1 havasu Councilman is easing off Channel Closure

[Boatcop]

Go ahead Alan just call a spade a spade and you wonder why you don't have any friends!
Who needs friends?
I've got a wife who loves me and 2 Bloodhounds that idolize me.
Friendship is over-rated anyhow. :hammerhea

[bigkatboat]

I must rebutt "MR Boatcop's" post. I live in Havasu, who are "most of the people" that "want those (what) people gone"? If we could point out the troublemakers, don't you think the cops would arrest them at their first 'act'? The cops I know say they are looking to fill ONLY 6 spots, and moral is very low along with the pay. I am saying, NOT PURCHASE the London Bridge Shops and put the money in the PD and the new firetruck that we now need. Trying to 'funnel bail/ fine money' is not the point of maximum number of arrests and maximum amount of fine dollars (plus court costs), the point is to "burn down the bank accounts" of those who cause trouble. This in turn will either prevent them from returning so often, or just piss them off and not come back. Either way it's a fair solution. Why should my neighbors and I pay the taxes and suffer the mismanagement of the PD and city government? I do know that if all of those bad things that you described in your latter statements, happened in MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I would have to do something about it MYSELF. Because (as you said) the Havasu PD IS UNDERSTAFFED! in the channel,and on my block. Will you prevent parking on my street too? Will I not be able to park in front of my own house because the PD, the council, and the (KING) mayor DON"T KNOW HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS? Just like the channel!!!!

[Mandelon]

Tourism is the big industry.....got to take the good with the bad. Every summer our beach areas fill up with Zonies who don't know where they are going and are a nuisance. The city and businesses like the $$$$ coming in. The PD patrols and hauls off the troublemakers.... Step up enforcement!

[Boatcop]

I'm not going to get into any problems (real or perceived) within the LHC PD. All I know is, that as far as the rest of this half of the State (Yuma to Bullhead) they are the highest paid Dept. Including DPS. Their proposal is to add 5 officers a year for the next 5 years, in answer to a officer/population ratio study that was done.
I also know that my Dept. lost 5 Officers to LHC PD over the last year or so. They are already offering a $1,000-$2,000 signing "bonus" to every new hire. One of my guys picked up nearly 10 grand a year by hiring on. (not including the $2,000 bonus) This was after I spent the last 5 years giving him the best training, qualifications and certifications the profession has to offer.
And with every Officer they have working 12 hour shifts on big weekends, (no days off/no vacations) manpower is a cop-out. (no pun intended)

[shadow]

Hats off to Uncle Larry! Great speech tonight at the city council.
Lets hope it sinks in.

[bigkatboat]

"Now I'm on a roll" or since I'm talking about cops should I say donut? Anyway, "Mr. Riodog" there are many laws already on the books and the people who are commiting violations of these laws are not being arrested. Only 5 or 6 years ago, the channel was a calm place. (even big weekends), As other "hot spots" were being restricted the channel started filling up. As more people came, more often laws were being pushed/ broken and less arrests per number of violations seemed to 'take over' as the norm. Today, we have some "rough crowds, and a very heavy handed mayor who thinks he is going to "right all the wrongs" being done in the channel as well as the entire city. The only thing 'wrong' is the laws on the books are not being enforced! These are LAWS, not "opinions", and we "don't need no stinkin' concensus".

[bigkatboat]

If you didn't want 12 hour days and 'way too much' overtime, like all of us working people must endure around here, you should have gone to work for the post office. They only stay late one day (April 15th) a year.

[nyeti]

The problem is the parking lot traffic coming down to the channel to party, and not the boaters (in general). Trust me, its literally my backyard. On the holidays and big weekends I watch all the juvenile and underage turds park their wrecks, grab their case of beer, and walk down to party. The overgrowth in the area between the parking lot and the channel is horrendous, and it is not being upkept and groomed like a park should.
On the manpower issue, it is remarkable that LHC P.D. doesn't have a reserve program specifically geared to the holiday and big weekends. There are tons of retired coppers in town who would be more than happy to help out for free. They could put a ton of folks down there to maintain the underage drinking issue. I also think a ban on visible alcohol containers would really help out as well. The channel is a public park, and should be treated like one. Access for all and rules would help.

[SHAKEN Not Stirred]

Not sure that I agree on each and every point but definitely a more rational approach from someone who appears to at least listen. Larry...thank you so much for helping us to stay informed.
I'd feel safer if the PD just sent an officer to drive YOU around in your boat on the holiday weekends.....
Hehe!!!
CJG

[TCHB]

I have observed people walking in (Havasu Teenagers) drinking and throwing trash all over the channel and nothing happens. Police just drive on by!! In Huntington Beach you do that and you go to jail.