Winnipeg police chief, Wiggum-like, couldn't predict annual Halloween weekend mayhem

When the best the police chief can do is add 2 cops to the chase for clues in three weekend shootings, and admits he had not even a thought that the Halloween weekend might, just might, end with gunshots, blood, and death after last years' triple shooting, Winnipeg has a serious crime fighting problem -- right at the top.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2011/10/31/winnipeg-homicide-record-reax.html

As we explain in the Monday Podcast, it's a little late now for El Chefe to ask the public to help with tips, when the police brass have up till now somehow concealed serious crime from being compiled on Crimestat so the public could actually have a complete picture of the mayhem,

http://mennozacharias.wordpress.com/2011/10/29/crimes-committed-vs-crimes-reported/

or from being mentioned in daily press releases, when there's all those road closures to announce:

http://adayinthehood.blogspot.com/2011/10/crime-stat-vrs-police-releases.html

We also review another blogger/columnist, Colin Fast, who today agreed with our long-standing position that leaders from minority communities have to become engaged in the discussion about public safety solutions because politicians keep acting like, well ... :

"Is it possible that all the shiny new toys in town are masking some of our real, serious problems? After all, it’s more fun to cut the ribbon on a fancy new development than cut the police tape on a crime scene."

http://www.metronews.ca/winnipeg/comment/article/1010901--welcome-to-the-peg-watch-your-back

Speaking of ribbon-cutters et al, the folks from the "Air Canada was wrong, its just a perception of crime" crowd tried to regroup in response to the Winnipeg homicide record being tied at 34.

Firstly was the guy who only weeks ago said of downtown crime, that his reading of statistics indicated "there was not much going on."

FP readers online comments indicate great scepticism at the new mantra "we can do it!"of resident local tall forehead, U of M professor Rick Linden, whose solution to car theft treated drivers - and not car thieves - as criminals. He now wants to help dictate a "crime master plan" needing more funding for the failed social engineering programs the NDP love to blow tax dollars on.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crime-can-be-stopped-professor-132905283.html

Meanwhile the beleaguered, Crimestat--defending Downtown Biz, was forced to pretend to be doing something and demonstrate it really cares when it comes to consulting the public about crime.

The setting will be at 3 different November forums, on two subjects (urban transportation and housing) that will #fail if public safety is not incorporated effectively, and a third where the subject actually IS downtown safety.

http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/news_details/index.cfm?recid=277

"“We all have a role to play in the revitalization of our downtown, so come on down and speak up! Have your voice heard!” Stefano Grande, Executive Director of the Downtown BIZ declared. “This is a chance to ask questions and learn from others who are stepping up and taking the lead on these important downtown issues.”

We shall see if the Biz not only allows voices to be heard, but actually listens to an outraged public and Biz members and learns something itself.

Or, if the anticipated throngs of associated lapdog agencies and lobby groups try to dominate the forum narratives in lockstep with, as Scott Price of CKUW calls it, the media oligarchy.

Here is the link to the Monday Podcast:

http://tgctspod.podbean.com/2011/10/31/winnipeg-police-chief-wiggum-like-couldnt-predict-annual-halloween-weekend-mayhem/