Yesterday was another horribly sad day for Allentown. Another child lost to gun violence.
Our police chief immediately reacted in the same - oh so predictable - manner, probably taught to him by his mentor and ruler, Matt Tuerk. Instead of action we got a social media post. Absolutely zero comment from the mayor of course. Frank Kane’s phone is ringing for comment but he lost the phone again.
You can read the Chief’s comment here in full:
“When a homicide happens, it impacts not only the victim but the community itself. My message continues to be put the guns down and resolve potential disputes in a civil manner by communicating. This type of violence impacts many neighborhoods across our nation.
Our patrol and investigative teams are hard at work in conducting the investigation and we will put out informational updates as we can. Now it is even more vital for people to get involved and uplift our community. No one deserves this outcome.
Our community is angry and rightfully so, but I want to say that the person pulling the trigger is where we need to focus our efforts. My question to you is, are you going to sit back and call Allentown a cesspool or are you going to do something about it and get involved?”
What an empty message to deliver after yet another act of violence in our city. Instead of leadership and a plan, we get a lecture.
I’m tired of hearing elected officials calling for people to “put the guns down”. It’s a very tired and overused slogan. Does Roca or the mayor really think that the thugs committing these violent acts are looking for conflict‑resolution advice from a Facebook post?
And the part to “get involved and uplift our community”?
Get involved how, exactly?
With what resources?
What programs?
What support?
What infrastructure?
What investment?
If you’re going to ask residents to step up, you need to tell them what you’re stepping up with. You are paid very handsomely to figure it out…so do something.
• Stop focusing on the new police station
• Stop pushing for a DROP
• Stop the loser social media presence, leave that to Mayor PeeWee
• Start doing the job you are hired to do and put a plan in action.
Tell me what any of these things are going to do to reduce crime and fun violence? And yet all of these bullet points combined will cost the city $100 million between capital and staff wages combined.
When you narrow the entire issue down to one individual, you never have to talk about policy failures, prevention failures, or the city leaderships own role in creating the conditions where violence thrives. It’s actually insulting to the community and a cheap way to deflect to individuals so that you never have to answer to the problem.
Residents aren’t angry because they’re lazy or don’t care. We are angry because we are tired of being told to “get involved” and city leadership refuses to get real and do something. Instead we have the Police Chief posting a lecture on Facebook and Councilperson Gerlach saying she is meeting with the Violence Prevention Coordinator. Two reactive approaches. Although Cece makes me continue to question why we pay high wages to city workers for questionable outputs. What exactly is the job of the Violence Prevention office and what are Those metrics for success? Because I’d say that office is failing.
Let us not forget that our mayor is in a California with his secretary again. Allentown needs a present leader, not a globe trotting twink.
I don’t know about the rest of Allentown but I am not even that interested in his words anymore. They mean nothing.
This man has stopped caring and it’s clear he’s abandoned his entire job. From someone who loooooooves strategic plans so much… where is the strategic plan for reducing gun violence? Oh wait maybe the violence prevention office can spit one out with ChatGPT and call it day.
Chief Roca and Mayor Tuerk, one piece of advice. If you want the community to step up, start by doing the same.
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11 comments:
"Globe trotting Twink" Abe this is a disgusting homophobic slur, are you so insecure about your own homosexuality that you use nasty ad hominems against Hermano Tuérk¿ When you visited the green door last. Friday you had no Animus against twinks quite the opposite, you took great care of at least 4 by my count
How is globe trotting twink possibly homophobic? You sound stupid. Are your meds up to date and at the right dose?
You seem to be quite obsessed with protecting your Hermano Tuerk. Sounds to me like you’re the one hiding from your own reality.
The white man invented guns, he profited massively from their sale, he colonized brown bodies at the end of their barrel and caused mass casualties via its wanton use. Now whitey wants to bray about how the brown folks are misusing these white made abominations and claim it's the fault of our first LatinX mayor a laughable perversion of the facts!
Dont make this tragic event about race. Guns kill people, people kill people, leaders make promises and never come thru, its the same ole shit from being trying to play victim when they are not.
It would be nice to see the city and police chief do something proactive. I agree everything is reactive. This was tragic. No one should die at such a young age.
Associating Matt Tuerk with the LGBTQ community is an insult. We don’t want him anymore than the LatinX community does.
Gun violence happens here because so much is tolerated here by our elected officials. Believe it or not, even places in NY and NJ have higher standards.
But Allentown City Hall lets it all go, and then wonders why kids are getting shot on our streets.
It’s because they’re letting the criminal element have their way with dirt bikes, ATV’s, noise, illegal auto repair shops in neighborhoods, etc. and expect those breaking those “little laws” to then draw the line on what’s a step too far.
It’s not rocket science but apparently common sense isn’t one of the classes at the many conferences our Mayor attends.
Last time I checked, being Mayor was a full time job. It’s not just that he isn’t doing anything right. It’s that he’s doing a hundred “little things” wrong. That adds up, and not in a good way.
Here’s a suggestion: Police the living shit out of the city and start writing people up and making arrests for all laws on the books. The criminal element will get the hint and move on to greener pastures.
Unfortunately, right now Allentown is the “greener pasture” for criminals because the city doesn’t do anything about anything.
Or continue to make empty complaints about “gun violence” and watch the bodies pile up. Hell, the kids aren’t even out of school yet and this is happening. Get ready for a long summer.
If the nattering nabobs who poo pooed Dr. Batts has been more supportive in deeds and finances we wouldn't be here. Sadly when a high achieving black man who happens to be a returning citizen has revolutionary ideas about how to reduce violence he is savaged by the lily White flighters all the way out in Whitehall.
Wheres that useless Promise neighborhoodz at ? They always come out after the shooting with the Orange stop gun violence shirts
Take the money going to things like Promise Neighborhoods and the Violence Prevention Office and put it towards more police on the street.
Every neighborhood should get an equal, high level of policing in the city. There’s no reason for ANY intermediaries between residents and the police. All they are doing is keeping the police from building relationships in the neighborhoods they patrol.
If there a problem on the West End, residents there call the police, the police get dispatched, and the problem gets resolved. There is no reason that downtown residents should have to go through an intermediary to get the same service as the wealthier residents of the city.
Publicize anonymous tip lines for residents to call directly to the police and cut out the middlemen. Treat every complaint with importance. There should be NO acceptance by the city of ANY level of lawbreaking.
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