The Editorial LiveJournalists, once dubbed Mrs. White by Sedosi Alhambra for their tendency to trumpet the mayor’s pet projects and priorities, have offered their unsurprising perspective on the city’s new efforts to punish apartments where bad guys live:
The recent spike in violent crime in Houston has its epicenter in so-called “hot spots,” mostly apartment complexes in the southwest and northeast sectors of Houston. After more than a year of negotiations and planning, City Council approved a measure that wisely requires those complex owners and others to become crimefighters as well as landlords.
It’s a necessary measure. The Houston Police Department still struggles with a manpower shortage caused by the high retirement rate of officers. While expanded cadet classes and increased funding will provide some relief, immediate, additional effort must be made to combat crime in apartment complexes, where more than half of Houstonians reside.
This argument is a variant of, “we can’t do what we really need to do (bring sufficient police manpower to bear) and fulfill one of the most basic duties of government, but we HAVE to do SOMETHING!” And so Mayor White and his Council have, to the cheers of the Editorial LiveJournalists.
Incidentally, if there are multiple “hot spots,” then is it quite right to refer to them as a singular “epicenter?” Just wondering.
UPDATE (11-13-2006): On his radio program this morning, Councilmember Michael Berry asks if it’s appropriate to treat apartment owners as OUTREACH for the Houston police department?
That’s exactly how I would frame the question. Your thoughts?
