UPD Facebook deactivate

[Deleted]

Just on WKTV news that the facebook page of WKTV has been deactivated. Apparently it puts Utica in a bad light. Chief says it will never be back up.

I don't agree that it puts Utica in a bad light it just show that the number arrest in Utica basically involve black brothers and sisters in the Lord. I gues you would find the same thing in cities with a black population in low poverty.

To be fair Utica OD should also never print arrests. I guess there will be a black out in terms of crime in the City. WHat a shame

[Clipper]

Alan, I just posted a link under the Utica section of the forum to a petition that you can sign to bring the UPD facebook page back on line. BZ sent me the link.

www.change.org/petitions/ny-state-oneida-county-city-of-utica-re-activate-city-of-utica-police-department-facebook-site?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false

I chuckle when I think about trying to restrict the OD from publishing arrest information in the paper. I don't think it would be possible for anyone to tell that OD that it could not publish information about local arrests without bringing about a lawsuit. If the information is public information, the newspaper is going to take it and print it.

It might be noted that thinly veiled remarks of a racist nature, as well as trash talking and judgmental statements about folks ANY race that are simply ACCUSED and not convicted are what makes the site the subject of criticism. You speak of our "black brothers and sisters in the Lord." I can remember a period in my life when the majority of the crime in Utica was being committed by our olive skinned Mediterranean brothers, but there was no facebook page back then, and the majority of the UPD was composed of those of Italian descent. Derogatory comments about race and ethnicity are not necessary on a government sponsored website.

The Italian community made the East end the wonderful place it used to be. The majority of the Italian families were not involved in the crimes, but the mafia types that were shooting people on Bleecker Street or dumping bodies in the canal and down wells could have led to some pretty broad and unfair comments about Italian folks had their been a facebook back in the 40's, 50's and 60's.

I have always been of the opinion that making broad generalized statements against and stereotyping an entire race or ethnicity always indicates either a lack of education and upbringing, or just plain and simple ignorance in my opinion. I have a friend here that has a masters degree in education and that has taught at a baptist college. His prejudice and racist remarks make him look like an ignorant redneck and I call him out every time he makes his ethnic slurs or racist remarks. One has to wonder what his lectures may have been like when he taught. One might wonder if he planted his racist views in those young minds.

I always kid him, telling him that he will be in big trouble when he gets to the pearly gates and finds out that Saint Peter is a black man. lol

[Deleted]

Sometimes I wonder if it is racism especially when 90% of the crime in Utica is from Black criminals. People react to that and coupled with the every growing decay that continues in the City of Utica. It is an scary form of decay that is rooted in the poverty and neglect of the area which it seems for many is impossible to escape.

A good example on a simple level is Liberty Bell Park. The Park behind it was rapidly declining. Rust to Green movement did an outstanding job of redesigning and replanting the Park making it into a small oasis in the middle of downtown. That place has been neglected and now is right back to the decaying mess that it was before it was redone. Weeds and dead bushes make the area look so depressing . The fountain does not work. Hasn't for two years now. REason for neglect is a busy DPW and lack of money. I don't believe that. The new manager at the Hotel Utica had stated that the Park would become the pet project of the Hotel. Hasn't started as of yet. I saw many wedding photo's being taken in the Park at it prime.

[Clipper]

I would like to see the 90% figure documented as fact by a reputable source. I am aware that much of the crime is committed by the poor and by minorities. It is not hard to believe when the inner city rental housing has decayed to the point that the majority of those living there are there because they are poverty level and can't afford to live anywhere else.


Blacks may commit their share of the crime, but I also notice in recent times that the slavic countries' refugees are committing a lot of the domestic violence, robbery, and are often arrested for drugs and DWI. The drug busts are pretty well divided between black and white. The sex offender alerts also seem pretty well divided between races. To single out the blacks and to point the finger at the black community is still racist. There is no way around that fact. It also seems that the gang activity is equally distributed between Asians and orientals, Caucasians, blacks and hispanics.

For the site to be fair and unbiased, there should be NO derogatory public comment allowed, racial or otherwise. People that get their jollies off tossing about racist remarks should take their ignorance to Topix. It is standard operating procedure over there to allow ignorance and unadulterated, unbridled nonsense.

Could it be that many folks tend to focus on black crime, tend to be a little racially biased and don't keep an accurate accounting of white crime?

[Clipper]

As for the decaying conditions at the Liberty Bell Park, and the DPW too busy to maintain it, that is perfectly understandable. The taxpayers want everything squeaky clean and well maintained. They want around the clock on the spot police and fire protection, they want the streets paved and patched, and snow plowed, green waste picked up, but THEY DONT WANT TO PAY MORE TAXES. They bitch about budget issues and taxes, and when the departments cut staffing and services they can't understand why. I guess it is quite obvious that you can't have your cake and eat it too. Utica is not unique in that area. Most cities have been forced to cut budgets, and lay off personnel. If you are working with a smaller budget, and fewer people, you simply cannot accomplish the same high level of service formerly provided with more people and more money.

[Ralph]

I have watched a lot of people from the Bosnian community buy houses I wouldn’t even have tried to rehab in my prime and make beautiful homes with them, and likewise many other minority refugees as well.

However, now that some of them have “settled in” I see more and more of them buying up properties and renting them out strictly for profits sake.
I have a large brick apartment building around the corner from me that was purchased and has been going through a rehab. Nice heavy insulated doors, very ornamental security grating on the windows (I call anything ½” or thicker, completely covering the entire window frame SECURE), stockade fencing, etc……the works. I figured they would be moving some of their own families in there since there are six apartments in the building.
No……they recently rented to nothing more than the usual substandard folks that can come up with either the “cash” or some kind of subsidies. I can see it won’t be long before a couple dealers move into this place, which will be a bad experience for anyone. It is in a spot that is hard to do undercover surveillance on and will be virtually impervious to rapid entry even by a HEAT team!
They rehabbed a fortress and rented it out to scumbags!!!

But all things aside and getting back to the subject. I think the UPD’s FaceBook page should go back up sans the comments. Information can be passed on to them via FB’s messaging system.
As far as publishing mug shots of those arrested….it’s public information and has been published in one form or another for years

The local and state politicians can go piss in their own cheerios if they don’t like it. ;D

[longtimer]

I have never been a supporter of the page but then I am not a fan of facebook itself. Facebook has become a real problem with employers and there is a fair amount of litigation out there about things people have posted.

The problem with the UPD page is the comments. If they are going to have comments they need to manage and police them, pun intended. Of course that costs money and thus is a problem. You also need to ask do the comments add any value. If not why have them. If the police want the public to identify someone the phones still work.

I think it might be important to recall that most of us like this site because the posts are managed well. We left other sites because of the trash posted. Government does not need to sponsor trash talk. People can go to topix for that.

[Clipper]

Well it seems that the consensus thus far is that the page serves a valuable purpose, but that there is NO useful purpose or justification for public comment. Nor is there an efficient way to monitor and insure that public comment remains civil and appropriate.

Put it back on line without public comment available. As Longtimer stated, there is always the messaging capability on Facebook, and the telephones still work if there is information that needs to be passed to the UPD.

[Deleted]

May 25, 2013 19:32:25 GMT -5 Clipper said:

I would like to see the 90% figure documented as fact by a reputable source. I am aware that much of the crime is committed by the poor and by minorities. It is not hard to believe when the inner city rental housing has decayed to the point that the majority of those living there are there because they are poverty level and can't afford to live anywhere else.


Blacks may commit their share of the crime, but I also notice in recent times that the slavic countries' refugees are committing a lot of the domestic violence, robbery, and are often arrested for drugs and DWI. The drug busts are pretty well divided between black and white. The sex offender alerts also seem pretty well divided between races. To single out the blacks and to point the finger at the black community is still racist. There is no way around that fact. It also seems that the gang activity is equally distributed between Asians and orientals, Caucasians, blacks and hispanics.

For the site to be fair and unbiased, there should be NO derogatory public comment allowed, racial or otherwise. People that get their jollies off tossing about racist remarks should take their ignorance to Topix. It is standard operating procedure over there to allow ignorance and unadulterated, unbridled nonsense.

Could it be that many folks tend to focus on black crime, tend to be a little racially biased and don't keep an accurate accounting of white crime?

Nah I don't believe that for a minute. From reading the UPD facebook page the balance tips in the direction of blacks being the major criminals in Utica. Yes I have seen a small increase in white Bosnian and Asian crime but not to the extent of black crime. They try to open up these clubs that are shut down quickly. It seems to be a part of the urban culture fueled by that black ghetto music called rap--I mean that filthy rap I hear coming from cars with windows down driving the streets in defiance of the law on noise tolerance in the city. LOL.

[Clipper]

Gee, I said a reliable and reputable source Alan. Not for nothing, but I think that the NY Civil Liberties Union pretty much alleges that the UPD Facebook page does NOT qualify as a racially unbiased source for such statistics. haha

[Clipper]

Sorry folks. After my half kidding reply to Alan last night, the thread went downhill and got pointed and in violation of the forum rules. The thread and comments got to where they were aimed at each other and personal. Name calling and personal attacks are simply not going to fly here. As always when the time comes we lock the thread and delete the comments.

If someone would care to open another thread pertaining to the UPD Facebook Page controversy, you are welcome to do so, but if goes to name calling, personal attacks and nastiness, or goes to racist remarks ( which is part of why the page was taken down) it will be deleted again.