re: Officer killed in Tuscaloosa

quote:

---

Gestapo cops here in Northport.

---

Honest question

Why does Northport have a police dept separate from Tuscaloosa?

quote:

---

I’m referring more to the rise in crime in Tuscaloosa.

---

I don't know the statistics about if crime is rising or falling around here. As far as I know , it's always been in existence. Mostly B on B type crime, robberies here and there. The suburban areas get hit with petty car break ins regularly, and random rednecks get busted for meth, etc.

As far as who could play a role, the long term mayor (about 10 years or so, Walt Maddox, is a democrat, but mostly a central political leaning one. The City of Tuscaloosa Police Chief is/ was a black guy, who for the most part is OK with everyone, except he is stepping down to take some position at the University. The Tuscaloosa County DA is Hayes Webb, who is a Republican. (Although an Auburn fan, lol)
Tuscaloosa isn't about to become any sanctuary city, if you want to put it like that.

quote:

---

Honest question

Why does Northport have a police dept separate from Tuscaloosa?

---

Because Northport is it's own city?
Not hard to comprehend.
Northport has about 25,000 people, which is probably about 15-20th size city in Alabama.

That is 8 years removed and the police knew where the bad element went.

They should have done more to protect their officers.

JS.

I think Mayor Pete is great

Article is lacking

quote:

---

quote:
Same thing has happened in South Bend - that town was rough as shite when I was there, but crime has gone down quite a bit as the town has gentrified thanks to an infusion of university money, but property crime remains a big problem as students push further and further out into what used to be impoverished areas that had some of the highest crime in the city.

One dynamic that took place here was the April 27, 2011 tornado that ripped through town. Much like New Orleans after Katrina, many of the poorer Tuscaloosa residents got displaced to other areas of town, otherwise middle class areas. IMO, those areas have seen an uptick in petty crimes.
The shooting tonight occurred in the worst area of town, the west side, of which has always been terrible and was not affected during the 2011 tornado.

---

I was at a football game in the pre-Saban era in T-Town, and two of our crew got mugged coming home from the bars the night before the game. They were beat to hell. I remember hearing about a lot of that sort of thing around that time as well, but I don't think it got much publicity then.

I always compare college towns I visit to South Bend - man, that place was an absolute shithole ten to fifteen years ago. I think most people are still surprised by how rough the town is, as they only think of the university. For an undergrad student body of only 8,000, it was really unbelievable in retrospect just how many violent incidents the school had at that time. Students shot in a drive by, mugged and beaten to hell fairly regularly, so on and so on. I'd put South Bend up against any other well-known college town as far as violent crime goes this side of New Haven, CT and Durham, NC.

Where is the Wink Motel?

quote:

---

Perhaps. Not sure what typical warrant issuing protocol is, nor am I sure what this kid was wanted for. Also, not sure if another officer may have been present. Doesn't sound like it, but it didn't say he was alone, did it? Obviously, the officer should not have pursued this thug into the home, but maybe the officer's intent was to just take a couple of steps in and that is when the thug had picked up a gun and shot him in the face.

---

Executing warrants is very common and happens all day, every day. Every department is different, but ideally multiple cops are present for any warrant being served. Maybe TPD was tied up and this officer didn’t want to wait for backup. There’s no telling.

I do know, though, that if someone bolts into a house and you go in after them, prepare for a gunfight.

quote:

---

We are a city of 25,000 people. We need our own police department.

---

Tuscaloosa can't handle that? Does half the population not work or go to school in Tuscaloosa?

Why not Annex them?

Seems strange.