a great victory

   So, I turn on the news this morning and I hear the mayor of Baltimore holding a press conference. In this conference he is bragging about taking down two drug gangs in the city of Baltimore. His crime reduction initiative is working! He explains that after a year long investigation in partnership with federal agents these gangs were identified. His first response was this. He sent them a letter! Yes, that's what he did, he sent them a letter and he made a point of letting the press now he personally signed that letter. In that letter he began by telling them he knew who they were and what they were doing! He admonished them, telling such behavior would not be tolerated. He went on to explain that in that letter he also offered them help. Yes, they could get help like rehab, job training, housing and any number of professional services simply for the asking. He expressed his concern for their well-being, emphasizing his desire that they not come to any harm. All they had to do was stop! But they didn't. And so, he had to take them down and they were all arrested! They can't say they weren't warned and given every opportunity to comply. 

 Fifteen people were arrested, numerous weapons confiscated, 6300 hundred dollars in cash, and a large cache of drugs. He didn't want to do it, but they refused to quit. Now those weapons are undergoing testing to see if they were involved in any other crimes. Oh, someone is going to get in trouble if they were but none of those weapons are registered so ownership is going to be difficult to prove. No word on what happens to the 6300 dollars in cash. Just another charge for those criminals, they didn't have the proper permits for those firearms! Luckily his Crime Reduction plan is working. They watched, they waited, and they got them dead to rights, only took a year. Then they were given warning, a chance to reform their ways but they refused. Now they will be rehabilitated whether they want to or not. Let that be a lesson, a message to anyone else thinking of operating a criminal enterprise in the city of Baltimore. You will only get one letter of warning; the mayor isn't fooling around. 

 I'm thinking that struck a chord of fear in every thug in the city and they are scrambling for services as I write. You only get a year to conduct your drug dealing business before you will get a warning letter. Then the hammer comes down and you are arrested. Of course, services will still be offered to make you a model citizen because after all, it isn't your fault. You just needed some counseling, some understanding and empathy, perhaps some housing or a monthly stipend. Hey, the squeegee kids are under control now that they are getting paid to not be on the street. That program was a great success. Yes, it's a great victory for justice.