[Peace-discuss] [Discuss] Non-interaction with Champaign police

Sun Jul 18 23:29:14 CDT 2010

Al Johnston (hubby of Julia Rietz)  lost a fully loaded gun driving out of
Cherry Hills, and they still haven't found it yet. The News-Gazette sat on
the story until after Julia got re-elected. I wouldn't be surprised if that
gun is found at the scene of a crime.

Champaign cops often run on a 'see no evil; hear no evil' type of protocol.
So I wouldn't be surprised if a bad driver got away with mischief in Cherry
Hills. However, if this became a daily practice and enough people got pissed
off then the police would act. If what happened in Hessel Park was an
isolated one-time occurrence I wouldn't expect much to be done.

On Sun, Jul 18, 2010 at 10:48 AM, David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I understand what you're saying, of course, about general differential
> policing. But people in Cherry Hills would certainly expect a quick response
> from such a report, even if it was a resident who was the offending party,
> and would be up in arms if they were treated dismissively, especially with
> license plate information. It's just not analogous to a kid in CH being
> caught with some weed.
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* Marti Wilkinson <martiwilki at gmail.com>
> *To:* David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>
> *Cc:* Peace Discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>; Discuss Courtwatch
> <discuss at lists.communitycourtwatch.org>
> *Sent:* Sat, July 17, 2010 9:02:38 PM
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Discuss] Non-interaction with Champaign police
>
> I'm saying that "better" neighborhoods are not as policed as aggressively.
> I grew up in Holiday Park (same neighborhood as the mayor) and now live in
> Garden Hills, and there is a real difference between how the areas are
> policed. You brought up the situation with Kiwane Carrington - if this had
> been a couple of white kids in Cherry Hills - I doubt that the cops would
> have run in with their guns out. Look at the difference in how a Cherry
> Hills doctor, who stabbed her two sons killing one, and a black janitor in
> Garden Hills was handled. In the latter case the guy was suicidal and the
> city sent the SWAT team after him.
>
> If a white kid attending the University of Illinois is caught with a bag of
> weed, he will probably face a misdemeanor charge. If a black kid north of
> University Avenue gets caught with the same amount, it may well turn into a
> felony. Hence, if you want to be a 'lunatic driver" you are more likely to
> get away with it around Hessel Park than Douglass Park. An officer is more
> likely going to be a witness in areas north of University Ave to lunatic
> drivers, which increases the likelihood of being apprehended.
>
> As both Laurie and John pointed out there may be some procedural aspects to
> this as well. What I suggest is contacting the members of the city council
> and sharing your story and concerns with them. Then see what they have to
> say about this.
>
> Marti
>
> On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 8:56 AM, David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>>  Are you saying that people in "better" neighborhoods don't want to be
>> protected from lunatic drivers?
>>
>>   ------------------------------
>> *From:* Marti Wilkinson <martiwilki at gmail.com>
>> *To:* David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>
>> *Cc:* Discuss Courtwatch <discuss at lists.communitycourtwatch.org>; Peace
>> Discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>> *Sent:* Fri, July 16, 2010 10:40:28 PM
>> *Subject:* Re: [Discuss] Non-interaction with Champaign police
>>
>> "What accounts for this disinterest?"
>>
>> In the language of real estate - "Location, Location, Location". If this
>> had been north of University Ave the local cops would have been on this in a
>> heartbeat.
>>
>> I suggest you contact the Champaign City Council and ask them that
>> question. Since they refused to have a civilian review board, and have
>> appointed themselves as overseers on the community, they would be the
>> perfect people to ask. Or write a letter to the News-Gazette and share your
>> concerns over what happened.
>>
>> This reminds me that I once received an anonymous email from someone a
>> couple of years ago. This person lived in Cherry Hills and wanted to file a
>> noise complaint against a loud party, tried to call the cops and no one
>> responded. It's no secret that both Julia Rietz and her hubby live in that
>> area. Chief Finney lives in another McMansion subdivision close by.
>>
>> Marti
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jul 16, 2010 at 6:56 PM, David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>wrote:
>>
>>>  This past Sunday, sometime between 6:00 and 6:30 in the evening, I was
>>> walking around the paved track at Hessel Park. As I approached the entrance
>>> to the park (north side, Elm St.), I witnessed a white Mustang convertible
>>> with a young, white, male driver (along), speeding along Grandview, the
>>> street the semi-circles the park from Kirby to Elm to Kirby. He was
>>> travelling east towards Elm at at least 60 mph. Again, this was on a nice
>>> evening with much activity at the park. His car spun out of control and he
>>> careened off of Grandview into a front yard, coming to a halt. He drove back
>>> out over the short embankment (there are no sidewalks on Grandview), out
>>> back onto Grandview, and turned left, going North up Elm St. towards Hessel
>>> Ave. He continued surpassing the speed limit. He did stop at the stop sign
>>> at the corner of Hessel and Elm.
>>>
>>> I caught his license plate, easier because it was personalized: STANGO 1.
>>> As I continued walking around the park, I noticed a gentlemen on his cell
>>> phone. I assumed he was calling the police, which was correct. I told him
>>> the license plate. Shortly after, there was another man calling police, and
>>> I also told him the license plate.
>>>
>>> Later in the evening, I called the CPD--the public number, not 911. I
>>> informed the male answering the phone about my experience, assuming he had
>>> already heard from the others. I offered myself as a witness. He wasn't
>>> particularly interested. He told me that there had been no officers in the
>>> area at the time of the incident, and gave me the impression that the case
>>> was closed, unless other officers came across this driver during the
>>> evening.
>>>
>>> I am no making moralistic judgments about this young man driving the car.
>>> I have no idea what circumstances may have prompted this behavior.
>>> Nevertheless, a car travelling at that speed and going out of control is
>>> clearly life-threatening. If there had been someone in that front yard, they
>>> could have been killed.
>>>
>>> I am quite sure that STANGO 1 is a greater threat to public safety than
>>> Kiwane, the young man at Douglas Park, and any number of others.
>>>
>>> I assume that the CPD can access information on the basis of the license
>>> plate, at least the residence of the owner of the car.
>>>
>>> What accounts for this disinterest?
>>>
>>> David Green
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Discuss mailing list
>>> Discuss at lists.communitycourtwatch.org
>>>
>>> http://lists.communitycourtwatch.org/listinfo.cgi/discuss-communitycourtwatch.org
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
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