The sheriff’s dept Web site links to a new feature where you can see all the latest incidents. The clusters in SP and the Sugarland area are pretty alarming. Check these out … and they’re all from the last two weeks. (If the link doesn’t work, just go to crimereports.com and type in ZIP 20164.)

http://www.crimereports.com/map/index/?search=39%20Catoctin%20Cir%20SE+Leesburg+VA

HAVE OPINIONS ANYONE.

Board Balks At Police Department Study
By Erika Jacobson
(Created: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 4:53 PM EDT)
(Leesburg Today)
Loudoun County Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson succeeded Tuesday in derailing a proposal to study the efficiencies to be gained through the establishment of a county police force, with a majority of Loudoun Supervisors unwilling to back the proposal by County Chairman Scott K. York (I-At Large).

“It is no secret that over the last five years I have thought that we should have a discussion of a police force versus a sheriff’s department in law enforcement,” York said.

“We have grown 280,000 [residents] in our community.”

York said it was important to take a look at the sheriff’s office to see if there is a more efficient way to provide services to county residents, saying the board is in “deep doo-doo with the budget.”

“We have taken a look at the schools, which is the first deep cut of the budget. Then the sheriff’s office is number two,” he said. He added that his proposal was to look at the whether the system currently being used is working. “If it is, then we move forward. If it is not, are there things programmatically we can do to improve it?”

The idea of the study was called into question by some including Simpson, who said after Tuesday’s board of supervisors’ meeting that the study was only another attempt to removing some of the duties of his office.

“I am getting tired of the kick in the teeth,” he told supervisors. “Why are we looking at ways to spend more money to fix something that’s not broken? I think it’s a shame we’re going here again.”

While he has brought the issue forward in the past, York highlighted the potential switch to a police department during the new board’s term during an address to the Chamber of Commerce in January. At that meeting, York said looking into the need for a police department was one of his top priorities for the year.

Tuesday he said he was surprised he even found support for discussion about it from his fellow supervisors.

Those supervisors, however, were hesitant to move down the road of studying the sheriff’s office at this time.

Supervisor Sally Kurtz (D-Catoctin), while saying she supported studies that determine how efficient a county department is, pointing to the one recently done by the school system, said she wanted to wait to hear from county staff before proceeding. During the board’s strategic planning session in July, the examination of the method of providing law enforcement services in the county was one of the board’s initiatives, but staff has yet to give its report on the best way to address the issue.

Supervisor Stevens Miller (D-Dulles), who called Simpson to the board meeting so he could be present when supervisors discussed the item, said he did not think the time was right for such a review.

“I would think that the right time, if ever, to investigate this endeavor is when we have a sheriff that would support the idea,” Miller said. “I am not anticipating greater efficiency [with a police department] because then we would have two departments instead of one.”

If a police department were formed it would take over all of the law enforcement duties currently held by the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office would still be responsible for court security, civil process and operations of the Adult Detention Center.

Simpson acknowledged that he would still have a job if a police department were formed, but pointed out that there are benefits to having an elected sheriff and giving the residents a say in who is in charge of law enforcement.

“The only change that comes out of this: I’m elected, not appointed,” he said.

The issue of accountability came up at the meeting as well, with Supervisor Andrea McGimsey (D-Potomac) asking Simpson what she should tell her constituents in Cascades about why they do not have a community police officer, as they have requested.

Simpson said he could not place a community police officer in the eastern Loudoun community because he was not granted the positions requested in the budget and did not have the personnel he needed.

“That’s one of the biggest things that I would like to look at,” McGimsey said.

Some supervisors, however, did tell Simpson communicating better with the board and with citizens would help him.

“What I have heard is concern from citizens and board member about a lack of response,” Supervisor Kelly Burk (D-Leesburg) said.

Just before withdrawing his motion, York told his fellow board members they had missed the point.

“This goes beyond any of that,” he said. “This is about talking about community. This is about the fact that the direction that we would like to see happen, sometimes doesn’t.”

I’m not sure that a police force versus Sheriff’s office is a valid argument. The zoning dep’t should be accountable to the BOS and look at how unwilling it is to investigate and act on the overcrowding in Sterling. At least the Sheriff can be thrown out of office by the voters in 2011.

I will note that years ago the SPSTA HOA quietly formed an armed neighborhood watch. Word went around the gangbangers pretty quickly because things did quiet down there. Once the guy behind it moved no one really kept it going, and the scum has obviously noticed and moved back in.

Thanks, Cath, I had not heard about that meeting.

Things are going to have to get worse before they get better … I think this is just the beginning, considering the only uproar I am aware of is right here on this blog and over at LCA. Not exactly torches and pitchforks yet.

I suggest organizing ARMED patrols. Remember, you can open-carry so long as the magazine cannot hold more than 20 rounds.

Does the word AUDIT mean anything to anyone.

LCSO and other offices need to be audited to see where the money is going to. With the rise in taxes and school growth there should be audits done to confirm the need for rising taxes and why the sheriff’s office does not supposedly have enough funds to cover loudoun county for patrol duties.

oh BTW did anyone catch this article in LTMIRROR?

County bracing for $176 million budget shortfall
9/17/2008
A growing school system and a still slumping housing market will continue to have dramatic effects on Loudoun’s fiscal situation, as county officials are predicting a budget shortfall next year of $176 million. | 0 comments – ›› more …

http://tinyurl.com/3uheyg

TIME to rethink AUDIT’S

Well time to dig in or get out.
The BOS is useless and reform is not going to be soon.

Most of the people in SP are happy to complain but not willing to get off thier duff to patrol.

The LCSO is tired of dealing with SP I got that msg loud and clear couple of years ago.

I think you need to start organizing patrols.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6, huh Act? I agree.

I have seen Simpson and his top lieutenants a couple of times at open meetings with the previous LCBOS. For a considerable period now, Simpson, as I recall, has been seeking a better deputy/population ratio based on various national studies and recommendations. The times I witnessed such encounters, his proposals seemed to be met with a sort of contempt by some LCBOS members regardless of party affiliation, even in a time of fat budgets. On one occasion, he was sitting in the audience and hadn’t even raised that specific issue. One of the Sups took a public cheap shot at him right out of the blue about his requests.

I thought it was a stupid, petulant reaction by some on that LCBOS and still do. They acted like they didn’t even want to have a serious, adult discussion about the future of public safety in this county. Everything with that LCBOS was development, development, development and attracting business, business, and more business, not to mention what to do with all the new “students” in the county.

I don’t know what went on in the closed sessions, so I cannot comment on the forcefulness of Simpson’s advocacy there, but I did sense in the public ones that he might just have thrown up his hands in disgust at the way his proposals were being treated.

I don’t know the dynamics of this issue with regard to the current LCBOS. I have, however, noticed, sadly, their recent complaints about unauthorized signs on the highways and someone’s inane proposal to fund a sign clean-up by cutting staff at the proposed Western Loudoun Sheriff’s Office Substation. Now I wonder how long it will be before some clown makes the same proposal vis-a-vis the Eastern Loudoun substation.

With this LCBOS, anything is possible. I once watched them argue for almost half an hour on whether a gas station along Route 50 ought to be allowed to have more than two gas pumps! I finally left the boardroom in disgust. Maybe some good will come of finding lead-filled bodies on the streets and in the commercial parking lots of Sterling Park if they finally serve to wake somebody up in Leesburg and especally those west of Leesburg.

Wolv,

“They acted like they didn’t even want to have a serious, adult discussion”

I thought they only talked to us this way..

Given the projected budget deficit and the Sheriff’s inability to sufficiently staff high crime areas, might our Supervisors consider furloughing without pay our county employees to fund the deficit and provide additional financial resources for law enforcement? Would anyone even notice if the zoning department was absent?

Wy can’t we incorporate eastern Loudoun ?

Marjorie,

“If community members carried their 9mm or whatever they choose to carry, would they be able to use their weapon if needed to protect themselves or another person regardless of charges that may occur afterwards. Just a thought.”

In Virginia, those who may legally possess a handgun may legally open carry today, However if you do not have a concealed carry permit, there are a few more restrictions. State law says that you may use deadly force to prevent imminent bodily harm to yourself or a third party. Even so, you may still be charged, as homicide is still homicide, even if it is later determined to be justifiable. Not to mention any civil action that may arise. Would I accept this risk for myself or a family member, no question. For others, not so sure.

There is a LoCo ordinance that you may only discharge a firearm in eastern Loudoun in defense of yourself. I am not sure if this has ever been tested in court as it does appear to infringe on state statute with regard to defense. Even with preemption, the state does allow localities to determine where firearms may and may not be discharged.

I guess what I am saying is that carrying a firearm is a big responsibility, will legal issues that MUST be completely understood.

If the number of concealed carry permit applications went through the roof, this would certainly get peoples attention. The media would probably go bonkers with this, maybe even getting more press on our crime problem.

BarbaraN said:
September 19th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

Given the projected budget deficit and the Sheriff’s inability to sufficiently staff high crime areas, might our Supervisors consider furloughing without pay our county employees to fund the deficit and provide additional financial resources for law enforcement? Would anyone even notice if the zoning department was absent?

Barbara and others :
The 800 lb gorilla in the room is Loudoun County Public Schools.
You live in a county, the only county in the region that has allowed schools to consume 70 plus % of all revenue. For example Fairfax and Prince William are in the 50-55% range.
What you will hear at the upcoming meeting is as follows :
1. We are broke, we don’t have the money to properly staff zoning and law enforcement.
2. FY 2009 , we are 176 million in the hole, it is not going to get any better anytime soon.There will be no additional funding.

How did we get here ? We allowed King Hatrick to amass an empire. Make no mistake, the current BOS is not in charge. Hatrick is, he has all of the money. The board gets to run the County ( everything other than schools ) on the 30% that is left. The priorities , percentages and proportions are out of wack. This is the back drop from which we operate.

That being said what can we do ?
Spending aside for one second.

IMHO we need to fire those responsible for creating the atmosphere that has allowed this activity to flourish.
That starts with Terry Whorten. It is his Zoning department that has failed and is uninterested in solving these issues. This BOS must demand he be replaced with a reform minded administrator who in more interested in actually solving the problem than making excuses.

The board needs to formulate a short list of short term goals pertaining to the specific issues in Sterling. Those goals in the area of Zoning ( code enforcement ) and law enforcement should be financed with emergency funding at once. That funding should be taken directly from the Loudoun County Schools budget as to not create an additional deficit. The Board should hold an emergency meeting with schools and all effected agencies. Schools should be given a period of time to come up with programs or construction projects to be eliminated, put on hold or pushed into 2011. Those monies could then be used for additional Sheriffs patrols as well as increased code enforcement.
None of this is worth doing without new leadership inside county Government. Simply giving the same group of poor performing administrators more money is tantamount to throwing the money down a hole.

This is an issue of leadership, when that leadership is found they must be giving the tools to effect change and reform