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[quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]Just curious, what changes (if any) would you propose for next year at (or near) the Zoo on Easter Monday?[/quote]

I would want to get the most accurate and complete information about this event possible. Then, do an "lessons learned" exercise to understand what could have been done differently to have prevented the shooting. Depending on what those conclusions are, I would suggest new or modified procedures or other changes in how the event is conducted.

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I don't believe we'll ever have any guarantee of preventing a shooting, stabbing or other violence. Based on what we know, what measures do you believe might have reduced the likelihood of crime? How to plan ahead for next year? Do you think police should have made any arrests when they witnessed violence and had reports of stealing inside the Zoo? Apparently, the police simply removed the trouble from inside the Zoo, to outside the Zoo. It's my understanding that police are supposed to arrest individuals actively engaged in criminal activity.[/quote]

I think one thing we can agree on is that you shouldn't believe everything you read in the press. But, for the sake of argument, let's assume that you can. The Post reported that a group of kids kicked out of the zoo on the 14th said on their Facebook pages that they planned to return. Frankly, I find this hard to believe on several levels. But, again, for the sake of argument... To find the kids' Facebook pages, the zoo had to know their names. If these same kids were caught stealing and fighting a week later, it would have been appropriate (to put it mildly) to arrest them. However, if the situation was such that an attempt to arrest them might endanger zoo visitors, perhaps explosion would make sense. But, given that the kids' names much be knows (at least some of them), those kids should have been rounded up by now.

Another factor at play is multiple police forces. The zoo may have its own police force, or at a minimum rely on the Park Police. Once outside the gate, the MPDC takes over. It's possible that whoever is responsible for the zoo wanted to toss the kids out and make them someone else's problem. But, then everyone was quickly overtaken by events.

As far as I know, there is no immediate threat to the zoo or its vicinity. This won't become an issue again for another year. If that's the case, we have the luxury of time to gather information and make informed decisions. But, were I forced to decide today what to do, I'd agree with the poster above who suggested cameras and continued police presence. I would add to that increased use of intelligence. If potential troublemakers are posting on Facebook, the police better be keeping a close eye on those pages and their Twitter feeds. [/quote]

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