We Need Community Policing, Not Candidates with Lip Service

Last Thursday we brought 30 SUNY students to the Police Chief Search Committee's public forum in Arbor Hill. Check the news coverage detailing our presence at the meeting:

Capital 9 News Channel Story:

http://capitalregion.ynn.com/content/apd_chief_search/news_stories/497830/final-public-meeting-on-police-chief-search-held

Times Union: "Chief Search Forum Held"

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=908053&category=REGION

Our message was simple: candidates such as John Pikus are not viable. Pikus does not have any experience in real Community Policing--developing programs and policies that rebuild trust between communities and their police.

Furthermore, Pikus has actively chosen against Community Policing. Instead of using the RICO act to lock up Albany's urban youth, Pikus could have used the Kennedy model that was successful in engaging the community and preventing crime. Check this Newsweek article about Kennedy's success in transforming public safety in the inner city:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/182534