Detroit Cops Have Nothing Better To Do

Detroit cops have nothing much to do these days with the crime rate near zero, gang members spending most of their time holding hands and joining knitting clubs, the drug trade now just a trickle, no huge parties taking place down at Manoogian, and each and every driver on the road maintaining a speed safely within the limits.

So, lets find something for them to do with all that time. Better yet, lets find something for them to do that might generate a little needed cash for a city with, shall we say, a slight financial problem.

The city is way ahead of me, it seems, with a new city directive that will ask the police force to begin to levee $55 fines for unregistered bicycles. That ought to curb the activities of hardened criminals down on Gratiot.

From the Detroit News:

"This will assist with the identification of stolen bicycles," Detroit Police spokesman Officer Leon Rahmaan said.

The ordinance requiring bicycle registration, rarely enforced, has been on the books since 1964.

A Detroit Police press release issued Wednesday said: "Increased enforcement of the ordinance will ... take place citywide in order to ensure that any stolen property is returned to its proper owner. Enforcement will remain relaxed until Aug. 7, 2008, to allow bicycle owners an opportunity to register their bikes without penalty."

In a day and age where Detroit is recognized as one of the most crime riddled cities in the country, it is not the time to dilute law enforcement effectiveness by meandering off course into the policing of free, law-abiding individuals riding their Schwinns.

Bicycle theft is nothing to laugh about. Thieves deserve to be caught, fined and thrown in jail. I'm not so sure that a city that demands $55 from an innocent bicycler deserves a much better fate.