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First Drug Dealers of Spring
As sure as the croci (crocus) peek out of the warming earth each spring, the recent warm spring day drew forth the first drug dealers from out of the woodwork to celebrate the Mt. Hope spring.
I spied the dealers at several locations along Camp Street, and yes, with my experience in Mt. Hope, I am able to tell the difference between "kids hanging out" and drug dealers plying their illicit trade.
The knuckleheads who spoil the quality of life for peaceful, law-abiding citizens also descended on Billy Taylor Park, opening their car doors and blasting profane rap music so loud my windows shook almost a block and a half away. I had to call the police.
And so spring brought my first pleasant encounter with one of Providence's finest (well, wannabe finest) Dispatcher # 22. I told her there was a disturbance up at the corner of Camp & Cypress and asked her to send a patrol car there. She asked what kind of disturbance, and I told her someone was blasting their car stereo at incredible volume. Dispatcher # 22, said, "That's not a disturbance." I said, "Well, it's a disturbance to me, it's disturbing the peace and is in violation of the noise ordinance." Dispatcher # 22: "We don't call that a disturbance, we call a fight a disturbance." I said, "I didn't call to argue with you about what to call it, call it a noise disturbance if you want, just send an officer up there, will you." Dispatcher #22: "OK, it's a noise disturbance, we'll send someone up there."
Of course I watched for an hour and I don't believe they ever sent anyone.
Question: Where do they find these people -- and they start them off at $27.00 per hour of our tax dollars.
Ah, spring time in Mt. Hope, I can feel my blood pressure already rising.
John Twomey
Posted at March 28, 2007 02:18 PM
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