LANDLORDS ARE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS IN THE EYES OF MANTECA POLICE DEPARTMENT
(c) 2003, Mike Barkley
From:
Michael J. Barkley
161 N. Sheridan Ave. #1
Manteca, CA 95336
209/823-4817
mjbarkl@inreach.com
September 2, 2001
To:
Letters to the Editor
Manteca Bulletin
531 E. Yosemite Ave.
Manteca, CA 95336
Dear Mr. Wyatt:
Over the past 14 years we've owned and operated an apartment
complex in Manteca, and during that time we've made a number of phone
calls to the Police Department for assistance or to report crimes.
We've learned that they will accept some calls and not accept others.
Those they will not accept or investigate include:
-
Attempts to make a citizens arrest
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Drug sales in progress
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Drug lab odors, marijuana smoke odors
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Prostitution
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Fraud and false pretenses [including instances when we've been swindled by people who've committed identity theft]
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Abandoned vehicles, trespassing vehicles
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Trespass in any way, shape, or form
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Embezzlement
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Extortion
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Theft
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Gang activity, graffiti, and vandalism, including "in progress"
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Loud stereos in vehicles (boomers)
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Street racing
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Drunk driving, open containers
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Unsupervised juveniles, underage drinking and sex parties
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Disturbing the peace unless after a certain hour
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Truancy
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Exposure and public urination
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Child abuse
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Spousal abuse
-
And so on.
We would not be making these calls unless they were urgent or I
believed the cases were provable in a criminal prosecution, but when
we make such calls we feel like we are on trial, not the perpetrators.
Maybe ignoring such problems was all right when Manteca was a small town,
but as it grows the gang element in Manteca knows there is a lot they can
get away with in their attempts to intimidate businesses and the citizenry,
and this attitude by the Police Department is a big help to those "gang
bangers". And in case you might be thinking "so what?", Vintage Apartments
went under a few years back and took huge amounts of property tax revenue
with it as apartments all over town got assessed values reduced to reflect
the resulting provable drop in market values, so it does hurt the city for
the Police Department to ignore apartment building problems. The owners
of Vintage needed law enforcement help, and did not got it. The people
who say Vintage got such help just don't get it. I've written many
letters in the past, but even though this one has festered for 14 years
I've held it in, so you can understand for me to write it now is an act
of desperation. I even tried a position on the Police Commission for
awhile but that was a waste of time too. This laissez faire law
enforcement attitude should change before it's too late.
Sincerely,
/s/ Michael J. Barkley,
Return to Sentinel Home.
--Mike Barkley, 161 N. Sheridan Ave. #1, Manteca, CA 95336 (H) 209/823-4817
mjbarkl@inreach.com
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