Community Spirit

31 October 2008



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Detroit’s Citizens Fight Devil’s Night Arson

A couple of decades ago, a dreadful tradition arose in the city of Detroit, Michigan. The night before Halloween, abandoned buildings were set on fire on so-called “Devil’s Night.” At its height in 1984, the Associated Press says there were 810 fires reported from October 29 to 31. This year, the Detroit Free Press says “As of 10:30 p.m. [last night], Detroit had recorded 39 fires on Thursday, 11 of them suspicious, according to mayoral spokesman Daniel Cherrin. That number -- 39 -- is down 5 from last year.” A volunteer watch system has made the difference.

Detroit, of course, is a tough, iron-bashing town. People who reside there have a lot more street credibility than residents of San Dimas, California, or Clearwater, Florida. Detroit has also had a tougher time than most other American cities. The auto industry is dying, and it’s taking the city with it. It is a sign of a decaying society when arson becomes a form of entertainment, and conditions in the city have been decaying for decades. While no one can accept the arson, one understands that these conditions are fertile ground for such anti-social behavior

And yet, Detroit Fire Department Senior Chief Michael Votta told the press that arson officials were “jumping all night trying to keep up” but that the total was not unusual. Statistically, Detroit has about 60 fires in a 24 hour period. He added, “You're not going to see the heyday of the '80s.”

Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. said with due realism, “There have been some fires. It's not too far off the target for what we would typically see according to numbers in the past. There are larger numbers of abandoned homes . . . . So that means we definitely got our work cut out for us.”

The Detroit News wrote, “Detroit Police Chief James Barren, who patrolled in a helicopter, said ‘there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was good seeing all the yellow lights oscillating all over the city. It gives you a pretty secure, very secure feeling.’ The lights represented CB patrols and volunteers.” Some 35, 000 signed up to patrol their streets, and the city believes as many as 50,000 participated.

The Detroit News also wrote, “Donning a black Angels' Night cap, Tiffany Jewell proudly surveyed Kercheval [a district in Detroit] with an orange flashlight. The reason the 28-year-old city resident has patrolled for years? ‘I love my people,’ she said. 'We need to stop the crime’.” Detroit may be down on its luck, but it doesn’t appear to be down on its knees.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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