Steve Gunn: More police, tougher sentences will calm violence

Steve Gunn | The Muskegon Chronicle By Steve Gunn | The Muskegon Chronicle The Muskegon Chronicle
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on June 09, 2011 at 6:55 AM, updated June 09, 2011 at 10:32 AM
steve-gunn80.jpgSteve Gunn

Muskegon County is desperately trying to reinvent itself.

Part of that equation is further development of our promising tourism industry.

That's why my heart sank into my stomach last week when I read that some two-bit punk fired pistol shots at Pere Marquette Park, one of our area’s premier attractions, on a sunny and busy Memorial Day.

That shooting was one of five in the area over a 10-day period, just as warm weather was starting to hit. There have already been 15 shootings in Muskegon County this year, three of them fatal.

And all of this follows the frightening summer of 2010, when a rash of gunplay put our community on edge.

For some in Muskegon, the onset of summer means getting out the guns and shooting at rivals, or whoever happens to be in the way.

This trend is unacceptable. Muskegon is in danger of becoming Little Detroit, and if we're smart we'll do whatever we can to nip it in the bud.

I believe we've reached the point where we need to spend more money on police protection, to ensure that stray bullets won't be flying around our neighborhoods and threatening our lives every summer.

I would support a special countywide property tax and/or an increased city income tax to put dozens of more cops on the street, at least during the warm weather months.

They should be heavily concentrated within the cities of Muskegon and Muskegon Heights, with some designated for rural road patrol.

That would address the problem of violent crime in the metropolitan area and provide quicker response times for incidents in the townships.

Having a cop around every corner, closely observing troubled neighborhoods and working with honest residents, could make life a lot more complicated for violent criminals. Maybe they would think twice about drawing their weapons in public places.

The hard-working, honest citizens of Muskegon deserve to feel safe when they walk down the street or go to bed. And visitors must feel safe about spending their vacation time and dollars in Muskegon.

There’s no doubt we’re in the midst of a local cultural war, with the future of our community at stake. It would be insane to surrender our town to low-life gangsters who have no respect for life or property.

I realize, of course, that the tax idea is probably a pipe dream. The economy is still very bad and people aren’t ready to fork out more money. And crime is always someone else’s problem until it happens to us or someone we know.

But until we take some sort of action, the problem is only going to worsen.

It's up to us to maintain the type of community we want live in. We can't count on Lansing or Washington, D.C., to pony up money for extra police protection. And we can't count on the filthy entertainment industry to stop glorifying crime and violence.

If we want a safe Muskegon, we're going to have to pay for it ourselves. The sooner we face that reality, the safer we’ll be.

It's too bad that we have to consider the creation of a virtual police state to maximize our safety. That wouldn't be necessary if the state would start dealing with violent criminals in a serious manner.

That would mean extremely long and unpleasant prison sentences for people who commit their first violent crime, or any crime with a gun. Judges should have the death penalty option for all repeat violent offenders.

As it stands, our laws have no teeth. The alleged Pere Marquette Park shooter is a good example. If convicted, the suspect faces a total of six years in prison, if he‘s not released early for good behavior. Talk about a slap on the wrist. When are we going to make an example of these people?

We can't seem to accept the fact that some people are fundamentally dangerous and have no respect for themselves or others. It's crucial to get them away from society, once and for all, by any means necessary.

But until our lawmakers muster the guts to act against these people, more police protection is probably the only answer. I hope local leaders will give this issue the serious consideration it deserves.

Steve Gunn, a former Chronicle staff writer, is the communications director of Education Action Group. He adds a local conservative voice to our columnist lineup. Write: Muskegon Chronicle, P.O. Box 59, Muskegon, MI 49443.