In many areas of St. Louis County, the County Police are not really enforcing “quality of life” issues which affect neighborhoods. This is referred to as “selective enforcement” and the police are not living up to their slogan of “Neighborhood Policing is Priority One. They talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.
One resident wrote saying this results in "visual pollution" and is just not acceptable. "Once you open the door to violations, more will creep in," commented another. "It's the same as graffiti." (Click on Photos to Enlarge)
In recent years it has come to signify a wider range of disruptions to environmental quality. Thus litter, billboards, and auto junkyards are said to constitute visual pollution; noise excessive enough to cause psychological or physical damage is considered noise pollution; and waste heat that alters local climate or affects fish populations in rivers is designated thermal pollution.
Thanks for bringing attention to one of many "selective" enforcement issues that the police put as their fourth priority. For too long they have negelected the "little things" and now all they have time for is dealing with the BIG things. If attention were devoted to the little things a lot of the big things would not occure.
ReplyDeleteIt almost seems that there should be 2 separate type of enforcement departments/police.
ReplyDeleteThose that handle Crime, Drugs, Traffic, DWI, etc, the regular law enforcement police.
and then maybe, a new and separate code endorcement type of officer, that enforces ordinance violations, such as grass, junk, paint, parked cars, type of issues. Their responsibility stops as writting tickets and violations, etc.....simply focus on the social issues, and neighborhood violations separately and let the Ciminal police handle the criminal items.
St. Louis County is broke. They have very little free cash to handle the little things, or less important things. Things like mosquito spraying and rodent control, and maintenance, etc or taking a back seat . Many of the local community services are being cut back, and the order is less is good. Many times, the county doesn't respond until multiple complaints are made, and then things are slow.
ReplyDeleteMoney, or lack of it, is the culprit.
Where is the County Mosquito control The Mosquito's are horrible.
ReplyDeleteMany of the Counties Community and Neighborhood services are decling. Much is related to lack of revenue and the shortfalls from sales taxes.
ReplyDeleteThis will only get worse, if Mr. Dooley is successful in making mandatory residential fire surpression systems in new home building requirements.
More county residents will be moving out and to neighboring counties to get away from the high cost of living in St. Louis County.
This administration is driving people away.
We have again reached that point of serious consideration of St. Louis County and Municipal consolidation. We need to look seriously at plans that call for some elimination of services and improving on the effeciency of others.
ReplyDeleteIf all of St. Louis County would be consolidated into 20 to 25 operating districts which include police, fire, trash, ambulance, etc, real effeciency and operating savings could be realized.
We continue to try and move forward into a new future of unknowns, without changing our old and broken down past.