In San Francisco's Tenderloin area, the city's incoming police chief was shocked to see open drug dealing, reports the Associated Press. In the swank Union Square shopping area, Sacramento's mayor had his luggage stolen from outside a hotel. In the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, residents and storekeepers complaining about overbearing transients blocking pedestrians and panhandling with their pit bulls by their sides. The city is grappling with quality-of-life crimes.
Last year, the city's overall crime rate was the lowest in decades, with homicides down more than 50 percent. But a groundswell of gripes about "nuisance crimes" has made combatting them a priority for Police Chief George Gascon since he arrived last summer. The chief has proposed a citywide "sit-lie" ordinance that would give police the authority to move and cite those who block sidewalks or otherwise intimidate pedestrians. "There are a substantial number of people who want to see this happen. They're very frustrated," Gascon said. "It's beyond the tipping point. The anger is very real. I'm hoping we can come up with a powerful policy that makes sense for everybody."
Posted by Conrad
Monday, March 15, 2010 11:30
I do the job with these dogs and as far as animal behavior goes, I’m a firm believer in nurture and training. I have met Jack Russell Terriers that I wouldn’t go in close proximity to again, but have in no way had a poor experience with an American Staffordshire Terrier. If you’re speaking about their owners- nicely, that’s a different story. People are creatures as well, and we often every have our own strategies about “moral concepts”.