It takes a police department to protect a community

It takes a police department to protect a community
EDITOR:
I understand zero tolerance is the best tool against crime, but only if the police department does the right job enforcing the program.
Here in Youngstown our police chief has talked about "zero tolerance" against crime, but is it only words? In the suburbs, you do not see this type of conduct going on. Homes being shot up, decent people living in fear in their own homes. This is one reason that the "good" people of Youngstown are moving out of our beautiful city.
Some Youngstown community members have had experience with how our police department works (do not get us wrong), but some of our police officers are not doing the job that we taxpayers are paying for.
We watch the Youngstown police take red lights (not because they are chasing someone, but because they do not want to wait). They think that they are above the law. We have watched the Youngstown police driving through our community while punks are selling drugs on the street corners, and no one is being arrested. If we, the community, see this, then why can't the police see it? What we see in our Youngstown community is these young kids driving around with "high power" 9mm guns or laser rifles thinking that this is OK because they know how the law in Youngstown works, and nothing is going to be done about it. Is this the kind of service that we Youngstown taxpayers receive from our Youngstown Police Department?
Why don't the higher ranks of the department come out to our streets once in a while and see first hand what we are talking about?
We in the Youngstown community want to see the Youngstown Police Department do what we are paying taxes for -- to protect and improve our Youngstown community. We in the Youngstown community cannot do it by ourselves, we need the police department and the police department needs the community.
RAUL VALENTIN
Youngstown
Faulty exit turns a shortcut into the long way home
EDITOR:
I drove the new Route 711 connector Monday afternoon shortly after it was opened and was generally pleased with the quality of work on the new highway. I got on from I-680 and planned to exit at Belmont Avenue at Churchill. Well, to my surprise and dismay I found that the ramp from 711 to I-80 eastbound has been placed a mere 100 feet or so east of the exit ramp from I-80 to Belmont Avenue. Instead of a shortcut home I ended up driving all the way to the Hubbard exit then backtracking to my home in Liberty.
What was ODOT thinking when they approved this design for the 711 and I-80 interchange? I remember the old alignment, the one that was built but never used, and with it a driver heading north on the proposed 711 could exit onto Belmont Avenue. I am sure that if I were to ask ODOT about it they would tell me that the Gypsy Lane exit is now the Belmont exit, but that would put me on the wrong end of Belmont and I would have to wade through several miles of stop and go traffic on a congested road. My question is, couldn't ODOT have found a way to design the Route 11- I-80 interchange in such a way so that drivers could have accessed Belmont at Churchill? It was already there once, so I know it could be done.
RICK ROWLANDS
Youngstown
Low-lifes prey on elderly
EDITOR:
Recently my aunt was robbed at Marc's in Austintown in early afternoon. A girl and her boyfriend working together stole her purse. What kind of a person steals from the elderly? Does this low-life feel big knocking down little old ladies?
My advice to the elderly or anybody shopping by themselves is be aware of your surroundings, go to grocery stores that provide security or carry-out boys, carry little money and no credit cards. As for the thieves: go get a job like the rest of us. I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent.
ROSEMARIE CARSON
Youngstown