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Showing posts with label Mark Sanders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Sanders. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2015
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| A panel of experts on heroin and opiate addiction talked with and fielded questions from the community Wednesday night at Lockport High School. From left, are Kevin Newman, Bill Watson, Joe Claypool, Laura Jowly, Jessica Sherman and Mark Sanders. Not pictured is LPD Chief Larry Eggert. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS) |
By +Scott Leffler
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
About 40 people turned out for a forum Wednesday evening on heroin and opiate addiction at Lockport High School — hoping to find a cure for what ails the city.
 |
Jessica Sherman of Kids Escaping Drugs talks
with an audience of about 40 Wednesday night
at Lockport High School.
|
The entire panel agreed that the crisis has reached a level of being an epidemic.
Laura Jowly, director of the outpatient chemical dependency program at Horizon Health Services, said that there were 1,950 drug-related deaths in Niagara County in 2012. Of those, nearly half — 914 — were from opiates.
"Every family is affected by this," said Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert.
"We're working out best to try to combat this," said LPD Det. Kevin Newman. "But it's totally out of control."
The problem with opiate addiction is multi-pronged, panelists said, starting with the fact that it's easy to obtain, easy to use, and doesn't come with the stigma of other drugs.
Jowly explained people often get addicted to opiates — like Oxycontin — because they're prescribed it from a doctor or get it for free from a family member to deal with pain. Often innocent use then turns into what's meant to be recreational drug use. Then the user runs out and they need a substitute.
"Prescription drugs are very expensive to buy," said Eggert. "But heroin is not."
Newman, also a member of the Niagara County Drug Task Force, concurred. "They become addicted to opiates and then they turn to heroin, which is much cheaper."
From there, the addict will run out of money for heroin and start to steal in order to support their addiction. Their number one source to steal from: family.
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Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert is a fan of the city's
drug court — for the way it can turn addicts' lives around.
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City Court Judge Bill Watson called family "the first line of defense."
Presiding over the city's drug court, Watson has a unique view of drug addiction. He said there's a stigma attached to the word "addiction," but added, "what I've learned over the years is 'addicts are us.' They're our friends. They're our relatives. They're our neighbors."
In explaining drug court, Watson asked the audience to look at addiction as a disease and drug court as part of the treatment. He said that using a court as advocacy or an intervention method may go against what people view the court system to do — but it works.
Even Eggert said he was originally skeptical of drug court until he saw it in action and saw the benefits from it. Now he wants to get addicts into drug court. "If you have a family member that's addicted, let us arrest them."
The 90-minute forum was moderated by Mark Sanders, LPD's community policing aide, or as he said, "a civilian on the inside." Following presentations from the panelists, Sanders opened the floor to questions from the audience, most of what could be summed up as, "how can we help?"
Sanders said one way to help is to call the police when something seems askew — whether that something is with a loved one who isn't acting right or a neighbor who has more in-and-out traffic than seems normal. Giving law enforcement an "in" will help to clear up neighborhood blight and may save that loved one from an addiction.
Joe Claypool, resource coordinator for treatment in the Lockport courts, agreed. "Police are telling you to call in with tips. Drug dealers are counting on you not to."
And if that can happen?
"Hopefully the community will see some results real soon," Det. Newman said.
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| Lockport City Court Judge Bill Watson explains what drug court is and how it works. |
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Saturday, January 3, 2015
I work with law enforcement professionals on a daily basis and I have an opinion about how they are being treated on a global scale.
As an African-American male, I am thoroughly offended when I am judged on the basis of how a small percentage of people who look like me behave. I find it totally offensive and unreasonable to judge a whole profession based on a few. Are there some police officers who should never have carried a badge? Yes! This does not think for the thousands of men and women of law enforcement who do their jobs with excellence and integrity.
Before you sit and judge these men and women, have you ever sat down with one of them and asked them how they feel about what they do and what they have to put up with. Many will say "well that's what they get paid for." Do you take your job home? Does your job put your family at risk? Do you have to grocery shop in a different city to avoid harassment? Do you have to worry about your children being bullied because of your job? Are you condemned by what a person does in your profession who you don't even know?
I was not encouraged to write this but I am speaking as a pastor in this city who happens to work very closely with the police. Right now, who is marching for the slain officers in NYPD? Who is marching for officer Pierson who was shot and killed in Rochester? Everyday these men and women of law enforcement walk into situations that could end their lives but they do it for the love of people and the love of the job.
Do you know they have children, spouses, hurts, fears, insecurities, challenges, worries, and everything else thar regular citizens go through. I pray for them daily because they need it. Who helps the helpers? Where do they go when they go through hell?
I am disgusted by the disrespect and dishonor that they are subjected to everyday. When people see military personnel, we clap, salute, honor and respect those who wear the uniform that protect our country abroad but what about those who wear the local uniform who keep our streets save while you sleep?
Do you know haw many lives are saved by local police that never make it to the news? Do you know how many women were rescued by officers in domestic altercations? Do you know how many children were rescued from abusers and pedophiles due to the work of police? Do you know how many lives were saved by DWI checks? Do you know how many people were saved because they took violent felons off the streets?
Are they perfect people? Absolutely not but they signed up for the challenge, went through difficult training, strapped on a vest, jumped in a patrol car, and didn't look back.
Honor the men and women that wear the blue.
Mark K. Sanders is the community policing aide for the Lockport Police Department
As an African-American male, I am thoroughly offended when I am judged on the basis of how a small percentage of people who look like me behave. I find it totally offensive and unreasonable to judge a whole profession based on a few. Are there some police officers who should never have carried a badge? Yes! This does not think for the thousands of men and women of law enforcement who do their jobs with excellence and integrity.
Before you sit and judge these men and women, have you ever sat down with one of them and asked them how they feel about what they do and what they have to put up with. Many will say "well that's what they get paid for." Do you take your job home? Does your job put your family at risk? Do you have to grocery shop in a different city to avoid harassment? Do you have to worry about your children being bullied because of your job? Are you condemned by what a person does in your profession who you don't even know?
I was not encouraged to write this but I am speaking as a pastor in this city who happens to work very closely with the police. Right now, who is marching for the slain officers in NYPD? Who is marching for officer Pierson who was shot and killed in Rochester? Everyday these men and women of law enforcement walk into situations that could end their lives but they do it for the love of people and the love of the job.
Do you know they have children, spouses, hurts, fears, insecurities, challenges, worries, and everything else thar regular citizens go through. I pray for them daily because they need it. Who helps the helpers? Where do they go when they go through hell?
I am disgusted by the disrespect and dishonor that they are subjected to everyday. When people see military personnel, we clap, salute, honor and respect those who wear the uniform that protect our country abroad but what about those who wear the local uniform who keep our streets save while you sleep?
Do you know haw many lives are saved by local police that never make it to the news? Do you know how many women were rescued by officers in domestic altercations? Do you know how many children were rescued from abusers and pedophiles due to the work of police? Do you know how many lives were saved by DWI checks? Do you know how many people were saved because they took violent felons off the streets?
Are they perfect people? Absolutely not but they signed up for the challenge, went through difficult training, strapped on a vest, jumped in a patrol car, and didn't look back.
Honor the men and women that wear the blue.
Mark K. Sanders is the community policing aide for the Lockport Police Department
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Friday, August 1, 2014
BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
What started as a check box on a computer menu in the Lockport Police Department ended up going around the world and back with help from an ill-conceived Facebook post that went viral.
When LPD put out a photo of a person they were looking for, it included a description as generated by the computer program the department uses. That description included the selection of "negro-da" (dark) for skin complexion.
A reporter for WGRZ Channel 2 talked with LPD Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders and Chief Larry Eggert Wednesday afternoon concerning the offensiveness of the word, turning it into a story on the matter.
The discussion between Sanders — who's African American — and the Channel 2 reporter caused the LPD employee to post something to his personal Facebook, asking his friends if they felt the word "negro" was offensive? Or simply outdated.
"I wanted to put up the question before it hit the press ... because I wanted to hear real answers," Sanders said Thursday morning. He felt an oncoming storm and he was trying to gauge public opinion before the story broke.
"This guy from Channel 2 came in guns loaded. He already had the story written. He just needed the video," Sanders said.
The Facebook conversation between Sanders' friends was intelligent and thought provoking, he said. So someone suggested bringing the conversation to a wider audience — the LPD Facebook page. From there, it went sideways.
"When I'm asking without the police, great responses," Sanders said. "You put a shield on it and all hell breaks loose."
It went from a Channel 2 story about the selection on a computer program to a much wider story about the Facebook question. It spread to Channel 4, The Union-Sun & Journal, the Buffalo News — and further to downstate newspapers, USA Today, websites like Gawker and more.
The story went from a local one about an outdated word on outdated software to a national one about an outdated police department — or even an outdated city, depending on the angle each reporter wrote from.
Nicole Schuman, owner of SchuShine Communications, said government entities "really have to strategize and think of every worst-case scenario" when using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
"As far as government agencies go, they are there to serve the public, not provide entertainment," she said. "So unless they are asking the public for help in the search of a lost child, criminal, or another case, I would leave engagement questions off the table."
One of the problems, Sanders said, is that everyone is offended by something. And while in 10 years, he's never heard a member of the Lockport Police Department refer to a person of color as a "negro," there are still people — mainly of older generations — that use it.
"My grandmother didn't like the term 'African American,' " he said. "She said, 'I'm not from Africa.' "
The question remained on the LPD Facebook page for about an hour and a half. "We took it down because of a lot of negativity," Sanders said.
Eggert and Sanders both said Thursday that a community discussion on race is still a good idea — just not via Facebook.
"We're considering doing a public forum," Sanders said.
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scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
 |
The Lockport Police Department's use of the word "negro" on a departmental report and social
media gathered national attention. (GOOGLE NEWS SCREENSHOT)
|
When LPD put out a photo of a person they were looking for, it included a description as generated by the computer program the department uses. That description included the selection of "negro-da" (dark) for skin complexion.
A reporter for WGRZ Channel 2 talked with LPD Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders and Chief Larry Eggert Wednesday afternoon concerning the offensiveness of the word, turning it into a story on the matter.
The discussion between Sanders — who's African American — and the Channel 2 reporter caused the LPD employee to post something to his personal Facebook, asking his friends if they felt the word "negro" was offensive? Or simply outdated.
"I wanted to put up the question before it hit the press ... because I wanted to hear real answers," Sanders said Thursday morning. He felt an oncoming storm and he was trying to gauge public opinion before the story broke.
"This guy from Channel 2 came in guns loaded. He already had the story written. He just needed the video," Sanders said.
 |
LPD's Facebook question was meant to spur community discussion,
according to police officials. The result was not as intended. (GAWKER
SCREENSHOT)
|
"When I'm asking without the police, great responses," Sanders said. "You put a shield on it and all hell breaks loose."
It went from a Channel 2 story about the selection on a computer program to a much wider story about the Facebook question. It spread to Channel 4, The Union-Sun & Journal, the Buffalo News — and further to downstate newspapers, USA Today, websites like Gawker and more.
The story went from a local one about an outdated word on outdated software to a national one about an outdated police department — or even an outdated city, depending on the angle each reporter wrote from.
Eggert said it's his fault for not thinking through how social media would react.
"Because I was looking at it from an academic perspective," the chief said. "When I do it in class, people have different perspectives and you actually learn something from it. ... I should have known that because (Facebook is) an unregulated site that some of it would have been inflammatory."
"I saw it as a teaching moment. And that's what it was meant to be," Sander said. "It wasn't up for a poll.""Because I was looking at it from an academic perspective," the chief said. "When I do it in class, people have different perspectives and you actually learn something from it. ... I should have known that because (Facebook is) an unregulated site that some of it would have been inflammatory."
Nicole Schuman, owner of SchuShine Communications, said government entities "really have to strategize and think of every worst-case scenario" when using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
"As far as government agencies go, they are there to serve the public, not provide entertainment," she said. "So unless they are asking the public for help in the search of a lost child, criminal, or another case, I would leave engagement questions off the table."
One of the problems, Sanders said, is that everyone is offended by something. And while in 10 years, he's never heard a member of the Lockport Police Department refer to a person of color as a "negro," there are still people — mainly of older generations — that use it.
"My grandmother didn't like the term 'African American,' " he said. "She said, 'I'm not from Africa.' "
The question remained on the LPD Facebook page for about an hour and a half. "We took it down because of a lot of negativity," Sanders said.
Eggert and Sanders both said Thursday that a community discussion on race is still a good idea — just not via Facebook.
"We're considering doing a public forum," Sanders said.
Send an email to news@eastniagarapost.com with "email update" in the subject line.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
An offer by the Lockport Police Department to handle the administrative duties of the city's Department of Youth & Recreation has support from some key city officials — and the program director at the department.
Lockport Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders says the idea was a group concept designed by himself, LPD Capt. Doug Haak and Chief Larry Eggert as a means of helping the cash-strapped city.
Plus, he said, the department is kind of out there on its own."They don't fall under anyone right now, except the mayor."
Sanders feels the same, saying this morning from his office in City Hall that he, Haak and Eggert all have personal reasons for wanting to see the department survive: Kids.
"Between Larry, Doug and myself, we're all fathers. We all have kids," Sander said. "I have teenage kids myself. So we also have a vested interest."
Pat Schrader, 4th Ward alderman, said he likes the idea — especially if it really doesn't cost the city any extra money.
"Melissa (Junke) was doing good. But hopefully this will do even better," Schrader said, adding that Haak and Sanders have a good track record of working with youth in the community.
Alderman-At-Large Joe Kibler agreed.
"It sounds like a pretty good idea to me right now," he said. "We're going to have to work a few things out though."
Kibler said giving the police a presence at the Youth Department's Altro Park office may help to deter crime in the city by giving kids a place to go talk to police other than the police department itself, which may be imposing.
"I'm going to recommend it," Kibler said.
Sanders said the idea of giving kids a safe place to vent concerns and talk to police is an added benefit of the plan that could pay large dividends in the long run.
"A lot of the kids that participate with our parks program? Sometimes we're dealing with their parents. If we can influence this generation, to me, is less involvement that they will have when they're older," he said. "Might change a little bit of the complexion of the city."
To anyone who might suggest that the proposal is Big Brother or indoctrinating the city's youth, Sanders said, "This proposal is not to put a big shield over the building and make this a police organization. It's still Lockport Youth & Rec. This is administration. So it's not like we'll be turning everybody into little cadets. ... as far as programming, we're not going to change any of that."
As for when LPD could take over?
"We can really go immediately," Sanders said. They just need the go ahead from the city's elected officials.
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scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com
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City residents listen as Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders talks during
a meeting on crime in the city on June 24. To Sanders' right are Capt. Doug
Haak and Capt. Mike Niethe. LPD is offering to take over the administration
of the city's Youth & Recreation Department. (ENP FILE PHOTO)
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Lockport Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders says the idea was a group concept designed by himself, LPD Capt. Doug Haak and Chief Larry Eggert as a means of helping the cash-strapped city.
Plus, he said, the department is kind of out there on its own."They don't fall under anyone right now, except the mayor."
Under the proposal he laid out Wednesday to the Common Council, reorganization would put the department under Eggert with Haak and the Youth board under him. Sanders would serve under Haak and Youth Program Director Andrew Nemi would serve under Sanders — on paper at least.
Nemi said this afternoon that he's in favor of the proposal.
"He'd just like to make my job easier by taking care of the administrative aspect ... so I could just concentrate on the programs," Nemi said. "I think it's a good idea. We could use some more attention over here."
Nemi admitted that he's had some concerns about the future of the department, which has existed in relative limbo since former Youth & Recreation Director Melissa Junke left on disability after falling on a patch of ice — then became embroiled in an investigation over her use of city credit cards for a department fundraiser that she says was authorized by the Common Council. While she was still out on disability, the city eliminated her position.
"I just want to make the programs continue to run," Nemi said. "Whatever we can do to keep the program going, I'm all for."
Nemi admitted that he's had some concerns about the future of the department, which has existed in relative limbo since former Youth & Recreation Director Melissa Junke left on disability after falling on a patch of ice — then became embroiled in an investigation over her use of city credit cards for a department fundraiser that she says was authorized by the Common Council. While she was still out on disability, the city eliminated her position.
"I just want to make the programs continue to run," Nemi said. "Whatever we can do to keep the program going, I'm all for."
Sanders feels the same, saying this morning from his office in City Hall that he, Haak and Eggert all have personal reasons for wanting to see the department survive: Kids.
"Between Larry, Doug and myself, we're all fathers. We all have kids," Sander said. "I have teenage kids myself. So we also have a vested interest."
"Melissa (Junke) was doing good. But hopefully this will do even better," Schrader said, adding that Haak and Sanders have a good track record of working with youth in the community.
"It sounds like a pretty good idea to me right now," he said. "We're going to have to work a few things out though."
"I'm going to recommend it," Kibler said.
Sanders said the idea of giving kids a safe place to vent concerns and talk to police is an added benefit of the plan that could pay large dividends in the long run.
"A lot of the kids that participate with our parks program? Sometimes we're dealing with their parents. If we can influence this generation, to me, is less involvement that they will have when they're older," he said. "Might change a little bit of the complexion of the city."
To anyone who might suggest that the proposal is Big Brother or indoctrinating the city's youth, Sanders said, "This proposal is not to put a big shield over the building and make this a police organization. It's still Lockport Youth & Rec. This is administration. So it's not like we'll be turning everybody into little cadets. ... as far as programming, we're not going to change any of that."
As for when LPD could take over?
"We can really go immediately," Sanders said. They just need the go ahead from the city's elected officials.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
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Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert talks with city residents about a recent outbreak of gun crimes in the city. About 50 people attended tonight's meeting at City Hall. (PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER / CONTRIBUTOR)
|
Police chief asks residents to report what they see
ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com
Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert asked the public for help in preventing and solving crimes in the city at a meeting tonight in City Hall.
Eggert was joined by Capt. Doug Haak, Capt. Mike Niethe and Community Police Aide Mark Sanders in a question and answer session with about 50 city residents that lasted more than 90 minutes.
"We should be solving these things left and right," Eggert told the crowd. But a lack of communication from city residents — including the victims of the crimes — has tied the department's hands.
In discussing a shooting earlier this year on Walnut Street, Eggert said "We actually know who did that but we can't get the victims to be victims."
Another incident that happened on June 10 involved a man who was shot but wouldn't tell police who did the shooting or even where it occurred.
One positive that the chief pointed out was that these acts of violence are not random.
"They're targeting the people that they want to shoot because they have a dispute with them," he said. As such the odds of the average city resident being shot are incredibly low.
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Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders talks to the crowd
at tonight's meeting in City Hall. Sanders said the city does
not have a gang problem.
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One of the meeting's attendees said she'd heard of a gang called "RNO" working the city.
Sanders said he's familiar with "RNO," but referring to them as a gang would be a misnomer. "We don't have a gang problem. We have a problem with misguided young people. ... We've been looking for (gang activity). I've been looking for it."
Maria Updegraph, who said she lives in the "Impact Zone" — a high-crime area being targeted by LPD between Walnut and High, Transit and Erie streets — asked Eggert why the department didn't patrol on foot any more.
"We need you guys to be physically there," she said. "No one's going to care if you guys are in the car. They're not scared."
She also suggested starting a Neighborhood Watch group in the area.
Eggert liked both ideas and noted that he was in charge of the Neighborhood Watch program in the 1990s when there were as many as 20 such groups in the city.
"Once the criminals see that ... they're going to go someplace else," Eggert said.
One woman told Eggert that she felt calling LPD was pointless, saying that a couple years ago she called to report a crime and was told that the police department didn't service her neighborhood anymore because "there's too much going on there."
Eggert was skeptical about the incident, inviting the woman to call him personally with a date when the alleged phone call occurred so he could get to the bottom of it.
"If that officer did tell you that, they're going to be suspended," Eggert said. "That'll be the end of their career."
Former Police Board President James Gugliuzza concurred with Pitrello's assessment.
Also in attendance were Mayor Anne McCaffrey and members of the Common Council including Joe Kibler, Pat Schrader, John Lombardi. City Building Inspector Jason Dool was also on hand.
Monday, June 2, 2014
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| Lockport Police officers talk with cruise-goers during the weekly Monday Night Cruise at Ida Fritz Park. Tonight was Law Enforcement Night. (ENP STAFF PHOTOS) |
LPD attends Law Enforcement Night at Monday Night Cruise
ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com
 |
Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert talks
with Alderman-at-Large Joe Kibler during
Law Enforcement Night at the Monday
Night Cruise.
|
Police Chief Larry Eggert was in attendance, taking time out to talk to cruise-goers who stopped at the eastern end of the park to say "hi."
Also in attendance from LPD were Captain Anthony Palumbo, Officer Dennis Sobieraski and Community Policing Aid Mark Sanders. About 10 members of the Niagara County Auxiliary Police were also on hand — although they're there every week helping to keep the peace.
LPD equipment ranged from an official department mountain bike to a motorcycle, Corvette and K-9 SUV unit. The department also had weapons on display and readily answered questions from community members, who were eager to ask questions of the officers present.
Next week is 50s night at the car cruise, running from 6-9 p.m. as it does every week during the summer.
For the full cruise schedule, check the Monday Night Car Cruise web site.
 |
| With sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 80, it's no wonder the ice cream line was so long. |
Monday, May 19, 2014
ENP STAFF REPORTS
news@eastniagarapost.com
TOWN OF LOCKPORT — Lockport's community policing aide, Mark Sanders, was hurt during the Niagara Regional Traffic Safety Fair at the Cornell Cooperative Extension on Friday, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office.
A report filed states that Sanders sustained a head and leg injury while riding in a golf cart shortly after noon. Sanders told patrol that a student from Lockport High School was operating the golf cart and mistook the gas pedal for the brake, causing the golf cart to strike a door located on the east end of the livestock building. As a result, Sanders stated he struck his head on the building while his leg hit an unknown object.
Patrol requested Wrights Corners Fire Company to respond and assess Sanders' injuries. Wrights Corners Fire Company along with Rural Metro Ambulance Service responded and transported Sanders to Eastern Niagara Hospital-Lockport, where he was treated and released.
Patrol found no visible damage to the door which was struck on the livestock building.
East Niagara Post now publishes garage and yard sales.
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news@eastniagarapost.com
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LPD Community Policing Aide Mark Sanders goes
for a spin Friday with Arthur Kinney of Lockport
High School. Sanders was hurt Friday when a student
mistook the golf cart's gas pedal for the brake. (ENP
FILE PHOTO BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER)
|
A report filed states that Sanders sustained a head and leg injury while riding in a golf cart shortly after noon. Sanders told patrol that a student from Lockport High School was operating the golf cart and mistook the gas pedal for the brake, causing the golf cart to strike a door located on the east end of the livestock building. As a result, Sanders stated he struck his head on the building while his leg hit an unknown object.
Patrol requested Wrights Corners Fire Company to respond and assess Sanders' injuries. Wrights Corners Fire Company along with Rural Metro Ambulance Service responded and transported Sanders to Eastern Niagara Hospital-Lockport, where he was treated and released.
Patrol found no visible damage to the door which was struck on the livestock building.
Click here for all the details.
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