In response to the article written by Mike Eldred in reference to the police departments in Wilmington and Dover, I was not so amazed by the figure of 1,200 tickets written by Wilmington police, as opposed to the 109 ticket written by the Dover police.
I was not impressed that someone wrote a letter to the chamber and town offices and did not have the courage to sign the letter. My feeling is if you have a complaint you should sign your name. Needless to say that is how I do business.
I run the cash register at Twice Blessed on Saturday and Sunday, without exaggeration 25 people or more a day express to me that because of all the blue lights and police presence in the valley they find it very unwelcoming to go out in the area any time of the day. These are locals, second-home owners, and tourists. Many have expressed to me that they have been pulled over for many minor infractions, some for license plate lights out.
Their complaint is they don’t like to be hassled. Lights shined in their faces, assumptions they are under the infuence, and a general feeling of not being welcomed to the area. I have tried to explain this to the Wilmington Town Manager and Chief of Police to no avail. Other business owners have also spoken to this problem but it has fallen on deaf ears.
The article in the paper said out of 1,200 tickets, 31 were alcohol related and that appeared to be recognized at the scene of accidents. I would like to know what revenue the town recieved from the other 1,170 tickets, or were they driving under suspension or no inspection stickers, which was stated that we receive no revenue. I would also like to know where that ticket revenue goes. To the police or highway departments, or to the general fund?
On Town Meeting day we the voters will be asked to put on another policeman due to stimulus grants. The glicht to this is the “free” policeman is not free. We must start putting away money for the next three years because we must hire this officer full time on the fourth year.
My vote will be no. In this economy municipalities should be cutting back not adding to their budget. As my dad taught me many years ago, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Mary Jane Finnegan
Wilmington
Over the past few years I've read your comment's on the police department's in the valley area. I have to say that your comment's are the most ridulous thing's that I've ever heard. This most recent comment has really bugged me though. Twenty five people a day come to you and only you about their issue's with the Police presence. Maybe you should focus more on your work than counting the number of people that complain to you first of all. Second of all what are these "Twenty Five People a Day" worried about getting pulled over for? Are they drug dealers, drug users, frequent drunk drivers, people with warrants, criminals or do they just have trouble doing the speed limit.
The police pull people over for these so called minor infraction's like plate Lights out or tail lights out to let them know about it. Maybe you didn't know but on a typical weekend, one out of every seven drivers is a drunk driver. That is a pretty high ratio I think but maybe you don't care about that. I've had friend's die because someone thought it was a good idea to drive a vehicle under the influence.
I dont know Mary Jane Finnegan maybe you should be a police officer, since you know what they're supposed to do. You could stop maybe two cars a night and hope that the other's with minor infraction's were not drunk driver's. Hopefully the drunk driver's you let go won't kill anybody, hopefully they don't kill anybody that you know and love. I would just think about what you say before you start talking about not wanting the police to do their job's.