In 1957, there was a Broadway musical named “The Music Man,” and it was about a traveling salesman that entered a town that was ripe for picking and lining his pockets with money.
The name of the supposed location was River City, Iowa. The award-winning song from that musical was “Trouble in River City.”
The main trouble in River City all seemed to supposably start with the pool hall. Yes indeed, that was the den of iniquity from which all of the troubles began.
In our River City of Augusta, the dens of iniquities happens to be located downtown at 535 Telfair St., 735 James Brown Blvd. and 501 Greene St. These addresses belong to the Municipal Building, the Augusta Judicial Center and the District Attorney’s Offices.
Now, some will ask why didn’t I list the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department. The fact of the matter is, the police don’t stop lawbreakers or crime. They react to it. And then it is up to the district attorney and the court system to handle the prosecution and punishment. Therein lies some of the problem.
From what I have gathered by watching and listening to other cities’ government meetings, a shortage of police officers is also a major concern in those cities. How to go about solving that problem is not an easy answer or fix.
Many feel that pay is the major factor. Other’s feel that the disrespect shown to law enforcement is a major factor. While both are very viable reasons, how about here in Augusta?
I have talked to several officers who have left the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department, and most tell me it’s the leadership. The morale is dismal, and they did not feel that they were being supported or backed up by their leadership. A couple did state that pay was also a factor.
I spend a fair amount of time in downtown Augusta at all hours of the day and night. There are two things that I notice most times.
One thing I notice is the illegal parking on the center medians, in front of fire hydrants and at yellow curbs. Second is the lack of police presence. No parking violation is ticketed, no one illegally conducting a business on the street for profit, such as grills being used and alcohol being sold out of coolers, are ticketed.
The lack of a police presence has been an on-going recipe for disaster, and it boiled over the first Friday of June 7, 2024.
Now, for it to be stated that there was ample police presence in downtown that night, it is very telling that off duty officers working a special were the first to respond. I guess the explanation will be that the officers inside the restaurant and bar were closest to what was happening on the street.
I have stated that it is my belief that police do not stop crime, that they respond to crime after it has happened. However, I also believe that a strong police presence is a major deterrent.
Maybe it is time for a leadership change in the sheriff of Augusta-Richmond County. Someone who can make change and re-establish a relationship with the front line, show goodwill and be open to discussion, not only with the department personnel but to the citizens as well.
Maybe, throw in the news media outlets as well.
Thank you to Mayor Garnett Johnson for the call to Gov. Brian Kemp for assistance in regard to getting more law enforcement here in Augusta during the summer. As the mayor stated, “It’s not for intervention, but for assistance.”
This past Tuesday’s committee meetings was about what was expected. With three commissioners out and one running late, things did not get accomplished, as usual.
There was no discussion concerning the city audit. That little tidbit was moved forward to the full commission; however, there was one interesting agenda item in particular that was discussed.
It was the proposal from Best Friends Animal Society. This is a national organization that is a 501-{c]-[3} non-profit that deals with animal issues and animal shelters across the United States.
BFAS have offered their services to the Animal Services of Augusta and have been met with less than welcoming arms. It seems that Interim Administrator Takiyah Douse and Animal Services Director James Hill don’t like the program that has been presented. They want to pick and choose, and the Best Friends group doesn’t necessarily want the services offered to be piece meal.
They are offering the services at no cost to the city of Augusta, and they are offering an on-site veterinarian to do spay and neutering services, as well as other operations to injured animals so they can be adopted. They will also place in the services a person certified and well qualified to help with adoption services and programs that will include relocation animals to other states for adoptions.
With their help, perhaps the useless euthanasia will end.
This in itself sounds to be a good offer. But, not to the powers that be.
In fact, the Animal Services director wants to end the feral cat catch, spay or neuter and then release back to area that they were caught that has been on going.
Hill stated that the citizens complained that the program didn’t get rid of the cats like they wanted. We should ask those same people, are they being over run with rats and snakes? Where you find outside cats you find that the rodent population tends to be small in numbers.
Some people who resist the program have a talking point from a 2016 lawsuit that was filed in California. It was filed by a couple who claimed that a mixed pit terrier that was adopted from Best Friends attacked and mauled their daughter.
In that case, a settlement was reached. Another lawsuit was filed in the state of New York by a pet store. The Best Friends protested outside of the store because the store was selling puppies they got from puppy mills. Now most of us who watch the news know by now that New York can indict and convict a bologna sandwich for not having mayonnaise on it.
Best Friends stated that records show that they have placed and adopted out over 75,000 animals, more than half of which would have been euthanized.
This is what brings Best Friends to Augusta. The records from the Georgia Agriculture Department that oversees the animal shelters states that the Augusta Animal Services has the highest kill rate of any animal shelter in the state of Georgia.
Yes, Augusta’s shelter is a kill shelter. Pure and simple, it is a kill shelter. And it would seem in my opinion that Hill has no intention of it changing.
This goes back before the full commission this week. Readers, what are your thoughts on this? Hill stated that city animal shelters reflect the people of a city, which is a pretty bold statement, if you ask me.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
