Mayor's Neighborhood Crime Fighting Gone Awry in Macon, GA

This is not your grandma times, Macon GA.  Today is a new time with different circumstances, different reactions, different upbringing, different everything.   I can only imagine Ms. Gibson-Council fear when approaching young people in a street meant for cars.  Children today practically dare a car to hit them when they are obviously in violation of the law.  Macon – Bibb City ordinance states young people are in violation when found playing in the street and/or impeding the natural flow of traffic.  



Most of you living in neighborhoods/communities today such as mines and Ms. Gibson – Council know what it’s like.  You have adults and their children who have no respect for themselves or others.  I’ve reference back in the day in “my truths” often, mainly, because of situations such as this taking place in today’s neighborhood/s.  I myself have dealt with similar circumstances, however, a supportive law enforcement precinct was able to eliminate a serious outcome, in the past.

I personally have call law enforcement so much based on what I believe is my right and fear for my safety…….it appears to me they are no longer interested in responding.  It has been my experience as with any city/county department if you utilize the service (what they believe is too much) you become the nuisance not the violators.  When you live in a neglected neighborhood such as mines there is no such thing as “too much”.  So you are caught between a rock and a hard place.  Which is, allow the violator to continue breaking the law and/or take matters into your own hands.  None of us know what precipitated this confrontation, but what I do believe is this sixty – seven year old lady feared for her life and believe this was her only choice.

I believe safety in neighborhoods such as mines is talked about too much (Mayor Reichert’s Proclamation – August 2, 2016) and not implemented enough.  Neighborhoods such as mines are being short changed.  We have minimum police protection (rarely patrolled, long response times, no community and officers relations, overworked deputies, understaffed precinct etc.) and safety.  Only a few months ago I could call my precinct and I received immediate response.  To give you an example, my precinct had a change in commanders and deputies, a changing of the guards.  I ask to speak with one of the new commanding officer (to establish rapport as with others in the past) and was told by him and his supervisor that he would meet with me.  Never happen, and upon my inquiry and requesting someone else be sent out, nothing happen.  It has been downhill every sense.  A neighbors told me they called the precinct and was told a deputy would come out and didn’t.  I’ve called and reported a minor violation and spoke with the sheriff and nothing happen, I was told by an officer, who I believe was told by his superior to not pursue what was an obvious violation of the law.  In his word, “let it go”.  Now, I ask you, what do you do and what would you do when those people who are sworn to protect and serve, do not?   Do you do as Ms. Gibson - Council did and take the law into your own hand or do you wait for law enforcement to respond?   I don’t have the answer it is definitely an individual decision based on that individual circumstances and resources.

Bottom line, I don’t know what I would have done, but I can tell you this, I’m not “mad at her” based on my experiences and today’s times.  Let's not forget Mayor Reichert did say, "crime fighting is all of our responsibility".