Pottstown 2009 Crime Statistics

I am scratching my head wondering how the recently released 2009 statistics for Pottstown Borough are not good news?  Not sure what the Mercury is getting at and who exactly thinks crime reduction is meaningless.  Arrests up, crime down and no murders is a big woohoo in my book!

Pottstown has an unjustified reputation that is based on “classism” and “racism” from people who are on the outside looking in.  People have actually said to me, out loud mind you, that they are “afraid” to come into Pottstown.  My response is, “Oh grow the hell up.”

We are a diverse, urban community.  Really a small city.  There are no perfect utopias in which to live.  Bad things happen every where.  Even in the “suburbs”.  You are not exempt if you live in Limerick, a Pottsgrove, a Coventry or are driving down 422.

Unless you are doing something completely stupid like withdrawing a large sum of money from an outdoor ATM at 4 am or wandering around questionable places, you are pretty darn safe here. 

I have lived in and around Pottstown for over 25 years and am no worse for wear because of it.  Even when I lived on Walnut St. and on King St., nothing bad happened to me.  I do not live a charmed life either.  I just use common sense.

Chief Mark Flanders and our Pottstown Police Department should be commended for their hard work at fighting crime (which is generally brought in from the outside).  Most people who live in Pottstown are decent, hard-working people.  We do not all have an Access Card and wear pajamas!  The trouble makers generally come in from out-of-town.

The Montgomery County DA, Risa Ferman is also to be commended for her tough stance against drugs and violence.  Her desire to get rid of the drug dealers and the violence they inflict on Montco residents is awesome.  DA Ferman wants these people gone from our county and has been a great ally for our local police departments.

So kudos all around to our involved Pottstown citizens and law enforcement agencies.  Let’s make 2010 even better!

Power to the Pottstown people!