http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120929/NEWS02/709299916
Published September 29, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Town urges landlords to get tough on drug activity
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — A letter that Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston sent to three local landlords about their drug-dealing tenants is seeing some results.
Johnston said Thursday that all three landlords were working with the town to evict their tenants, who were involved in illegal drug activities, including dealing drugs.
By law, landlords may evict tenants who are involved in illegal activities, he said.
Johnston wouldn’t release the names of the landlords or their tenants. “All three have taken action on this. They’ve addressed the tenants,” he said.
He said that the eviction process has started in all three cases, and may have already been completed in one case.
“Tenants do have rights,” said the chief.
He said the three letters went out at three different times, and he said additional letters might be sent to additional landlords in the future.
Springfield’s war on drugs got new life this summer after an alleged attempted murder took place in downtown Springfield in an apparent dispute over drugs.
Since that time, the Springfield Police have assumed a higher public profile, particularly in the downtown area, with officers going on foot patrol almost every day.
The issue of the landlord letter came up at this week’s Select Board meeting, which again spent a fair amount of time on the police department and the town’s response to crime.
Town Manager Robert Forguites said state law allows the police chief to send a letter to landlords if there is evidence of illegal activity.
“You can’t snap your fingers. There’s a process you have to go through,” the manager said.
“This is the town’s attempt to respond,” said Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris.
Morris also appointed two Select Board members, Stephanie Gibson and Peter MacGillivray, to work with the police chief on involving the community in the town’s stepped-up efforts.
“We’ll brainstorm and come back to the board,” said Gibson.
The police department is currently understaffed, Johnston said, with two full-time vacancies. In addition, one officer is on medical leave from being injured while off duty, he said.
Springfield resident Ethan McNaughton had urged the board to establish a task force to get all interested people together to tackle the issue.
Johnston, who has lobbied the board for years to expand the department and create a drug detective, said he was open to any discussions.
“We’d love to sit down and talk to any board members,” he said.
Morris said the town had to address the violence and drugs that were afflicting the town. He urged the group to talk to other Vermont towns about how they were tackling the problem.
The police chief suggested that some organization, perhaps the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, would sponsor a workshop for tenants on having contracts with tenants. Contracts give the landlords more leverage in evictions, he said.
“I’m happy to look into that,” said Christian Craig, president of the Chamber, who has been active in urging the Select Board to address the crime issue.
Kudos to Chief Johnston for taking positive action. Finally, we are on the road of ridding ourselves of a repugnant element that endangered the entire community. Let this stand as a future reminder to those naive enough to embrace ethnic diversity as a cultural asset.
ReplyDeleteBehold the invisible empire, we have prevailed.
Yes kudos to every one let's shift the blame from the criminal(THE DRUG DEALER WHO DOES NOTHING FOR THE COMUNTY DOESNT PAY TAXES OR SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMUNITY)to a landlord who does everything legal including paying property taxes because he rented to someone that they thought were an honest person an then they let another person move in isn't it the responsibility of the police that if they have evidence of a crime to arrest them it is much easier to evict a persons who is charged with a crime than someone who is accused
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Mr. Yesman received a letter
ReplyDeleteI think the goal is to legally empower the landlord to evict a " ****** " tennant in a quicker faster more imediate kind of way. It is not the landlord's fault / in most cases, a landlord can't even kick out a drug dealing tennant in a timely fashion. Anything that stream lines this process would be great. It should go for non rent paying tennants too.
ReplyDeleteisnt that the truth, yes lets get after the land lords, give the poor cops a brake,, can tell cops about dealings but tis the land lord job to kick them out but it take up to 6 months or more to get them out, and its up to the land lords too pay court fees and shirft to deliver paper work, but tenant dosent have to pay anything
DeleteDoes Springfield have a Bonded Sheriff ? Yet....
DeleteHow about waiving fees on the eviciton process.
Sure would help if you didn't have to take all day and drive to Woodstock everytime you need to deal with the eviction process.
All this on a whim your tennant might be breaking the law...
If the cops can send a letter, then they can help out in several other ways.. and probably will too. No, it's not the landlord who needs to "gun up". Never take the Law into your own hands.
Perhaps the system can expedite the process and extend grants or funds to The Town of Springfield for aquiring a Bonded Representative for the delivery of court eviction paperwork.
Well, it looks like the mob of citizens showing up at the Selectboard meeting had an impact. The Town has finally implemented the strategy recommended to them months ago by young professionals that requested action including pointing out to the Chief of Police the statute in question and pushing the Town to send out the letters. Great to see they are having an impact on getting this Selectboard and administration off their collective duffs.
ReplyDeleteIf there is evidence of drug activity going on in these arts then the police should take it upon themselves to do there job in protecting the community an ARREST THE CRIMINALS an not to push it onto some one else the only thing with evicting them is they will move some were else maybe next to you instead of in jail where they belong
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that we have not been able to drive the drug dealers out of town simply by the arrests. That is partially out of the control of the local police because of the deals the States Attorney makes. However, this is something that we have some control over and it hopefully will be effective. If they find another slum lord who will rent to them, then we repeat the process until they are driven out of town. This remedy alone won't solve the problem, since it is partially dependent upon the States Attorney. The Town also will need to consider nuisance suits and start enforcing the building codes more stringently as some out of town slum lords may not be willing to cooperate. It only takes one to create a drug den.
DeleteThe police must know who the dealers are an there is nothing stopping them from keeping a presence in that area if you make it hard for them to conduct business then they will find some where else to go but since it appears that they can do almost what they want within this town they will stay an you can continue to blame other people for it but I do Belive there was a town meeting about gangs an our police department said we only have gang banger wanna be's
DeleteWell, in theory that is great BUT- let me point out one thing. There was an arrest on Valley St. The article was posted here on this site.
DeleteExplain to me WHY in Gods name the police let two drug dealers go, before their investigation they were conducting was finished, the drug dog came and found large amounts of heroin where these two were coming from stashing it, and OUR TOWN BOYS IN BLUE let them go. Only to turn around and have to make warrants for their arrest later once they discovered the drugs.
This is the kind of incompetance and bull that should be brought to the attention of the public, it should be addressed and these town leaders should be held accountable for their actions, and YES the states attorney NEEDS to be given a re-check by the public as to who employs him. Last time I checked state taxpayer money did. Which means he is accountable to the taxpayer. So until everyone places their calls to the attorney generals office complaining about the state attorney is ineffective, until a group contacts the media and has stories written exposing the system and until someone challenges the town with their "facebook" town policy nothing will ever be accomplished.
And by all means...Please let the Christian Craigs know that they couldnt make a go of a business so as usual they need an excuse as to why they are ineffective at chamber of commerce work! Little man complex....LOL
Anonymous 10/2/12 8:03 AM, I agree with you that on the face of it, it does appear that the police screwed up, however, that depends in part on whether the reporters got the facts straight. But, we should not expect that the local police, even if they had quality leadership (which they don't) will be able to solve the drug/gang problem. It requires a multi-pronged approach which includes getting tough on the people that are providing them living quarters with both building inspections and nuisance suits, and probably eventually eminent domain proceedings. And there does appear to be a problem with the States Attorney. I do not agree, however, that a Town Facebook page is the place to air all of our dirty laundry -- people have a full opportunity to vent on this blogspot and it is having an impact. In addition several groups have opened Facebook pages to address the problem. Christian Craig and Ethan McNaughton appear to have been at the forefront of the push to get something done about the drug dens, but the solution needs to be local and it is not advanced by airing dirty laundry on the Town's official FB page.
DeleteWell, here again they were forced to act by the citizens and now they want to silence those voices because it makes them have to account to the public for their actions. THAT is why they dont want comments on the police website. One step forward and 15 backwards
ReplyDeleteNothing is stopping the comments here, but there is no need to publish some of the moronish comments on an official Town website.
Delete@ 7:56 so now Facebook is an official town website.?
Deleteyou're the moron.
Yes, the police department facebook page is an official town website. It is even labeled as a Governmental Organization.
DeleteSpringfield's other official town website is so archaic it is useless.
Actually, a Facebook Page IS NOT in any way shape or form an "official town website". To be an official town website the town would need to create, pay for a server and upkeep of a page not ride on the back of a social network and their is a BIG difference. So to be politically correct it can say or classify them as royalty that does not make it so.
DeleteSo I don't think that the Chamber president or the select board have a leg to stand on. Further, I believe that facebook requires 15 complaints and they will pull a page from a group or person. I suggest you send complaints to them.
Just remember, Al Capone went to jail for tax evasion not for his involvement in bootlegging and the murders of rival gang members. Create an enviroment that is hostile for the illegal activities and maybe that will have a positive impact for Springfield.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree.
DeleteNow that is a plan but that's not what people like to do they like to shift the blame then if it works in there favor take the credit
DeleteFinally, someone comparing the criminal thieves of this neglected town to Al Capone.
DeleteLet's send S.O.M. and the S.R.D.C. to JAIL for tax evasion, fraud, hazing, 10,000 instances of ignoring the golden rule, and embezzelment.
and several past and present SelectBoard Members and Several Town Employees.
DeleteShould have an article....
ReplyDeleteLandlords urge Town to get tough on wasted tax monies.
great idea, you must be a Flatlander.
DeleteSpringfield should have a "non-profit" group that distributes tax money, grant money, and other aid.
It is complete HOGWASH to have "non-profits" that get 100% of the available tax money, grant money, and aid and SPEND IT ON THEMSELVES, THEIR OWN PROJECTS, and THEIR OWN FRIENDS.
and it is even funny to see a non-profit prostitute a parkinglot otherwise patrolled by a parking nazi
Time to BREAK these CHAINS of SLAVERY
We are in a war to take back our communities. I guess there is no need to say we tried to tell the select board and the police about these problems years ago and they poo poo'd everyone.
ReplyDeleteHeadline in Vermont Today.com-Oct 3, 2012
"Police arrest 9, seize drugs and cash"
CHESTER — Authorities have arrested nine people on drug possession and distribution charges after seizing drugs and cash worth nearly $50,000 from a Chester apartment.
Chester police and Vermont State Police on Tuesday seized $18,000 in cash, heroin with a street value of $20,000, crack cocaine worth $6,200 and OxyContin pills valued at $4,000. They say the raid followed a monthlong investigation.
Nine people are being held in jail in lieu of bail and more arrests are expected. Police say a 3-year-old child found at the apartment has been turned over to child welfare authorities.
Looks like Springfield isn't the only community with the problem, we are just more vocal about it.
DeleteWell, here is my question and frankly a big concern. A similar situation happened two weeks ago here in Springfield on Valley St. (see older posts/articles on this blog) A similar amount of heroin was recovered from the residence on Valley, along with some domestic violence. There was a child involved in that case also yet when left up to the Springfield Police, the child was not removed by DCF. Why is it that in chester w/their police and the staties, they knew enough to have the child removed yet Springfield did not.
DeleteA dangerous situation occurred in the Springfield house, does not matter whether the mother was arrested or not. the law reads "child endangerment" so rightfully as an officer of the courts and law they were obligated to have that child removed. They don't get an opinion on whether they feel it is safe or not. If violence and or drugs occurred, that child was being endangered unequivocally. THIS is a REAL problem with both Springfield police and the town in general. They bend the law to suit themselves.
Interesting point. And were there not children involved when they searched the house across from Union Street School and found drugs and guns?
DeleteAethelred @ 10;29 I think what carries through here is the close proximity. The select board should be reaching out to chester and sharing what they are doing here to work hand in hand to keep these people moving away from us. For that matter they should be reaching out to BF, Charlestown, and Windsor so that each town can work and share information to push those dealers elsewhere. The point wasnt other towns having the problem but rather it spreading out. This push will work for our towns ONLY if each town pushes the States Attorney to prosecute to the fullest to set the tone.
DeleteHELLO SELECT BOARD ARE YOU HEARING THIS!!!!