Welcome to another edition of she's 2010. And Steve Macintosh our guest is Gordon fashion. Executive director of the Wichita crime commission -- initial -- Steve thanks for having us here to have you with us this morning long have you been director of the crime commission.
Well Joyce -- commission on the 21. Of June. This year. Bobby -- the previous executive director of retired after thirty years on the job so I think that hopefully this but the job security there. Like it or you do well prior to that I was the assistant chief of which saw police department. Also had been a police officer in garden city Kansas senate. A reserve deputy island city county campuses. So in addition to. Do my job interview PLO law enforcement experience post paternalism back just yet of several years of radio to. Just don't forget that beyond fact one of the some borrowed money by digs in the past was it was a Q and assess how -- your own pianist as one of our Entercom stations yes these courses and programs are 55 stations which -- really cool -- Or give us a little background Gordon a look on the crime commission for instance what is it yeah that's really one of the best kept secrets in tone unfortunately. I suppose that if I were to walk up and on the streets and approach you know hundreds of people and asked them what is the wish our crime commission and what did you do. Would be very lucky -- just a couple of people who really knew. The crime commission there's a nonprofit five holes so three C organization it's 50 NC tree. You -- came enters a suspect in 1952. In 52 to put things in -- context back in 1952. A senator Estes Kefauver in the US senate. Was very involved in exposing corruption in law enforcement around the country thousands a lot of corruption in new York and Los Angeles and Chicago. And so there crime commission's springing up all over the country at that point in time. In 92 due to a group of citizens here. And in which is -- got together and decided that. There needed to be a crime commission in our city is well. And to serve primarily as a watchdog over a law enforcement. Most of which are crime commission was born in 1952. And over the years that mission has remained isn't serviceable washed over the law enforcement. But also the crime commission's mission has evolved into one. Assisting law enforcement officers in the fight against crime. No we do a lot of things help law enforcement officers fight crime we're very involved. School resource officers. A lot of different projects. Businesses of the crime fighting men -- Of city county and -- to a government. -- the commission was a big supporter of that resource officers and a of course here in UST 259 that's a problem with a with a budget than most of all Ottawa don't the only the only school resource officers lost in UST 259 are those in the high schools. Of the derby has. The school resource officers sciences in -- Souter has -- school resource officers. And what we have done with the crime commission has done is decided began working with a crime commission back in June. Is rather than working only with the Wichita police department and sorrows. We've begun to work with these school resource officers and those of the -- police departments as well. Well it is and tell me about school resource officer obviously the crime commission is sold well. What they do an -- and why illegal where you know this is this is really use -- again that the public is probably not completely aware of my experience in working with the wiest and -- police department I worked very closely with -- with all Leo's our. Those. At that point they were in the middle schools who wished those school district as well as -- high schools. Pre school resource officers are probably. The community's best approach. To trying to be pro active in turning young people who -- from from bad decisions from from -- lifestyle. -- from moving. A negative -- so. School resource officers a mentor the kids in high school smell. They work with them to try to help develop some socially. Bigger les on between the school district in the kids and their appearance. Of the school resource officers primarily function. As a way to tries to help kudos builders also steam. And improve their life Intifada and about positive track and life. There there really very much a major asset as far as the community is concerned we have of course grown up been treated the same experience we had security carts. Sure sure it is and I never got to know very well there's a but assistant of course we all do immediately shift so we have to move the security guards union in the high schools and in bright with a high school which is in Corpus Christi Dallas Texas. A security guards where. We didn't really serve a function of mentoring or they didn't have all the much interaction their -- mostly reactive rather than proactive. Which is what the school resource officers to their mostly pro active in the works if you do. Are there any tax dollars in financing the crime commission know invest something that we're very proud of in the fifty -- existence of which -- crime commission. You organization has never taken one penny of tax dollars. In fact we have never taken even -- pennies worth of federal state or local Graham's money. We're completely privately funded. All of these the funding that comes in the crime commission has donated by its members of -- corporations and businesses in the community. What are things to a wanna point out a lot of folks have a way of fifty squeezing the crime commission which crime stoppers. Him do in -- to do do do organizations have very much parallel missions. Crime stoppers is all about helping people dead in their reaction to prime movers after the crimes occur this recurrence risk excess. Of the crime commission is all about trying to help prevent crime. In -- as soon as luck would have it back in May of this year I was elected vice chairman of the board of crime -- and and I was appointed to the executive director rob -- commissions or have a foot and each one of these organizations trying to target date. They parallel -- his crime stoppers part of their crime committed no there there actually parallel. There's a memorandum of understanding that exists between crime stoppers in the crime commission. The administrative assistant for the which are crime commission Julie power. Also serves as the administrative secretary for the crime stoppers organization. And when it comes to the do you organizations each one has its own separate board of directors. A crime -- borders about eighteen people who are voting powers. A crime commission's board is around 23 people who are voting powers. Although the crime commission membership is around 17577. Right now how do you get all the ports. Are you have to be elected by the membership and view your -- your nominated by by members of the crime commission to serve on the board. And then once that nomination process is closed and the as a membership of members of the board votes these people have been the nominees onto the board. The crime suffers board is another matter yes. We. -- we we we were always on the lookout for people in the community. Who are and who really want to to contribute want to do something and so on. That was responsible lights out of their nominated to have warning in the -- votes and membership on the border decision partnership. How often news these commissions meet. What the prime shoppers board meets every month which meets the second Tuesday of every month. The crime commission for the crimes covers board -- on the first Monday of every month. And we. And there are a lot of issues we discuss the way the crime commission functions primarily. Is by a series of committees. For example. We have a program was in the crime commission called make good choices. The make good choices committee is actually you actually oversees the operation to make good choices program. The same things we annual awards dinner we have a committee so that's. We eliminated we have some committee for the lock him up which is another program of the of the wish for crime commission and -- of what memberships missile. You have a fund raiser golf tournament coming up September 20 also we do you won't say why is going to be a fun gig of seven Teradyne not a country club outsider in -- We're limited to 36 teams. Right now we're doing. We're finishing signing up our teams. We've got some. A lot of folks playing and facts. And those roots. On. I think Donald hall and Jack Oliver from one of the sister stations senator Conrad replying to you Orion sure the other we've playlist seems well. That the purpose of the -- pretty good golfer are you really know you know Saddam. Polio or Jack says he has the -- what I understand Jack is going to be errors are entertainment -- yeah that he can do. We do the money is raised by the make good choices -- golf tournament goes to make choices program and to got to briefly describe the program. Each semester during the school year. School resource officers. Nominates young people of high schools. To go on field trips to area prisons. And the voters who is sort of like fuel scared straight program where they believe they are terrified kids who. They feel like can really benefit from understanding the importance of making good decisions. We charter bus we do them each lunch money. We takes him to all the radio we take some today on -- wind fields Hutchinson. Tutors correctional facilities. And once we get them there sooner their show around -- minute they get to experience life behind bars. Talking to the inmates. Who have. The ultimate experience of making bad decisions I think. You know he he needs some of them -- the kids who have colonies field trips BS series with a written afterwards. Or just heart wrenching about how we've really turned their life is -- around. So is of the -- good choices golf tournament bid assistance program. Is which is a wonderful program has been an effect now for several years -- And offices. Still love still not too late to -- to the phone number for plan -- a decidedly -- publisher 2671235. To 671235. And factor I think there's a link on the on the website so here it would committee and Kansas radio I'm Donna McKay -- an -- lawyers who -- on the website as well. Or should go to which are crime commission website. We choose www. Which is talk crime commission on orgy of vessels built up.
You're listening to issues Tony generally Entercom radio stations our guest this week is -- convention executive director. Of the Wichita crime commission and Gordon -- talk about some your programs and you've already talked a little bit. About the make good choices program are you free to say anything yet about getting free Wichita.
Yup in fact that's what they are really wanna talk about difficult with a history behind this whole I was -- which -- police department. About three years ago one of the board director Borough board members from the crime commission gonna minimum Mike Sweeney. Mike is a wonderful guy here at home as an overhead door company here in town. -- Mike came to me and said you know what we really need in Wichita. Is -- 24 hour hotline where people can call. Parents grandparents citizens -- anybody can call. To get information on gangs and to report gang activity include including graffiti on him and all currency gang activity. We worked very hard to try to pull that off. But is budget cuts from beginning to -- of the Wichita police department. Vis the department didn't have the year could could not spear of distressing. To staff his phone line 24 sevenths. So the project when someone dormant when I -- the crime commission Mike and I got together again restaurant talking about the project. And we decided -- rather than try and establish a 24 sevenths hotline. In Wichita would reduce through take all the resource information that we had. And put it on a page on the which -- crime commission's website. We created a web address called. Deng's free Wichita -- awards -- And when one goes to -- web address that you do links them up to all of this -- resource information. On the crime commission's website of his own. A wealth of information that are such as some. How parents can recognize behavior of their kid knows it may be leading toward membership in the gang I had to get him out of gangs. The warning signs so. Those things to do to -- their lives around loses -- A lot of good resource information and it's a gain free which it'll dot or GPA free which -- up -- date -- which sought -- orgy. By the -- flyers that we have wanted to rather -- aren't English Spanish and Vietnamese. -- it's up and running inches operating right now is up and running we just kicked it off this past week. In -- so we we launched the seeds of the actual project was launched on Friday. With a news conference City Hall in which saw police departments briefing room. Where we announced sees the launch of the project. Ends viewed through its many release saying students folks have to clear channel outdoor advertising image in the George police lines. If you're driving around and you see these digital billboards. Did the clear channel has nine digital billboards in in and around Wichita. And they have been flashing the web address of their in house and so lost Monday. And today it's as soon as a wonderful partnership between a lot of folks let's talk with some of the other programs if -- tell me about youth court. US court as a really interesting program it. The whole purpose behind used court is to help. High school students understand. The mechanics the workings. Of our judicial system. Big news soon primarily. The volunteers involved and in use courts are attorneys so in town -- rumor or young attorneys. And the sooner they get involved -- these high school students they have mock trials they have all kinds of great site experiences with them to understand. -- help you through judicial system works and insists this is in the five with a similar schools right now.
Well and you talk about it's something for for young people would. And there are a lot of adults who can benefit from that and I -- you don't -- booked up you talk to ten people out there -- nine of them have no idea. You know one of an arraignment is are preliminary hearing here and this is exactly use fingers do the I think you and I probably have a better understanding -- yeah exactly. But tell you we've all forgotten her civics lessons in days past you know high school services from Williams is longtime. Hit areas of we have another time -- were studying the Coolidge administration is a fantastic except it's available on line up but the the whole purpose behind you court is to give our young people. A better understanding used to house of judicial system works. Now and indeed it is interesting and that way horses. You know I don't think they understand that it's all very very organized and what you get in there. They're gonna take care of you I mean that and a probably a negative sense but forty if it's all very procedural Yahoo!'s a lot of there was a lot of true.
Edition of the law you know you go in fact it ended the laws always logical -- and in college head of the business law professor we were. He is likely to be one day you know class one day in and I raise my hand and I said. I'm doctor so and so that is that justices seem logical reason mr. vashem the law is rather logical nor -- the -- is a law yes if fact if that's the so we try to help. Young people understand exactly what the law does --
Is the court of justice or this is a court of law exactly exactly like -- are really. Let's talk about -- ten you'd like don't have earlier -- don't segue right into walking tall long champions -- many foreign lol what you're seeing is true leaders and achievers and winner of --
LEW SpinRite gave it really is an amazing programs for joining us now for for more than ten years. On each year -- what we do is we work decision becoming sheriff's office big Brothers big sisters and the Kansas army National Guard. We have got a sorry. About a 15270. Young people in the community. Who could really -- from mentoring me and from. Some good role models -- role models. We take the kids out totally Kasten and retrieve some camping. 43 nights and a four days and three nights. And I got to Saudia. It is an amazing thing to see most of these two is should never before been camping. Before they go camping we do a little survey to give their opinions of law enforcement officers in -- as -- which is six about cops and and sheriff's officers and deputies and things like set. And then afterwards we do the same survey all over again. To see everybody will some lose votes and it's amazing the results that we get from us from -- camp. Yeah in -- talked about it sounds to me like an old old fashioned a boy scout camp that we used to have but. Not all the kids are involved in boy scouts or girls -- exactly exactly and a lot of these communes of the of the local listings of the activities of -- do for example we have. We -- because flight etiquette. Raising the flags folding the flag lowering the slide. I went to fly the flags a lot of flag etiquette that that we we teach the kids. We teach them things. We have an obstacle course of Egypt Iran is this -- courses I don't know. True actual horses you and I would notices from the green berets is usually scaled down. We have the reviews of officers -- wars we looked into it climbing on the wall that the climbing wall. At the surgery can only wish all police departments and farms trading sort of -- climbing wall over there with the swat team Trace. And we helped them learn them do that it's all about building leadership is all about we we do some projects is all about building leadership. Helping them achieve certain goals. And and quick about -- the real structure may dual responsibilities. That -- up exactly you know what one of the bigger projects you have is the midwest conference on gangs and drugs -- me your address of this -- very very important conference from the standpoint of law enforcement. This classroom we had back in June was the sixteenth annual. Law enforcement to conference on gang and drugs. Law enforcement officers from all over Kansas in fact from all of the midwest. Come to this conference each year. To get the latest intelligence on gang and drug information. It's. It's a three day conference told the airport Hilton in Susie in early June. MB of the law enforcement officers are are trained. By year by agents from my DEA eighties from ATF we have a lot of different. Objectives of these officers trained for example was last all -- the conference I was healthier. Imminent took part in training officers on how to use social media to fight crime you'd be surprised many bad guys. Use of FaceBook and Twitter to. Probably wouldn't be surprised if the general -- notices this is some IQ -- if there was they would pass anyway but if there's an awful lot of of Intel and Intel that we provide the officers. From all over the midwest. The crime commission has a legislative committee usually commitment well we have just begun restructuring debt -- it was a bit dormant for a while. And now we were in the process of restructuring the committee. We made an arrangement with the Kansas association of chiefs of police. We Kansas sheriffs association in the Kansas peace officers association. All three of those entities have banded together. And they have a lobbyist who lobbies legislature on their behalf. With a crime commission is doing is now working with those organizations. To track. Bills to follow legislation. That would have some sort of an impact on law enforcement in Kansas. One of the things we will be doing this year is will be meeting with. Officials from the surgery county sheriff's office and the Wichita police department. To determine whether -- religiously division that is in before we feel like there's certain issues on the and we wanna try and influence the -- of course we will work through. These other entities to do that tell us about the crime prevention guide. The crime prevention guide is a really cool piece of piece of artwork -- who -- is who do some publication. It has all kinds of information on there -- about to how to prevent burglaries. How to Harden your home against burglars. Everything from. -- from what's called septa which is community policing through environmental design of the words. You wanna make sure these you have bushes around your home. You -- social ways as the bad guys can't hide in the bushes and who come out after dark to break into your home plant a lot of hall. Exactly I thought there were -- crossings with Forrest worked really well you know this the other thing is we we hope people understand. The importance of not leaving articles inside your car when you're shopping over the Christmas holidays. Bad guys walk through parking lots and we will look at says McCarthy senior person there. -- or iPod or cell phone or even a checkbook. We're gonna do still do what to essentially to break the window. And -- reach him and get it. Now Warren Wilson is like for example recently I was I was some officers we solve. Unemployment application. Sitting on the front seat of a caller. And it had this woman's name or address her date of birth Social Security number everything was he's -- these bad guys will do -- so take -- digital camera. They'll take a picture of the what is your break into your car while and again soon to seamlessly to another road going right nobody's been stolen bestselling goddess so the guy has a lot of really interesting and good information how can you get a confident. Contact -- crime commission you could go on you can send us an email at info. IN FO at -- crime commission top awards she's all spelled out. Or you can called even -- power or media to 671235. Users and one -- that's good way to get signed up for the golf course is exactly everywhere aside.
You welcome community involvement and no financial support this is a good place and a commitment to pitch for that. Yeah I really is one of the things is very position we are totally privately funded. -- through the funding to support to reject comes from the membership becomes -- public at large. There's a link on our website which is a PayPal link if you wanna contributor to crime commission you can go on their click on the latest totally secure. And make a donation and and obviously a person's gifted in the amount has really appreciated. Right again the phone number is 2671235. On the website it's www. Com which is talk crime commission -- and she told us to block on the golf tournament and let's keep in touch over the next few months sexy really appreciate it we can give the crime commission maybe a little more publicity as well I'd love it. Our guest this week -- bash him executive director of the Wichita crime commission. And that's all for this edition of issues twenty -- it will be back next week thank you for listing I think Steve Macintosh.
