One of the best known historical figures of Allentown, and the entire Lehigh Valley for that matter, is General Harry Trexler. Even if you're not familiar with the story of the man, you have probably encountered his legacy: In his will he created a trust that provides for the upkeep and maintenance of the beautiful Allentown Park System as well as ongoing contributions to local charities and non-profit organizations.General Trexler's will also left a generous sum to his trusted aide and executive secretary, Nolan P. Benner. Although not a public figure, Benner was quite successful in his own right. The Benner mansion on 15th Street remains one of the loveliest homes in Allentown, and the Benner Barn, located in Lehigh Parkway, has for decades been a local landmark and a favorite spot for parties and reunions.
The history of our region is filled with the stories of families like the Trexlers, Benners and Millers, who devoted their time, talent, and treasure to leaving the Lehigh Valley better for their having been here. Tonight, they must be spinning in their graves.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Barbara Benner, prominent citizen and community activist, known for her political leadership and advocacy for women, was mugged in her own garage in Allentown's West End, just a block north of Cedar Beach Park and the Rose Garden.
According to the information I received through a neighborhood network, the assailant hit her on the head after she got out of her car, then fled on foot into the night. Barbara, who is in her 80's, is reportedly doing well. It is probably not an overstatement to say that for a woman of her age to have survived such an attack is close to miraculous.
This incident alone should be a "call to action" for the city administration. When combined with the home invasion, previously written about on this blog, that occurred just a week ago within walking distance in the same neighborhood, it is a true cause for alarm. If you live in the vicinity of these two crimes, please know that you do have a neighborhood crime watch group: The Rose Garden Neighborhood Association is well-organized and active. If you're not already involved, you should be. Until these perpetrators are caught, they could well strike again in the area.
Two such violent crimes pretty much blow out of the water the popular theory that if you're not involved in drugs or criminal activity, you're safe in Allentown. Physical violence perpetrated against an elderly woman in her garage and a woman cooking dinner in her kitchen, is a clear sign that the ordinary, law-abiding citizen is not safe even in their own home.
I don't know how bad it's going to have to get before we see a change in the attitude at city hall. After three years of Power Point presentations and the obfuscation that has passed for leadership in this town, I've had enough. I challenge Mayor Pawlowski and City Council to take on the issue of crime, honestly and head on. No tapdancing and No BS. Talk to us; tell us what you're going to do to fix it. A good place to begin would be to actually admit that there's a problem.
Our city is facing a crisis and the situation calls for action. The legacy that Gen. Trexler left us, along with all our hopes for the future, deserve nothing less.
Blogger's Note: Councilman Michael Donovan has an informative and related post on his blog. He lays out, in detail, how he proposes to fund 3-4 more police officers in the next budget. Please offer him your support.
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17 comments:
Pam,
As I just posted on Councilman Donovan's blog, my neighborhood has seen a number of assaults, stolen cars and breaks-ins in recent weeks. Two weeks ago someone brazenly stole all four wheels off of a car parked on Walnut near the corner of 16th Street. Whoever did it does not seem to be concerned about running into police officers on patrol.
Policing remains my number one concern for our city. I am also concerned about the new policing strategies in respect to officers not responding to all calls. I worry that this may cause citizens to stop calling when they see no response.
My sympathy goes out to Ms Benner and the other crime victims you have mentioned. These kind of stories are becoming far too common and we need action.
We need serious leadership now, business as usual will not suffice!
Leadership.....Bill, you said it, and we do need it, but we doubt you will find it.
You will see, however, a flurry of "directed patrols" or other such paperwork policing.
You will see a flurry of e-mails from Police Admin to all the troops.
You will likely call and find the Chief out of town...
or call the detectives and find one of only five or six who will be sympathetic, but who will honestly tell you, "unless it's a homicide we don't have a lot of time to give it."
you will find some admin types congratulating each other for saving their jobs with the pension deal...five more years to build their resumes and go somewhere that progress is already in motion and will be easy to keep going.
Leadership? Nope, won;t find it here
Mrs. Varkony,
Keep up the vigilence! We had no idea of this assault on Mrs. Benner. More than a month ago a young woman at 9 a.m. was horribly assaulted near Hamilton and 19th St., ran naked down the street and yet not one word in the Allentown daily.
Someone wants to fool us all the time. We are not safe anywhere in Allentown. I meet people who refuse to come into this city for any reason. Nothing I say can change their minds.
Pam,
I wonder if Allentown's "declining" crime rate is directly related to the reality that the APD is too overwhelmed to investigate a mugging like what happened to Ms. Benner. Kari Holmes was assaulted on the east side, mostly bc she is black. The police have done nothing even though there are admissions from one of the assailants. Mr. A, the news carrier assaulted outside Sam Bennett's home, has had no justice. In his case, he obtained a surveillance phot, something the APD had no time to do. He spotted his assailant at Hotel Traylor's lobby and the police refused to come.
I suspect that by now, the message that mnay Allenmtonians are hearing is that its police department will not aqttempt to solve criminal activity unless it is murder. So why bother reporting a crime that will never be investigated anyway?
Unfortunately crime in the Westend is not actually a new phenomenon. This kind of opinion that the 'Westend' is some kind of special place and separate from the city is both a false assumption as well as divisive. So I even mention the party problems with student rentals? Population density is greater per block in the 18101 then the 18104, therefore the numbers give false impressions that we are spared.
In the late 80's, the daughter's friend (14 at the time) was raped in the Rose Garden at dusk, just one block from where she lived. Most times these type of crimes are not published out of respect for the juvenile involved.
For years we've had cars broken into and some homes as well. It's not a matter of East, West, North or South. It simply a fact that the ratio of crime has increased to the point of overwhelming enforcement no matter how much effort or dollars.
In the 1950's and 1960's we had perhaps one murder in a year. FRONT PAGE NEWS!
While Allentown population has only increased by about 500 people the crimes in 2006 there were 1,081 violent crimes, over 6,000 property crimes and 35 arsons.
http://allentown.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm
It's simply not entirely the fault of police nor administration, but rather the people who choose to live within this city's limits. Mostly the failures lie within the social structure. The old wealth was centered along Hamilton street in the 50's. Then as the years rolled the wealth moved further West. Currently wealth has mostly abandoned all urban centers throughout America. In the country fields of suburban America poor could now afford to relocated into cheaper (high density) urban areas where they reinforce (with one another) their behavior problems. In cheaper rural areas (in those days), where there was little policing they rarely were arrested or prosecuted. Simply stated... They got away with it.
Solution lies in density considerations through rental (multiple unit) disposition into single homes. More clearly stated, the city needs to reduce density and increase value. Quality homes over quantity housing as a beginning. And that it falsely appears the 'Westend' suffered fewer of the woes. So in nutshell, it's the increased numbers with little or no income.
Increase the value per block. Reduce the population per block and it's only natural you will seen crime drop as well. We look at those big old family homes that have been converted into 3 units or more and yet wonder why.
Yeah, I said only 500 people more. I'm assuming those are census counts and not even close to accounting for the transient "guests" that go unaccounted for. Perhaps quadrupling that number might even be too conservative an accounting.
i guess neighborhood watch programs and community organizations like the one for the rose garden you link to are ok. but this community input, helpful as it may be, in no way takes the place of professional law enforcement.
as you so rightly have pointed out, community development and attracting new business and industry is essentially a hopeless activity unless there is public safety.
I was born and raised in center city Allentown. It has been my home for 60 plus years.
Allentown is not even close to being the same Allentown that was once an All American City.
Karen Breyer called it a HUB and a Distribution Center of drug activity between New York and Philadelphia.
That is only the beginning of the story.
Last summer several seniors at their apartments at 15 and Walnut had their licenses registration tags cut off including my mother. Then my mother who is 85 had her Handicapped Sign stolen by thugs who broke into her car.
Our home has been broken into twice in the last three years. Last time the Police never even finger printed or looked over the damages. They had another call.
But there is no easy fix. Where I work many of my coworkers come from the North. They have the same problems up Route 309 now as well.
There is NO safe haven in Pennsylvania. Things are only going to decline.
Why the Morning Call does not report Hit and Runs I will never know. We have at least four a day or close to it.
At the Citizens Police Academy the Authorities made the statemtn at least 5 cars are stolen a day in the Lehigh Valley.
I am truly sorry for our dear Senior friend. But this is Allentown now and it isn't going to change anytime soon, or anytime at all.
Pam -
Councilman Donovan's blog post merely uses the benefit of 3-4 police positions as an excuse to raise water and sewer rates; further increase our debt; and to begin a program of "walking-around money" for city council.
The "cuts" Councilman Donovan proposes are minimal (1%?, non-personnel), as is the increase in police positions. Three or even four officers would equate to about one additional officer per shift (at best). And of course that assumes that City Hall will move to fill the positions left vacant by the current wave of retirees.
As to raising water and sewer rates, anyone who has looked at the city budget knows that the water and sewer funds have been raided with inflated interfund fees to cover the overspending in the General Fund.
As to eliminating two administrative positions, how about the other 30 that have been added to City Hall over the past 6 years while the police force has dwindled?
And how nice to bring this up in December, knowing that the budget will certainly be adopted (perhaps with a few minor changes to claim victory).
This is not the first time public safety has been used to justify more debt, higher fees and additional programs. I hope the public is smart enough to recognize this charade for what it is.
While 3-4 more officers would be welcome, the last Anon poster makes a very good point.....will they merely fill existing positions?
Further, studies and studies have shown a city with Allentown's population, irrespective of its NE city problems, should have between 350-400 sworn officers.
This city has long ignored its public safety responsibilities. The recommendations by the consultants are important, but even they acknowledge the plans cannot be implemented with just over 200 officers. It simply cannot work!
Get yourself a scanner then listen to the police dispatchers tell an officer a call has been on hold for a hour, 45 minutes or half hour.
Many times the officer will ask because then now know many calls do have to hold and can not be immediately responded to.
It happens every time I listen to the scanner. Then you have calls were there is no back up for the officer until someone can free themselves up. That happens a lot too.
Now if you are one of those calls that is put on hold until someone can be freed up you're screwed.
The second time that we were broken into the officers did not do a evidence check. They had to leave nothing was done and we have a good idea who might have done it. But without a police check you have nothing.
Lots of things happen that have to be left go because there is too much happening with too few officers to handle it at times.
With a scanner you hear it all the time.
Then hit and runs are a huge problem, two family members have been told their rates have gone up because of all of the hit and runs in Allentown.
I was at the parking authority to renew my permit. A hispanic girl was trying to get a parking permit. She brought a license and never realized they would check it. It belonged to a business they asked her were she got it.
Then the hispanic male behind her told her to be quiet and leave. I left. I had seen and heard enough.
You know it isn't hard to believe that about the police needing assistance and calls on hold.
Look at the fire on the South Side when those four homes were on fire. One was a fireman's home. The first two firemen reported to the scene in a pickup truck.
Four of our Allentown Fire Trucks were out of service. A city of 100,000 and it has four fire trucks in the shop.
Our EMS and Emergency Rooms are doctors offices now. People used to take themselves to the doctor. We have people using our hospitals and EMS units as their own personal physicians now.
I waited with a wrist broken in three places while three families whose kids had colds were taken care of.
Finally I asked the doctor how does one get a broken wrist fixed down here? He asked me what made me think I had a broken wrist and I showed him.
He took us in immediately. But the families and the ER clerk were of the same Ethnic heritage so we had been put on hold.
Donovan For Mayor!
AJC, I hope you are being sarcastic.
Aside from the points raised above (concerning Mr. Donovan's proposal), perhaps the most irresponsible is this:
"Fifth, I am going to call for the city to not fund school crossing guards. This is a school department responsibility. I will only support this expenditure IF the school board and city council agree to meet by February 1 to discuss common issues that affect the residents of Allentown. It is time for our residents to acknowledge that the schools and the city need each other. Perhaps some characteristics of governance need separation, but until there is a meeting of the minds between our two organizations, Allentown will not find its rightful place within the east coast economy."
So our children's safety will be sacrificed unless the school district gives in to Mr. Donovan's blackmail and agrees to a meeting (by Feb 1) between the school board and city council? You have to be kidding!
Aside from the fact that real communication does not start by making public threats, the danger of this should be evident. Should City Council cut the funding now (in the waning weeks of December), the school board would presumably have to come up with the funding for crossing guards starting January 1st (since the city would no longer be funding crossing guards for 2009).
Not an easy thing considering that 1) the school distric budget is on a fiscal year (June), and 2) there would be very little time for the school board to hold meetings to approve the an amendment to their budget by December 31st (especially considering the holidays and advertising requirements).
Of course, all of the above comes into play only if you buy Mr. Donovan's bogus statement that the crossing guards are a school district responsibility. I would disagree.
School children become the school district's responsibility when they arrive on school property or are picked up by a district vehicle. It is the responsibility of the CITY to provide for the safety on the streets for the school children - as it should be doing for everyone.
As usual, Mr. Donovan's proposals come from the ivory tower while looking down on the "masses". It is not the perspective of someone who watches their own children or the children of others cross busy city streets each day. His proposal certainly does not reflect a concern for the children of residents of the city.
The city should only fund crossing guards on the first day of school. Once the child arrives safely at school the teacher will teach them to look both ways when crossing the street. After that they don't need crossing guards. Seems like a fair compromise.
When "looking both ways" will make a speeding car stop, than we don't need crossing guards.
One thing that may be influencing the crime problem is that there are no funds available in Lehigh County for residential drug and alcohol treatment. For some reason, the fiscal year budget was exhausted three months into the year although treatment utilization was not much greater than last year from what I can tell.
In 2003, all 67 county DA's identified that dug and alcohol treatment is critical for public safety and crime reduction concerns. This is a serious element of our crime and public safety problem that is not being acknowledged and we are hearing there are more budget cuts to come.
So get ready to pay for more prisons and higher health care costs due to untreated addiction. Although there is no money for residential treatment, the public will end up paying more for this. Consider that over half of every Lehigh county mortgage dollar goes to the correctional system and that we have nearly 50,000 inmates in our state system and you start to understand the scale of the problem.
Pam - Thanks for the post. The RGNA email about this noted that the criminal involved was caught by the APD after getting good information from witnesses. I can't confirm that and neither you nor the MC reported the arrest. But, I have no reason to doubt the source. If so, at least in this case, one criminal off the streets. We will keep watching our neighborhood and hopefully more will be arrested soon.
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