that it will make our City feel more like a...community.
I wonder what the status is on the order that was filed a few weeks ago regarding the purchase of two Tasers by the Holyoke Police Department? I do not think the purchase of these weapons is a positive plan for combating crime in Holyoke. There are many, many instances of unfortunate Taser use, leading to unwanted harm and actual death of innocent people (the case at the Vancouver airport being one of the most infamous examples of this).
I do not think Tasers are needed in Holyoke. Police have guns, and should always exercise restraint in using them. Tasers have a bad track record simply because many people see them as being a "safe" alternative to guns. They are not safe and do nothing to promote a better relationship between law enforcement and the community.
I look forward to your perspective on this issue.
Thanks,
Daphne

[Peter (VanDog)]

Those Bicycle Cops were awesome down here in the Flats.

[Kevin A. Jourdain]

Hi Daphne,

Thanks for your post. I do not allow posts on my blog because I do not want my blog to be the Holyoke Forum 2. It was designed to get important information out to constituents and to be at a higher level.

As far as dialogue, I am very open about answering all of my email and telephone calls for any discussion anyone would like to have. As an example, I am answering your comment here.

On the substance of your issue with community police, I could not agree with you more. I have fought for many years to make sure our police are adequately funded and have strongly supported community police. Unfortunately, Chief Scott does not see it that way and he opposes community policing; therefore, absent the mayor ordering him to do it it will not happen.

In fact prior to him becoming Chief and Sullivan the Mayor, I supported under Mayor Szostkiewicz the purchase of 40 new bicycles to fully implement community police. We had good success but they stopped it. Maybe the next Mayor will take a different tact on it.

Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

Regards,
Kevin

[daphne board]

Hi Kevin,
I have visited your blog before, and I find it uncomfortable that you do not allow for comments/dialogue. I often have questions, and would welcome the ability to ask them in the comments section of your blog.
One example: you mentioned a while back that you saved the taxpayers some money by spearheading an initiative to cut back on city employees' paid cell phones.. I like that idea of fiscal conservancy, certainly, and I wonder what other cost-saving initiatives you are working on currently. I would (humbly) recommend that a Community Policing program be started. It has been proven in studies that when community policing is in practice, crime rates go down. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Alternative_Policing_Strategy) Eventually, we could cut back on our police force (or at least first on overtime) thus saving the taxpayers money. I would love to see many city councilors pressing for police on foot patrol, so that downtown citizens became familiar with local police guys and gals, and felt more comfortable with them. In our neighborhood cops blast through with their pedals to the metal, as they say, and this does nothing to further communication or cooperation.
Thanks for your response.
Cheers,
Daphne