Taking out the trash....

In an editorial by an unnamed author in the American Statesman, the new Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo is cleaning up the old corrupt ways of the Department.
The citizens of Austin will be well informed by this editorial that police officers fired for bad conduct, will have a tougher time being re-instated. The unidentified author also goes on to say that favoritism; something which ran rampant under former Police Chief Stan Knee, will not be tolerated. No matter who the officer is, if the use of force is proved to be excessive, strict punishment will be implemented for the officer in question.
This editorial stems from the 2006 case of Austin Police Officer Griffin using excessive force on a 24 year old mentally ill man, at a bus stop. Joseph Cruz; the victim, received a broken nose as well as cuts and bruises from the altercation. The city of Austin was forced to pay the Cruz family $55,000 in the civil lawsuit that followed.
According to the author, Acevedo plans to clean out the current system by "establishing a higher standard for the conduct of Austin Police Officers." Also, Officers are required to attend training sessions, to assure that they are confident with the the disciplinary standards of the Department.
The author's credibility cannot fully be judged, since the author is not identified by the Austin Statesman. The fact that the editorial was published in an established newspaper does give the author some fair amount of credit. The author is fair when it comes to critiquing the department. One example of this is the suggestion that Officer Griffen should have accepted responsibility for his unprofessional conduct. Another is the author's claim that the previous Department's leadership was corrupt.
However, a slight hint of a biased feeling can be seen in the author's final paragraph. The author admits that controversy will always be possible, but to "put the past aside" and to not judge the Department, but embrace the new politics that are taking place inside the Department.
It is difficult to agree or disagree with the author. Only time will tell if Chief Acevedo can prove his word, or if he is just putting on a show because he is the new "Chief in town." At present, the editorial is agreeable, because it sets out to prove that change needed to take place in the Austin Police Dept. and that change will be taking place. Whether or not the Department will slip back into its old ways, remains to be seen.

Were doing better than the rest of the country...

The state unemployment rate is lower than the national average, according to an online article taken from KXAN, Austin. The website http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=9040396 gives a positive outlook for the current unemployment numbers. The devastation from Hurricane Ike is also cited as being a catalyst for job growth in the state.

Speaking of hurricane Ike, I found this article very fascinating. I'm not quite sure if everyone has seen the picture of the lone house in Gilchrist. It's pretty surreal just to look at, everything is completely destroyed, it almost looks as if a nuclear bomb went off. Here is the web address for the article. It comes from a CNN, IREPORTER, http://www.ireport.com/blogs/ireport-blog/2008/09/18/the-last-house-standing I'm willing to bet that contractor is going to be extremely busy now. Personally I'd like to shake the guys hand!