Posted by: Please use your spell check... on April 17, 2008 4:26PM EST It is existence...

Posted by: rhonda on April 17, 2008 6:29PM EST In existence? How much more evidence does the city council need? Look at the marked territories and the violence!! Everyday there is more and more!! Boo to Kemp for doing away with the Gang Unit!! They need to be rehabilitated and the gangs need to be ran out of town!! They are here because we tolerate their activities!!

Posted by: Pastor Marvin Barner on April 17, 2008 6:29PM EST The authorities need to really clamp down on the activity, we know that it has been recognized and true traffic control is a important issue but the crime/gang issue is much bigger, and can escalate to an even bigger problem as it has here in Clarksville. They need to really CLAMP down and stop trying to asses the issue, there are gangs there, I have helped convert many of the members to productive lives. To ignore the problem will not help, they only address it if it touches their own rich and well off neighborhoods.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 17, 2008 6:51PM EST The fact that you have to ask is evident that there is a gang problem. Hopkinsville is nothing more than a drug infested city and I would urge any one with young children to get out leave and raise their family in a different city. I hate coming home to visit because all the fun memories are gone and now there is only destruction and devastation there. I hate HOPTOWN,KY

Posted by: Mr. Know It All on April 17, 2008 7:37PM EST There have been gangs in Hoptown for a while now. Why is this surprising? The problem is that the city doesn't want to call it what it is because it hasn't reached into the "right" community yet. As long as gangs in the "other" community continue to kill each other at the rate that its happening, don't expect the city to acknowledge it. As soon as it trickles down to a certain segment of the population, then you'll see mayors, police chiefs and other city leaders cry foul. What am I talking about? If you haven't guess it, the black community has been screaming for years that it needs help to get control of this situation and no one has done anything to attempt to fix this problem. ...so we wait...and wait, while people die and we're left scratching our heads, asking questions we shouldn't be asking. Wake up folks! The answer has been staring you in your face...

Posted by: Anonymous on April 17, 2008 7:42PM EST Yes, it’s pretty obvious that there are gangs here. Many say they are “wannabe’s”. Think about, it takes “wannabe’s” to form a gang. The definition of gang is: A youth gang is commonly thought of as a self-formed association of peers having the following characteristics: three or more members, generally ages 12-24; a gang name and some sense of identity, generally indicated by symbols such as clothing style, graffiti, and hand signs; some degree of ... Sounds familiar to me! So yes we have gangs! Bring the Gang Unit back. Hire more cops or whoever is needed to bring this back! Patrol the streets more, particularly the higher crime neighborhoods. When a crime happens such as with the Carlos Merritt case check the criminal’s background, if they have gang markings or if they have been identified previously as a validated gang members then throw the book at ‘em! Judges need to allow gang evidence to be allowed into trials - again such as with Carlos Merritt. It seems like the cops pretty much do their job. They make the arrest but the attorneys plea them out or the judges are too easy on them. It’s going to talk the entire legal force to get serious and get strict on gang activity. Cops, keep going out and arresting. Lawyers, don’t plea them out or ask the judge not to allow gang related evidence into the trials and judges toughen up and lay the law down!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on April 17, 2008 8:12PM EST YES THERE IS GANGS HERE. WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE TO STEP UP . NOT ONLLY IS THERE GANGS IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT IT EVERYWHERE. HOPKINSVILLE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN WITH VALUES , MORALS. AND RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. AS WE KILL EACH OTHER OFF WHAT DO IT ACCOMPLISH IN THE LONG RUN . BOTH FAMLIES ARE HURT AND HAVE LOVE ONES TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. NO MATTER WHAT ONLY DIFFERENT IS ONE WILL NOT EVER COME HOME AGAIN

Posted by: Anonymous on April 17, 2008 10:15PM EST DUH! IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIOUS TO FIGURE OUT THERE IS GANGS IN HOPTOWN. I THINK THE CITY SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB ON GANG ACTIVITY. I KNOW THEY ARE NOT THAT DUMB. THEY THINK IF IT ISN'T BOTHERING THEM WHY WORRY WITH IT. WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT STARTS HAPPENING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. OH YEAH THEY ALL FOR THE GANG UNIT. I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE FUNNY FOR THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH GANGS, THEN THEY WOULD GET HOW IT FEELS. I THINK WE NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS. GET REAL PEOPLE THERE ARE GANGS AND WANNABES!!!!!

Posted by: Iwillbhigh on April 17, 2008 11:15PM EST The thing I love about this question is the fact that you have 60 or 70 comments on a disussion about an idiot and the shirts he makes glorifying the killer in the recent homocide trial, yet no one wants to address this question straight out. People in this area are pure idiots. Gang activity is prevalent in this area thanks to the NAACP and to Mr. Banks. They, like Dan Kemp refuse to admit that there is a problem although it is for totally different reasons. The city's stance is that there are no Gangs because it interferes with the Chamber of Commerce and their "Community Vision Plan", and as most know Kemp is a huge proponet of the Chamber and whatever they want to do. So by saying that gangs are bad for business and disbanding the Gang Task Force, he is hoping that they will just go away. He is also big into the "Broken Windows Theory", which in short says that if you do away with the petty crime that the bigger crimes and the elements committing them will disappear as well. In order for that theory to even have a chance to work you need twice the police force and a helluva lot more decent paying jobs then exists in this town. You also need a foundation of a decent school district to draw future employees from. Guess what???? We have none of the above, so everything he does to avoid the problem only allows it to grow in size. Mr. Banks on the other hand denies Gangs from the racial point of view and because of trickle down economics in the hood. He vehemently denies the existence of gangs, and claims that the police department is targeting Black youth for the mere fact that they are black and hanging out in a group. He apparently has a hard time dealing with the truth and denies any facts that are shown to him. He also doesn't want the plate coming up short on Sunday and if gangs truly do exists then where is his money for the church gonna come from seeing as how the Bangers may not be attending but they give the family money to put in the plate. Like I said before "When the real facts are seen by the public and the gang stuff is proven beyond a doubt Mr. Banks looses all credibility because he has not taken a proactive stance, he would rather sit back scream racism, racial profiling and deny, deny, deny, instead of being part of the solution. He has been asked by more then one group to participate in trying to solve the problems at hand but would rather count the collection plate CASH then to actually be a respectable community leader and deal with a major problem in this community. I say thank you to the Christian County Sheriffs office, who has taken over the gang task force and thank you to the Christian County Community League for taking a proactive stance when it comes to violence and gangs in the area. At least some people want to make a difference and help people who won't even help themselves. It sickens me that people get on here claiming that a banger didn't deserve to die like they did or when a mother gives an interview acting as if junior was salt of the earth. We can all see that no one wants to do or say anything until their loved one and that wad of cash they always have, dissappears. Everyone knows junior is dealing or bangin' yet they don't turn him in. Why is that???? MONEY is the reason, if junior pays for mommas new porch or buys her some nice clothes or gets little brother a car or some new rims then it's all o.k. until junior gets killed because he danced with the devil a little to long. My advice to the "THUG LIFE" Community would be to aspire to do something with your life other then bangin' and dealing because in the end, very few people retire voluntarily from either and even fewer grow old doing them. If the gang bangers put as much energy into planning a college career and getting good grades in school as they do avoiding police or trafficing drugs they would all compete for validictorian of their respective classes. This whole thing is rather surreal in that the gangs are in plain sight and yet people still deny that they even exist in the area. Wake up Hoptown or before you know it your houses will be in the middle of a turf war and you won't have anywhere to go except to the floor when the bullets start flying. Then I want to hear ya deny it.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 3:19AM EST I haven't lived in Hoptown since 2001, when I left there was a big gang problem then, and had been for years before that. If you have to ask the question, you will never know the answer. The real question is, what to do about it?

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 4:15AM EST gangs aint that serious here....ya'll act like we live in compton.....yea they might exist but if it was that much of a problem as small as hopkinsville is wouldnt we have more homicides????? ya'll got to be some ignorant people for real.....think about this.....why did it take some murder case that was so supoosly gang related for people to even all of a sudden wanna do something about a gang problem......my question is WHAT IS THE PROBLEM THAT THESE SO CALLED GANGS ARE CAUSING???? and i thought if something is gang related there will be more than one person involved....it is a GANG isnt it??????

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 8:53AM EST How about instead of throwing everybody in prison we stop the enforcing the federal tax code let parents have some money to spend to get their children in some programs that currently exist or to fund new ones. I'm sure big brothers/sisters could use some volunteers, ymca always can use more funds to expand I'm sure there are others. You people think that throwing everybody in prison is the answer ? The city must be in bad shape to need that kind of funding... You all disgust me.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 10:16AM EST OKAY, SO THERE ARE MANY THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT SO FAR... I DONT SEE A LOT OF THE GANG PROBLEMS IN HOPTOWN B/C I CHOOSE NOT TO. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARENT THERE. WHOEVER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM JUST CAME UP B/C OF THE MERRITT TRIAL IS WRONG-ITS BEEN BROUGHT UP MANY TIMES & WAS JUST BROUGHT UP AGAIN B/C OF THE IGNORANCE OF THE JUDGES BY NOT ALLOWING GANG COMMENTS IN THE TRIAL. IF THE NAACP WOULD GET OFF ALL THE RACIST CRAP THEN MAYBE SOMETHING WOULD BE DONE. LIKE THERE ARENT WHITE PEOPLE IN GANGS? YOU DONT HEAR ABOUT THE KKK RAISING HELL ABOUT IT DO YOU? I MEAN COME ON... BLACK/WHITE/HISPANIC.. WHATEVER! A GANG IS A GANG! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DARE PROGRAM & THE GANG UNIT? WE NEED THOSE BACK!!! ITS NOT ALL UP TO THE CITY TO GET RID OF GANGS. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER IN THE COMMUNITY. IT STARTS WITH THE PARENTS HERE... WHY ARE WE ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN TO GET INVOLVED IN THESE THINGS? WHERE DID SOME OF THESE PARENTS LOSE CONTROL? THATS WHERE WE NEED TO START.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 11:06AM EST Good! We have taken the first step. We have admitted there are gangs in Hopkinsville. Now, we just have to find out how the cities that have been successful in dealing with gangs have approached the problem. Hopkinsville can be a great community.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 1:53PM EST All you have to do is watch your teenagers and their language they use to know there are gangs in Hopkinsville. It amazes me that the Hopkinsville City Council, Mayor, Board of Education, and oh by the way the Chamber of Commerce (which should not be in this anyway) will not get their heads out of their butts long enough to listen to the citizens or they just don't care as long as they draw a paycheck. What was Mr. Tribble's quote when he was paid $10,000.00 to attend a meeting, "My time is worth something for sitting there." That is taxpayer money that could be used to pay additional man hours to the police department or street unit. Too many elected officials have been in office somewhere or another for too long. It is time to oust these people who are just there for the money and the "bragging rights".

Posted by: Former Citizen on April 18, 2008 9:27PM EST Stop the drug problem in Hoptown and you stop the gang problem. Drugs are at the base of the entire problem. If you read articles in the KNE about who has been indicted through the court system, if 20 names are listed, 18 of them will be indictments for drug-related crimes of some fashion. That fact, in itself, is an amazing statistic for a city that size. Then you have this fiasco with the Merritt trial. The judge, the attorneys, and everyone else associated with that trial have already set the precedence for lunacy that cannot be corrected. I used to be proud to come home to Hoptown to visit but not anymore. Like I said in the beginning, stop the drug problem and a lot of this other "stuff" will go away.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 18, 2008 10:05PM EST Clamp down hard on criminals, gang related offenses or even association with such activties should automatically double the jail time. Dont cry when the crimnial is only 14 years old, we need to get tough and send a message. Right now that message is that if you are young, black and poor, someone from the NAACP will have your back and get the charges reduced or dropped! Take a stand, take our city back!!

Posted by: Anonymous on April 19, 2008 9:54AM EST How could you NOT know there is a gang problem in Hopkinsville?? As so many of your readers have already mentioned, bringing back your gang unit is one solution (HELLO??? WHY WAS IT EVER TERMINATED?) We also have a military base in our backyard, why dont you work out a win/win agreement where they could help patrol or let their presence be seen in some of the worse areas of town. There should also be a zero tolerance law at the school for any gang related issues@wearing know gang bandanas, hats etc, gang signs being used, or any drugs or weapons being found on their person, locker or cars. Turning your head and closing your eyes obviousely is not working and it is time to step up your efforts

Posted by: Anonymous on April 19, 2008 11:00AM EST I left Hopkinsville for college a couple of years ago, and hearing the issues going on in the city here recently has proven to me that nothing has been done in the city in taking steps towards improvement. "Iwillbhigh" makes several strong points, the one I agree with the most being young and involved in gang activity. There is no excuse for someone not putting the time in improving their life. My family has had several issues in coming up with money at certain points. So I did what people have done in the past, I got a job. Throughout high school I understood that it was going to be on me to make sure my college would be taken care of. I was an honor graduate who now does not have to worry about increasing tuition because I am on scholarship at UL. Through desperate times I made it through it all because I want my life to get better. Just to point out something really quick though. People try to downplay gang activity saying that violent crimes are low, but Hopkinsville has a violent crime rate around 4.6 acts of crime per 1,000 people. Do the math folks, it's a bad situation in comparison to the population size. The rates in Hopkinsville surpass the rates of Kentucky by far ever year. The property crime rates are even worse. It is honestly a shame that I do not have a home city worth talking about. Several of my friends are from both Louisville and Northern Kentucky, and the stories of their experiences differ greatly from mine. I have stories like school lock downs and having to skip my sophomore year homecoming because the school was afraid of the gang activity going on. Why would I want to come back to this? The census shows a decrease in population every year since the year 2000. I truly believe that people fear living in Hopkinsville now. They are tired of poor administration decisions (the multi-million dollar joke of a water park has been a hit now hasn’t it) and sharp declines in the education system. I was fortunate enough to get out. And at this rate I cannot see myself coming back.

Posted by: Iwillbhigh on April 19, 2008 1:16PM EST 11:00 a.m. Very strong post and and good for you all around you should be proud to know that you were in control of your life. I think you owe your mamma and daddy a big thank you as well for instilling such self drive and pride. Something most kids in this area know nothing about because they lack a parental figure who even cares, in their life. To say that you won't come back to your hometown only perpetuates the situation that already exists. As this area is in desperate need of people who have left and made something of themselves to mentor the youth in the area. To the poster at 9:54 a.m. I would like to say something that very few will admit and that is the military is the main reason we have gangs in this area. The influx of the diverse population that the military brings into the area is riddled with former and current gang bangers their influence is far reaching in the community. So if the military wants to help they could start by screening for these gang bangers before they ever let them in.

Posted by: anonymous on April 19, 2008 2:49PM EST If everyone is so afraid ..why not start neighborhood watches and each person or persons take turns walking the neighborhood at night . Make sure the police know in advance what your doing. You might want to elect a neighborhood chief so to speak to report into . Have a neighborhood watch meeting at least once a month to report the progress you have made . I think everyone would sleep better at night if you did. Just a suggestion to think about.

Posted by: SGT-D on April 19, 2008 3:01PM EST There was a recent community survey done by the local Chamber Of Commerce that focused on how our residents regarded crime abd how good or bad the city looks. We got to see a digest od some of the results. Most people thought that the city looked very bad and that 50% of those who took the survey said that they had some kind of crime that was committed against them. The results of the survey was very bad for our community and should be a wake up call that there is now and has been tremendous deterioration of our local social fabric. I read our paper every evening and it saddens me to see just how far we have slipped in every social and economic category. I was fortunate to be a small business person in Hopkinsville from the mid 60s to the mid 80s. These were good time for Hopkinsville as most of the businesses were locally owned and how we all knew that if we treated our customers well, they would keep us in business. This worked for a very long time and then, for some reason Hopkinsville's economy just seemed to fall apart as local business people began to close up shop. Back then it seemed that our crime rate was not anywhere where it was today, wages and benefits were actually much better than they are here today. Our police and elected officials were much more effective than what we see today. We went from a very prosperous town that brought in many people from out of town to to a backwater where most local people leave to shop. As the town declined so did the money that was needed to keep things stable. In the end, we ended up with serious economic and crime problems that are not being addressed. It looks like our problems are almost to overwhelming to even begin to address. I hate to see what has happened th Hopkinsville. I had a great run in various businesses for about 25 years. Most of those years were very good ones, but all of it has been gone with the wind a long time ago. I hope we get the gang and crime problem under control, but looking at recent events, there is ample reason to believe that nothing will be forthcoming to change in any meaningful way.

Posted by: anonymous on April 19, 2008 4:23PM EST i used to work for DJJ in hopkinsville you have a lot of gangs in that town a lot of them are juvs selling crack i lived in hopkinsville most of my life i called hpd a bunch of times about crack dealers they were not interested in hearing or doing anything about it what does that tell you crooks don't stop crooks

Posted by: For info on April 19, 2008 5:50PM EST If anyone is interested and serious about wanting to make a difference in our community about gangs, drugs, and juvenile crime issues, you may contact the Christian County Community League via e-mail to get more information and updates: CCCL@housingah.org

Posted by: Anonymous on April 19, 2008 7:30PM EST Gangs are very much in existence here.I think classes about the awareness need to be introduced to local schools. The police needs to crack down on them harder and maybe look for funds for a special gangs unit.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 20, 2008 7:15AM EST 1. Community awareness appears to be an issue...most citizens of Hopkinsville hear only statements of gang existence, what these gangs are doing in actuality is unknown. Why is every "crime" blamed on gang activity? 2. Why is everyone lambasting public officials? No matter who is doing the job, the job can't be done optimally without community feedback and support for these officials. I agree that some of our city government positions are filled with persons who may have different agendas of their own, but most come into the position with hope of making positive changes for the community, but without the support of other officials and the community they can quickly become jaded and burnt out. 3. I believe that increased community awareness, educating our youth all through the early years, providing good examples for these youth, involving parents, teachers and counselors, and allowing for opportunities for growth for our youth would go a long way in preventing future involvement in violence and crime. 4. Discipline that impacts is non-existent in society now. Spanking in school is considered abuse, parents in public can't deliver punishment because of "mental and physical abuse". I am not condoning physical restraint, bodily injury, etc.. but whatever happened to teaching children acceptable behaviors by example first and then by using appropriate to the situation punishment when example fails? 5. I think everyone should take responsibility for their own actions and for teaching solid values of same to their children.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 20, 2008 9:17PM EST yes there are gangs here i hate living here anymore . i have 2 teenage boys and iam tired of the school system here as well . cchs is a bad school to send your kids to there is more saleing of drugs there and on the streets here as well . my kids are good kids but if one was to try and join a gang i would have the arrested at once . hoptown needs to have more here for the youth to do not just going to church on sunday . they need to give these young people part time jobs and keep them busy and proud to live here . the major needs to take a long walk in the bad areas of town and get off there butts and do what they say they will do . make the bad areas look good again . make a force that will walk the streets and help the police get these bad ass want to bes off the streets for good . its funny as well that the judges here in town will arest a crack person and then let them go free in one day whats up with this ?... stop giving up on the kids and people do something now iam a mother and belive me if more familys got in and started walking around in the right areas and opening there mouths and doing whats right in turning these kids in maybe they would learn that we mean what we are saying .

Posted by: Rodrugg on April 21, 2008 12:35PM EST There is gangs here BELIEVE ME. I seen them all the time. This kid down the street has tattoos and guns and goes all around with these other kids drinking and destroying. Of couse we has gangs here. We need to get rid of these gangs before they get our kids and suck them in and blow them up. We need to teach our kids with morals and values and Jesuses before it is too late. This is so much a problem I can't believe anybody even asks that question. Just look outside at what is going on or whatever.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 21, 2008 2:32PM EST Gangs are nothing more than domestic terrorists and should be considered as such. Entire neighborhoods are being held hostage by gangsters and/or drug dealers. Parents are afraid to let their children play in their own yards. Witnesses are afraid to testify in open court due to threats. This is crosses all races, colors, economic backgrounds and geography. We either stand up for our freedom or let lawlessness prevail. Does anyone pay attention to court records and how many cases are drug related? Drugs and gangs go together. So, let's deal with the problem. I don't know about you but I want to be able to enjoy Hopkinsville not live in fear or be a coward. Let's stand together and make Christian County a miserable place to commit crime.

Posted by: Anonymous on April 21, 2008 5:08PM EST Hopkinsville may not be a s infested with gangs as the big cities are but its plain to see its a problem as is drugs,until this is recognized and delt with by our fine upstanding leaders in this city nothing will be done.But as to what i think about it is there will always be problems here and everywhere you go as long as you have less jobs and drugs and greedy people there will always be PUNKS who think they can get anything they want.At least when Dillard was sheriff he kept the dealers in check.

Posted by: Charles Harris on May 5, 2008 8:22AM EST My Grandfather used to say, "When you get tired enough of it, you'll know what to do!" Apparently, we're not tired enough of it, yet.........

Posted by: Anonymous on May 24, 2008 4:19PM EST Anyone who says this town is not ate up with gangs is an idiot. No it is not Compton but with the size of Hoptown it is still a problem. The reason why there has not been a bigger problem is because all the wanna bes that are trying to be part of the problem have bad aim. There have been many nights the EOC recieved shots fired calls where someone has tried to do a drive by and luckily they sucked with their aims. Listen to your police radios I know all you people in Hoptown have one so you can keep up with those badass kids you do not raise right. Yea I think prison is an answer but not after 15 timesw of getting in trouble. We should follow the 3 strikes laws some states have or do like Lyon county, 1st offense for drugs, dui, robbery etc is automatic 6 months in the pen. You people need to wake up and see the world for what it has become, it is not the little safe world of no spankings and talking to your child and they will be perfect.the ass whoopings your parents gave you as a kid and made you a decent person but somewhere in your demented minds decided it was abuse. I know the difference, I was whooped as a child. I have never spent jail time, I finished school , good job married and raised kids of my own who got the same ass whoopings I got. They have never been to jail, they are married with good jobs and wonderful citizens. They both tell me they thank me for being the strict mother I was. God Bless the Parents Who Drugged Us... The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question: "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?" I replied, "I had a drug problem when I was young... I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather. "I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me. "I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flowerbeds. I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor souls who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed. "Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place. "God bless the parents who drugged us, and to those of us who drugged our kids. "

Posted by: noneya on September 8, 2008 4:50PM EST all y'all r stupid they r here so what no one cares they r in the hood part of hoptown, not the rich part. hoptown iz racest they don't care. we r lil chicago, but you respect them, they'll respect u. u don't like it stay out the hood .......... 74