Mayor Langford bans Atlantic City police from patrolling casino parking garages

[The Straight Story]

Mayor Langford bans Atlantic City police from patrolling casino parking garages

ATLANTIC CITY — Mayor Lorenzo Langford prohibited police from patrolling casino parking garages, effective immediately, through an executive order Wednesday, nine days after law-enforcement officials introduced the patrols in response to the second fatal carjacking in 16 months in the resort.

Langford didn’t return calls for comment, having left his office by the time the order was read aloud shortly after the start of the City Council meeting 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The order, however, offers an explanation for the decision: the city government’s responsibility is to its residents, “first and foremost.” To maintain their confidence, public-safety agencies must stay visible and respond quickly, it said.

But some law enforcement officials said they believe the order is more likely the latest example of Langford’s indignation toward the way the Atlantic City Tourism District has played out.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/alerts_breaking/mayor-langford-bans-atlantic-city-police-from-patrolling-casino-parking/article_32dc285e-ef98-11e0-8076-001cc4c002e0.html

[Turbineguy]

1. I guess it's in the hands

of the free market now.

[47of74]

2. Sounds like Atlantic City has the...

...finest Mayor money can buy.

[msanthrope]

3. Good. The casinos can pay for their own security on their property. nt

[Edweird]

4. Probably because every place else has to pay for security. They can pay for off duty officers.

They can afford it.

[itsrobert]

5. Atlantic City is on Borrowed Time

Casinos coming to New York soon.

[FarCenter]

6. Racinos near Philly, in Yonkers, and casinos in the Poconos already

Christie screwed up big time by spending a bundle on Atlantic City and not putting in casinos at the NJ racetracks.

Atlantic City is not a "destination resort".

[JPZenger]

7. Mayor's order overturned yesterday by state judge

A state judge ordered the mayor to not interfere with deployment decisions by the Police Chief, thereby overturning the Mayor's order.

What is going on is a power struggle between Gov. Christie and the Mayor. The Governor is diverting funding from the casinos to an organization that will use the money to clean up and protect the casino areas, as opposed to investing in low income housing and other parts of the city.

There were violent carjackings in the huge parking decks of the casinos. Tourism officials were afraid that it would really hurt marketing, so they asked for a strong police presence.

Hopefully this current mayor will end up better than most of the previous mayors - almost all of whom ended up in prison (along with many members of City Council).

[kenny blankenship]

8. Do not fuck with the Carjacking Lobby.

[jwirr]

9. The casinos in our area have their own security patrols. The ones on

the outside of the casino ride little golf carts.