Mayoral Candidate

Against Home Fleet

By ANDY MEAD
Of The Herald Stall

"A few remedial measures" are needed in the metro police department because it is doing a poor job of fighting crime and creating friction with the community, says Lex ington mayoral candidate Nick Martin. At a press conference m city hall yesterday, \1artin sa id he would do away with the home fl eet plan, establish foot patrols in urban areas and fight organized crime, which is " becoming stronger and more influential all the ti me." He also said he would be " lik ely" to replace Police Chief Nolen Freeman. Freeman wouldn't comment on Martin's statements. "I am not placing mysel f in the ranks of the Rlann ists," says Martin. "Those who scream law and order and tomorrow are .convicted of misusmg the public trus t have left a tarnish on the pat h they have trodden . "Ne ither am I to be found in the camp of those who say that radical measures must be ut lized in control ling a rampant police _ Like every th:ng else, the subject contains some good and some that needs correcting." The .home fleet plan, which allows officers to lake their patrol cars home in return for being on 24-hou r call, is too expensive, says Martin. He believes doing away with the plan would sa ve abou t $200,000 a yea r. The money saved, says Martin, would be used for pay ra ises for police and firefighters, neighborhood alcohol abuse centers, teaching people to defend themselves against criminals and setting up a 24-hour rape crisis center. "I feel that we are goin g to have to take a closer look at the sorts of crime tha t is getting only minimal consideration at presen t," says Martin. "I feel that the presence of organized crime in our com munity is becoming stronger and more influential all the time." He promises if elected to empanel a commi ttee with subpeona powers to investigate organized cime, which he says is " hard to document." He also claims to have knowledge of corrup1 ion ;n the pol ice narcotics squad bu t would "rather not spec ify" who is involved,, "We currently ha ve a good crop of apples 111 our force, but as is always true, we have some bruised ones in the bunch that need to be weeded out for the ben efit of th e entire force, " Ma rt in

says