Matthews' Statement
Together We Can Change Things
Last Saturday morning the citizens in every Coatesville neighborhood and surrounding communities opened the morning newspaper and saw for the first time the faces of 22 young men arrested and/or sought for their participation in the illegal drug trade. For some, the tragedy of seeing the picture of a friend, a neighbor or relative plastered across the paper was dramatic and heartbreaking. For others, whose love ones have been victimized by drug use and/or violent crime, it was a picture of justice finally realized. These mid-level “foot soldiers” were well-known drug operators and distributors who preyed on area youth and the community. Each is an embarrassment to their families and to a proud city and area communities. But after we get past the “shock and awe” of media reporting, I suppose the only good thing that can be accomplished by their public display is the deterrent affect it might have on innocent, impressionable young people trying to find their own identity. Hopefully, parents, teachers and religious leaders will take this opportunity to drive home their anti-drug involvement message.
The sad truth is that although continuing drug investigations and arrests are necessary; they rarely make a real difference on the street. Let me be clear, our officers conducted exceptional investigative work in closing many of these cases. However, as any law enforcement officer knows, once drug distribution managers are stopped, there are always individuals willing and able to take over and continue this evil and life-threatening trade. What we require now is a new strategy. A strategy developed to galvanize law enforcement and community resources around making it extremely uncomfortable for drug dealers to operate, while discouraging and rehabilitating the drug users, who are also victims. We need community consensus on how to prevent our youth from getting involved. Only a unified and committed community can discourage current and would-be drugs dealers from becoming lords of our streets and community. This is not a racial or ethnic problem. It's not a rich or poor problem. Illegal drugs are marketed and used by residents who live in gated, golf course developments as well as by residents who live in our urban neighborhoods. The drug problem crosses all boundaries. And without unified community involvement and support, aggressive police action, no matter how well intentioned, will be seen by some as an over-bearing occupation and by others as an ineffective exercise that fails to stop drug trafficking. Simply put, we cannot arrest our way out of the illegal drug culture.
For this reason, the Coatesville Police Department will soon utilize its reorganized,
refocused, and redeployed patrol division to mobilize the total community around addressing the drug-dealer culture, tarnishing their image, and discouraging others from joining their ranks. Although we will continue to make arrests when necessary, it is clear that arrests alone will not clear our streets. We cannot afford to let the drug problem divide us. Can we change things? Yes we can, and we will. Join us! Together with your police, your friends and your neighbors we can make a difference.
William H Matthews
Chief of Police
Last Saturday morning the citizens in every Coatesville neighborhood and surrounding communities opened the morning newspaper and saw for the first time the faces of 22 young men arrested and/or sought for their participation in the illegal drug trade. For some, the tragedy of seeing the picture of a friend, a neighbor or relative plastered across the paper was dramatic and heartbreaking. For others, whose love ones have been victimized by drug use and/or violent crime, it was a picture of justice finally realized. These mid-level “foot soldiers” were well-known drug operators and distributors who preyed on area youth and the community. Each is an embarrassment to their families and to a proud city and area communities. But after we get past the “shock and awe” of media reporting, I suppose the only good thing that can be accomplished by their public display is the deterrent affect it might have on innocent, impressionable young people trying to find their own identity. Hopefully, parents, teachers and religious leaders will take this opportunity to drive home their anti-drug involvement message.
The sad truth is that although continuing drug investigations and arrests are necessary; they rarely make a real difference on the street. Let me be clear, our officers conducted exceptional investigative work in closing many of these cases. However, as any law enforcement officer knows, once drug distribution managers are stopped, there are always individuals willing and able to take over and continue this evil and life-threatening trade. What we require now is a new strategy. A strategy developed to galvanize law enforcement and community resources around making it extremely uncomfortable for drug dealers to operate, while discouraging and rehabilitating the drug users, who are also victims. We need community consensus on how to prevent our youth from getting involved. Only a unified and committed community can discourage current and would-be drugs dealers from becoming lords of our streets and community. This is not a racial or ethnic problem. It's not a rich or poor problem. Illegal drugs are marketed and used by residents who live in gated, golf course developments as well as by residents who live in our urban neighborhoods. The drug problem crosses all boundaries. And without unified community involvement and support, aggressive police action, no matter how well intentioned, will be seen by some as an over-bearing occupation and by others as an ineffective exercise that fails to stop drug trafficking. Simply put, we cannot arrest our way out of the illegal drug culture.
For this reason, the Coatesville Police Department will soon utilize its reorganized,
refocused, and redeployed patrol division to mobilize the total community around addressing the drug-dealer culture, tarnishing their image, and discouraging others from joining their ranks. Although we will continue to make arrests when necessary, it is clear that arrests alone will not clear our streets. We cannot afford to let the drug problem divide us. Can we change things? Yes we can, and we will. Join us! Together with your police, your friends and your neighbors we can make a difference.
William H Matthews
Chief of Police
16 Comments:
No, as the Chief says, you can't arrest yourself out of the illegal drug culture. You must have parents involved in changing the culture. But you can make the streets safer by displacing the families who harbor criminals and allow them to live in their homes. You can discredit those so called community leaders who excuse these criminals, blaming the media or the system or bad choices for dysfuntional behavior. You can call the police when witnessing criminal behavior and turn in law breakers and know it is not "snitching" but doing the right thing. You can make getting a good eductation the primary goal for your school children and not perceive educated at somehow "not black". You could listen to white guys like me say these things or you could listen to Sen. Barack's speeches or Bill Cosby or others who will tell you what is wrong in your community. But Chief Matthews can't afford to wait until those cultural changes take root. Instead, he has to arrest every lawbreaker he can catch now and make the streets safe for residents. Make Coatesville known as a place where drug dealers get arrested not excused. If the populace is not willing to stop turning out criminals, the police have the obligation to do so.
Watch the TV news tonight. I saw a newsman and a camera at city hall today. I guess they will be reporting on Coatesville's new approach to fight drug dealers. Don't arrest them just talk to them about the perils of their life style.
Where dose the bloc find these people? It must be in a circus, because they are a bunch of clowns.
While Matthews' comments sound nice, they are very fuzzy.
I wish his new approach could work, but I fear it's naive at best.
What happens if our cops do all this community policing and outreach, or whatever it is that this man is suggesting, and the net result is just more dealers in Coatesville? The poor neighborhoods will have been the victims.
But at least it will have felt good. This is how disadvantaged communities keep themselves down.
Cheif Matthews, cops are not social workers. Social workers have their place and maybe that is where you belong.
So, let me get this straight. By having the police give the dealers a hug and a timeout Coatesville will become a safer place?
This is pure fantasy. It is the job of parents and religious groups to do outreach work, not the police. They are called "LAW ENFORCEMENT" for a reason. Does Matthews really think that murderers and drug dealers are going to stop committing crimes because the police ask them to?
Look at Richard Legree's son. Legree is a law abiding constable and still his son has been arrested for drug dealing. Clearly that approach does not work.
This will drive the last vestiges of good people out of Coatesville and allow the criminals to run the show. This is a real travesty.
I only hope that the DEA and FBI continue their work.
It is quite apparent where the Matthew's administration is heading. He downplayed a great, long term investigation by the department. That is quite a feat for a realtively small police force. Way to boost morale "Chief". It is indicative of his background and lack of real policing experience. He has spent a lot of years analyzing how people really doing the job operate. Those who can't do, teach is the saying and I believe we will find out it applies here. Chief, your job is not to dictate the social policies of the city. It is to protect and serve. There is a reason why protect is first (police 101). Arrest when necessary? Take a look around. That is what it has come to. Arrests are necessary daily. Wait, instead, lets try holding hands and sing gospel with the dealers. Maybe they will repent. Cut me a break. Don't worry Chief, you won't be around long enough to see your plans come to pass, Legree will be wearing the golden eagles by then.
Matthews = Another walker screw up
Are you kidding Bill? Instead of shifting the blame to parents and the overall community take a good look at who's running things. Your buddies chased off a guy who was uniquely qualified to help restore civility to our streets and hired someone uniquely unqualified, you. Placing the blame is a no brainer. Anyone who belives that a hollow plea like that amidst moves to cripple the police department must think of everyone who lives here as idiots. Use time constructively and pass MPO, back your cops, and let the "real" police conduct "real" investigations. That might just help!
Matthew's,
The only thing your message is missing is backround music.
“The Coatesville Police Department will soon utilize its reorganized, refocused and redeployed patrol division to mobilize the total community around addressing the drug-dealer culture, tarnishing their image, and discouraging others from joining their ranks,“ Matthews said. ”Although we will continue to make arrests when necessary, it is clear that arrests alone will not clear our streets.“ Mr. Matthews
“Why, anybody can have a brain. That's a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the Earth or slinks through slimy seas has a brain. Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning, where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than you have. But they have one thing you haven't got: a diploma.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” The Wizard of Oz
Chief, nice words written here but really.... YOU - can't arrest ANYBODY! You're not certified!
Perhaps "Chief" Matthews should spend some quality time seeing how the West Chester Police Department operates as far as drug enforcement goes.
Over the past couple years, WCPD's narcotics squad has executed several drug related arrests and raids in the west side of the borough, and no new dealers have arrived to replace them.
Of course, the Chief and his two Lieutenants in West Chester have well over 60 years combined experience with the department, so I think it's safe to say they know what they're doing. And they worked their way through the ranks of the department to get to where they are and didn't need a bunch of political hacks to micromanage the department.
If "Chief" Matthews thinks he can mimmick Philadelphia's Police Commissioner into duping the people of Coatesville into thinking that a "hollistic" approach (read: reactive policing instead of proactive) will fly in the City, then he's out of his mind.
The Bloc of Four's attempt to figuratively force the Coatesville Police to operate with one hand tied behind it's collective back will have dire results for the City. It's tragic that the honest hard-working, law abiding residents of Coatesville can see this and the Bloc can't...
Glad to see that the new chief came to his senses and decided to keep the police force intact. However, I heard that some officers are already leaving on their own so Coatesville will still be short. He did make a low blow when he downplayed the drug arrest in the paper. The oficers spent 2 years doing undercover work to make all those arrests. They should have been congratulated for their efforts. The new chief said the force is going to change direction in the fight against drugs, I wonder what that means? To stop a snake you have to cut off his head not his tail. Time will tell.
Thank goodness that they have decided not to lay off any officers. I don't know what caused the light to FINALLY go off in Matthews' head I am just glad it did.
Dear Bill,
I would call you Chief but you are not certified to be a police officer,you put this response to not laying off the cops in the paper great job. I just want to know why you did it? I know you said the police could lose 20 percent and still be OK but did you,Harry and the Bloc of Four sit done over drinks to figure that you would need the National Guard to come in to fix the streets after the layoff? Bill we the people of Coatesville need to know why you would cut the police in the first place. We would also like to know why you and Harry changed the civil service board? Is this another tactic to put in people on the police force with less ability than the people you have right now. The job of the police department is not to go out and lock up as many minorities as possible, it is lock up all people who break the law!!!!!!!!!!! Bill it was printed that you trained Chiefs of Police. Did you ever listen to what you taught? I feel bad for the guys and gals who attended you classes. Is there a refund policy for your classes?
IS THIS "NO CUT STATEMENT" ANOTHER SMOKE SCREEN.... THER IS NO SECRET THAT MANY OF THE CURRENT OFFICERS ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE......THE QUESTION IS WILL THEY BE REPLACED??????
Expatriate, I agree with your white guy logic even though I am a black female. I received a quality education in the Coatesville schools, and took a lot of flack from the dysfunctional crowd back in the day. I still live here, and those same folks that harassed me and others black and white while we were trying to get an education are some of the same ones you see daily walking the streets, no job, no future. I would also like you to know that there are quite of few of us raising our children to become responsible, respectable, literate and intelligent community members. It's just that we also do not feel quite comfortable beyond the safety of our own home. We are not in the streets on a daily basis.
I would like to see beyond recreation, more focus on the tax paying members of the community benefiting from the city resources also. I would welcome increase police visibility both summer and the rest of the year.
If I have not personally said thank you to our officers, I'd like to take the time to say it now. I'd also like our officers to know that I am the same person regardless of me having on a Talbot's dress or a Harley T shirt, please don't pre judge me on the basis of my attire. It's happened on occasion, I know y'all deal with a lot of people on a daily basis, but we all have that bummy casual look at times.
I agree that we do not have the time to wait until cultural changes take place. A great many in our community can benefit from the old civics lessons and that our schools, parents and churches used to instill in us. Those days are long gone I suppose.
The onle thing left is to vote, encourage others to vote and hopefully change the current political climate that VERY FEW of us are happy about at the present time. Thanks Jen so much for the bandwidth, it's about time that everyone can voice their opinion without being pressed to express their frustration in the few minutes allowed by city council.
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