It is the LaRez neighborhood, in the Hanna-Creighton area.
Pat Turner is my NA President.

So, what happens if a tipster accidentally misspells the “Valpo” prefix? Where will their message actually be sent, and will that recipient be able to know where the message originated from? I am simply trying to stress the point that if you advertise that the user’s identity is protected, then you have an obligation to make sure it is ABSOLUTELY protected.

What I want you to know is that the people who make their money from selling drugs are often ruthless. They don’t usually harass the people just walking down the sidewalk and minding their own business. But if someone gets in their way, they will often react violently. I know of at least three guys from this neighborhood who are among Fort Wane’s numerous unsolved homicides. And one of my neighbors once had gasoline thrown on him, was lit on fire, then had a screwdriver plunged into his head. All of this violence stems from the drug trafficking here.

I have listened to these guys standing beside my house as they discussed ways of trying to figure out which residents in my neighborhood were calling the police to report their activities. I know that the police try to be careful, but these guys are crafty in the ways they are able to find information. If your system leaves any doubt among the intended users as to whether their identity is protected, then they will not use it. If they think it is secure, but it turns out not to be, then an innocent person may suffer for that.

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My experience is unique. For nearly fifteen years I have lived in an area of Fort Wayne which until the past two years could only be described as an open-air drug market. A few years ago, the drug dealers threw molotov cocktails at my house because I was chasing them out of my yard and calling the police. I can not speak authoritatively about FWPD’s theoretical methods or how well they hold up in other areas of the city. All I can say for certain is that in neighborhoods such as mine, the police are so stressed out that their theories break down almost entirely as they succumb to the chaos.

That being said, I have always tried to make it clear that I believe there are a lot of good elements within the department. I just think that in neighborhoods like mine they are so overwhelmed that they can’t possibly do all they are charged with doing. The point that I hope to impress upon you, however, has little to do with the police in either of our cities.

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Phil, interesting that you say that about Fort Wayne, back in 2003 many of the ideas of community based neighborhoods and policing we embraced came from your City. I hope they can be reinserted into your community culture soon.

Regarding Fort Wayne, the patrol officers would probaby like this but I doubt if the administration would. FWPD is a top-down organization and allowing this type of citizen involvement is the antithesis of that.

You are on it! Did not know you read the blog. We could use a mayor like you over here.

Mayor Costas