Saturday, October 30, 2010

Campaign signs gone

As the Aurora (Ill.) Police Department faces possibly 20-25 officer lay-offs during budget woes, I got to thinking about how a police department really can save money.

After a campaign sign was stolen, I opted not to file a complaint with the Woodstock Police Department because of an officer's time to respond. However, after three were believed to have disappeared, I changed my mind. (Two were stolen; one was removed and laid on the ground.)

I would have gone to the P.D. and filed a report without the involvement of an officer, but in a previous contact I had been told that an officer would be dispatched to take a report (in another matter). Why can't a police department handle "lesser" crimes that involve only a report and no suspect be handled in the police station? A dispatcher could give the complainant a form to complete and submit. Then an officer could call with any follow-up questions.

Now I see that all the smaller campaign signs are gone from the corner of Route 47 and Judd Street, across the road from Wendy's. The big ones are still there; only the small ones are gone.

Who removed them? The City? Probably not, since so many other political campaign signs remain in place. IDOT? Probably not; only the smaller ones were taken. The business owner nearby? Again, probably not, although I'll have to check the party for the remaining signs. In any event, the signs were in the right-of-way, which is not owned or controlled by the adjacent property owner.

So, who did steal them?

1 comment:

AZ Supporter said...

Maybe you can take your little FOIA pen down to the local catholic church here in town and request the "Priest Report" as to why GOD made the wind blow so strong last week that it blew all those useless signs away? See, even HE is against you and all the other silly politicians!
Talk about spitting into the wind, Gus!