Not to get too dramatic here but when is Mayor Petelos up for re-election?  Maybe someone should bring this to his attention.  Nothing creates action like a politician in fear of losing votes.  Anyone have his email address?  I do feel like BP is only given lip service.  I know a lot of people like harvardmba who love BP but whose days here are numbered if things don't turn around.  If the HPD thinks we are annoying, just let them see who moves in when we are gone.  Anone been down Lorna Road lately?  Seen what happened to Centerpoint?  At one time Centerpoint was a nice place to live.

I can certainly understand the frustration of people who feel like the HPD is unresponsive.
 
I mentioned this in the "reporting traffic violations" thread, and I am re-mentioning it here.
 
I live near the intersection of Chapel Rd and Shades Crest Rd.  I moved here in early fall, and since then I've noticed someone who, at around 5am, stops at the stop sign at this intersection, and then honks their horn as they drive past our home.  And I'm not talking a short beep.  It's "HO-two-three-four-NK."  It's not everyday, but it's once or twice a week.  In December, after it had gone on for two months or so, I started keeping a log.
 
It's the same car every time- A silver Jeep Grand Cherokee- License plate # 1B21D62
 
I know this because I finally got up at 4:45 one morning and followed them as they sped all the way down Shades Crest to Alford Ave.
 
I emailed Officer Foreman- no response.  I posted it in the reporting traffic violations thread and an administrator said I should be hearing from someone (and thank you for listening!  I'm not being sarcastic here) but I've not heard from anyone.  Yesterday morning when it happened again I called the HPD and they basically blew me off.  The dispatcher asked me if "I wanted them to keep an eye out?"  
 
No, I want you to find the person and ask them to quit, because apparently they're obsessed enough to keep doing it from October to February.  You have a big 'ole database with everyone's registration in it.  I guess I could pay the 80$ fee to have it looked up online, or I could get up at 4:45 am again and follow this person to their work and ask them there, but frankly, anyone who's willing to harass random strangers for four months is not someone I want to contact personally.
 
I am frustrated, and I don't feel like the HPD gives two craps about it.  If it continues, I guess I'll pay 80$, find out their address, and start riding by their home at midnight, honking all the way.  But I won't do that, because I have some standard of decency.
 
I'm sorry to rant here.  Thanks, again, for listening.  From now on I guess instead of keeping a log I'll call the HPD every single morning it happens.

Quote from fl350 on 02/09/10 at 9:12am:

 
You are correct and this is my fault.
 
I did hear back from Capt. Coker who advised me that he was looking into it and would get back to me soon.  That was yesterday.  I should have posted that on the forum and I did not.  I apologize for that.
 
I will post as soon as I have an update from Capt. Coker.

I would be very interested to find out what statistics are available on Police coverage per area/ population. I'm going to step out and say that Bluff Park probably has less than any other beat. If anyone knows the rate, please let us know. We deserve as good as any other section of Hoover and we should keep some form of pressure on city hall to respond to our concerns. Anything less should be considered as unacceptable.

Quote from harvardmba on 02/09/10 at 1:49pm:

 
I think that I have an answer to your question.
 
First, some history.  This site was created back in August of 2006 based on the fact that we residents of Bluff Park felt that we did not have adequate police presence in our part of Hoover.  We came together as a (large) group and requested from city leaders that something be done about it.  You may follow the entire history of this by reading all of the Neighborhood Updates section beginning in August 2006 (bottom of page) and the About and Contact section of the BluffParkAl.org site.
 
After two (large) meetings that involved all but one of the city council members (Mr. Natter was unable to attend either meeting), many members of the Hoover PD, including all of the administrators, and many city officials, a sub-station was opened on December 7, 2006.  This made it possible for an officer to stay closer to Bluff Park when he or she needs to write a report, etc.
 
Although this satisfied one of the things we were asking for, another was the actual police zone that Bluff Park sits in.  We are in "30 Beat", which spans from Hwy. 31 starting at Tyler Road to Patton Chapel Road to Shades Crest Road, down to Sulphur Springs Road in one direction and  back to Tyler Road in the other, and everything in between.  Pretty big area for one officer.  There is a backup officer who floats between two zones, plus the traffic officers.  In the middle of the day it can take quite some time to get an officer from one side of the zone to the other.
 
We had suggested that the zone be cut in half, with the dividing line being around Simmons Middle School.  To do that would entail hiring five additional officers (3 regular and 2 to cover off days), plus the vehicles, etc.  Two years ago that price tag was around $550,000.00 per year.  I don't know what it is today, but the economy doesn't support it at this time.
 
Our main concern is more police presence and less "speed trap" presence.  Not one person that we've talked to supports the traffic enforcement on Park Avenue, Shades Crest Road and Chapel Road.  Most people, including some who have posted here, support enforcing stop sign violations throughout Bluff Park, not just at certain intersections.  The problem is that when 1 person complains about speeders, the speed traps are set up, since the motorcycle units are not part of the Bluff Park zone.
 
Yes, we have more presence than we did in 2006, but we're not where we would like to be.  Yet.  Once the economy improves, I don't believe it would be out of line for the city to re-examine the zone split.
 
Your initial question was the stats on police coverage per area.  I can tell you that just based on personal observations, there must be at least 3-4 police cars in the Galleria/Lorna Road area at any given time.  They are very aggressive in pulling people over and they seem to always work in multiple groups.  Chief Derzis has spoken about this in the past, stating that Hoover PD will be very aggressive about making sure the wrong element (my words, not his) doesn't come into Hoover without being looked at.  In his defense, our crime stats are almost non-existent compared to Birmingham, which borders us in several places.  I don't know if his plan is working, but you can't say it isn't.
 
We'll keep pushing, but our stance has always been a non-adversarial role.  We can (and have) get more accomplished by working with the city leaders than working against them.

Thanks for keeping us informed.  Hopefully we can put an end to some of this stuff.

I think our maroon jeep friend or his parents are reading this board.  The last five days he has kept a very low profile.  This morning the jeep showed back up in the front yard after having been gone for the previous three days.  This time however it had a license plate which it has not had in several months.  The tag though was covered in mud, presumably to keep people from being able to report it.  In any case, he has been keeping a low profile which is fine with me.
 
I hope the HPD is paying as close attention to this board as jeep boy appears to be.

Isn't it illegal to have a plate you can't read?