Is Douglasville ready for bus routes?

Almost everyone in Douglas County knows I’m against the new bus system proposed for the city of Douglasville. I have many reasons and this blog is not about my point of view. I want to share what others are saying. Give a different view point. I made an appointment to talk to Chief Sparks of the Douglasville Police Department, because his department will be affected greatly by this new system. Studies show that crime rises in the immediate area of bus stops. And, we know MARTA has to have their own police department because MARTA is riddled with crime. Our proposed system isn’t large enough to need an entire police department. My question is, how will this affect our police force and does the city have to pay for a county project? Most of the routes will be in the city limits.

I personally have been chastised, threatened and made fun of for my feelings about this proposed bus system. All the while, many officers have told me that crime follows bus routes. I’ve read reports from colleges and municipalities who correlate crime with bus stops. So, how will Douglasville address the issue of increased crime?

After a pleasant meeting with Chief Sparks, I am more perplexed than before about the cost to city tax payers. Chief Sparks said that there is no additional funds to cover any crime brought in by buses. He’s not concerned that crime will increase because of the bus lines. He said he’s operational and not political. It appears to me the city tax payers will be paying for any increase in crime the bus system brings for this county albatross.

However, we did have a good conversation and he informed me that the city has expanded his department by 4 officers. Chief Sparks said it takes up to 2 years to bring in a candidate and train them to point they are ready to do the job at hand. Chief Sparks also said his department will work to keep us safe, no matter what happens down the road. I know Chief Sparks and his department will do everything they can to make this happen. Community support for our police is important these days. We need to watch out for them as much as they watch out for us. Crime will never decrease unless we respect our law enforcement and each other.