I encourage anybody reading this article to see the movie "Copland." In a stark display of realism, it fittingly blurs the lines between the mafia and the NYPD.
10
We can't afford to pay more cop retirees six-figure pensions thirty or forty years after they last lived in New York. Cut those crazy pensions and we could afford more cops on duty.
13
How is a citizen supposed to know the answers to any questions concerning how the police department is run? Where would you go to find out if we have enough cops on the street beat vs. driving around in cars? Recently I pointed out the black smoke coming from a big truck on W17th + 7th to a uniformed officer who simply replied: "we don't give out tickets for that". How am I supposed to find out why the operator of the vehicle was not part of the officer's job writing parking tickets? The whole thing, like a lot of things now, is a complete mystery and impossibility to determine.
3
Can't we just redeploy police from neighborhoods which don't seem to want them there and don't cooperate with them versus hiring more?
7
The role of police in a free society, especially one as diverse as the United States, has always been a managerial and philosphical dillema. My big-city patrol experience, which started in the 1970s, taught me that violent confrontations on the street most often resulted from actions related to minor infractions and traffic enforcement. It's totally contrary to "broken windows" policing, but perhaps it's time to heave a sigh and allow "communities" to set the standard of police presence they want. If public drinking, selling loose cigarettes, large groups hanging out, etc. are acceptable to the neighborhood, then maybe it's time to "let it be". And, I have always believed that a 4-year degree should be requisite to be a police officer anywhere. Unfortunately, departments that tried to institute such a policy were deemed to be exclusionary. Make up your mind, America.
23
Remember Tamir Rice, the Cleveland boy shot and killed by police while playing with a toy gun? The Times published an article on Jan 23 discussing the police mistakes leading up to the shooting. One of the issues pointed out was that due to budget cuts, many police mini-stations -- such as the one in Tamir's neighborhood -- we shut down. The Times quotes a local politician saying that if there had been police in the neighborhood and familiar with the neighborhood, they would have been able to intervene:
“If there was one there,” Councilman Jeffrey Johnson said, “he would have known Tamir, because Tamir was a regular, and he would have heard the call and gone out there and said, ‘Tamir, what are you doing?’”
I agree with this. We need more police, but less of a police state. We need more cops who talk to and know the citizens they work for, and fewer surveillance cameras tracking our every move.
“If there was one there,” Councilman Jeffrey Johnson said, “he would have known Tamir, because Tamir was a regular, and he would have heard the call and gone out there and said, ‘Tamir, what are you doing?’”
I agree with this. We need more police, but less of a police state. We need more cops who talk to and know the citizens they work for, and fewer surveillance cameras tracking our every move.
14
Quality Over Quantity seems to imply raising hiring qualifications . Perhaps a college degree with a 3.0 Index or an absolutely non-existent criminal record or perhaps an unblemished Honorable Discharge Military Record . None of this will do of course because the " Job " is known by its members not to be on the level, as it bends to the internal politics that are mere reflections of the external Ones. The End should never justify the means if Ethics were the sole concern of a hiring practice but disparate political impact is alas also a significant concern. A decrease for instance of Stop and Frisk (Quantity) encounters must lead to an increase in the type of Crime Quality (weapons involved) but One sees not an Editorial on the matter but elation on the part of the powers that be.
1
So funny. Even the headline is loaded with an anti-police message. "With crime at historic lows..." Funny.
Serious crime is at a low point thank entirely to the police force in the City and the willingness of judges to put career criminals away. Silly 'progressive' Democrats will continue to be anti-cop. That is, until it's their neighborhood or family under attack.
Should we staff up in New York City? Let's leave it for the REAL experts and not the cop-hating 'progressives' to decide.
Serious crime is at a low point thank entirely to the police force in the City and the willingness of judges to put career criminals away. Silly 'progressive' Democrats will continue to be anti-cop. That is, until it's their neighborhood or family under attack.
Should we staff up in New York City? Let's leave it for the REAL experts and not the cop-hating 'progressives' to decide.
7
There is some, but not as much evidence as one might suspect that the police are responsible for the drop in crime.
And, to the extent that the police are responsible, it is due to changes introduced by Captain (later Chief of Patrol) Mario Selvagi in the 101 precinct. He started a manual method of what we now know as Compstat. He assigned polcie officers to where the crime was. He created the job of crime prevention officer and community affairs officer. And he worked to eliminate rotating tours that debilitated police officers.
But the police don't explain why crime is down around the country, even in areas that have not adopted all of these methods. Clearly at least part of the answer is the aging of the population. Put another way, the fraction of the population that is in the crime potential age group.
And, to the extent that the police are responsible, it is due to changes introduced by Captain (later Chief of Patrol) Mario Selvagi in the 101 precinct. He started a manual method of what we now know as Compstat. He assigned polcie officers to where the crime was. He created the job of crime prevention officer and community affairs officer. And he worked to eliminate rotating tours that debilitated police officers.
But the police don't explain why crime is down around the country, even in areas that have not adopted all of these methods. Clearly at least part of the answer is the aging of the population. Put another way, the fraction of the population that is in the crime potential age group.
5
The NYPD is just like any other government bureaucracy. The answer to every question is more budget and more manpower, and the way to justify the need for more budget and more manpower is to try to swallow up or invent more things that it must do.
10
Well, the new American police state needs police. And they will need something to do, so get ready for it, NYC. (And America)
10
Becoming a police officer should be difficult, and the training and re-training should last a lifetime. The culture should promote the term "peace officer," to serve and protect, and foster the social skills to deescalate. And provide them with an array of non-fatal techniques and tools to apprehend.
To assist police officer's there needs to be more gun control, so police are not suspecting the worst case scenario every time someone is pulled over.
Also, as a culture we need to value anti-poverty measures, living wages, more jobs. Too often power looks the other way as more and more fall into the pit of poverty. Let's vote for people that want to stop the increasing wage inequality. This will help the police.
We can decrease the police force and train better officers, but we also need to address the issues that promote rampant violence--namely, poverty and easy access to guns.
To assist police officer's there needs to be more gun control, so police are not suspecting the worst case scenario every time someone is pulled over.
Also, as a culture we need to value anti-poverty measures, living wages, more jobs. Too often power looks the other way as more and more fall into the pit of poverty. Let's vote for people that want to stop the increasing wage inequality. This will help the police.
We can decrease the police force and train better officers, but we also need to address the issues that promote rampant violence--namely, poverty and easy access to guns.
17
Metrics can be brought to bear on the question; for example, there are a few comparable cities both in the U.S. and internationally, how many police offers per 100,000 population do they have, and do they have crime and other outcomes that are within target? Obviously people like the Police Chief and the Mayor must have these numbers, and such information should be part of any type of serious discussion, and should be publicly aired.
10
When the police show that they deserve public support and trust -- that is the time to discuss more staffing. They have a long way to go after the shootings and walk out of last year.
4
"When cops essentially walked off the beat for a couple of weeks in a wildcat job shutdown this winter, writing no tickets and making no arrests for minor offenses, chaos did not overtake the city."
One can justifiably deduce that the Police who engaged in this wobble were intentionally cutting off a source of City income & expecting some level of chaos to spring forth as a way of showing the City how necessary they are. Why hasn't anyone been held to account for exposing the City to the "very real danger" these Police who did this believed was waiting to show itself in their absence? Any Citizen who had exposed the population to such danger would be in jail & overcharged to an extent that they would not get bail.
Otherwise it was a dangerous unplanned experiment that showed them to be wrong not only in their stated resentment about the Mayor based on an inference which bespeaks an inability to comprehend English and pathological narcissism, but about how necessary they are to daily order.
One can justifiably deduce that the Police who engaged in this wobble were intentionally cutting off a source of City income & expecting some level of chaos to spring forth as a way of showing the City how necessary they are. Why hasn't anyone been held to account for exposing the City to the "very real danger" these Police who did this believed was waiting to show itself in their absence? Any Citizen who had exposed the population to such danger would be in jail & overcharged to an extent that they would not get bail.
Otherwise it was a dangerous unplanned experiment that showed them to be wrong not only in their stated resentment about the Mayor based on an inference which bespeaks an inability to comprehend English and pathological narcissism, but about how necessary they are to daily order.
14
Before increasing the number of police officers in New York City someone might ask the NYPD to answer the following question: On average, how many days a year does a police officer actually work? I suspect the answer would cause some of the clamor for hiring more officers to subside.
3
I must disagree that 'crime is down.' For we "civilians," incidences of vandalism (spray-painted tags, stolen bikes, broken car windows); sleeping/begging on subways; insane drivers [what red light?, 25 mph--ha!]; those every day 'quality-of-life' interactions are far inferior to what they were, even a year or two ago. Crime isn't down--the cops' response to it is. The perception (or is it real) of sharply increased illegal gun use is very disturbing, and frightening. So it seems apparent that crime isn't down, rather the stats are seriously skewed. The impression on the street is that the police have decided to stop doing their job--looking the other way is always easier. Added police on the streets will definitely make a difference; even with the current 'not-so-benign neglect.' More bodies in blue should translate to a greater chance of a crime actually being noticed and properly handled.
3
The Times' editors need to visit Long Island, where crime is also very low, police unions essentially run the counties and the average cop on the beat makes around $130K in base salary alone. It's no big news any more when a Long Island police officer retires with a hefty pension, full family health benefits and a payout gift from the taxpayers of several hundred thousand dollars.
In Suffolk County, police overtime is rampant and yet hundreds of officers were apparently available to show up at the recent daytime arraignment of an alleged cop shooter. In Nassau, there is so little to occupy a police officer's time that one decided to have an affair and conduct his trysts while he was on duty. It took a good long time for anyone to notice.
On Long Island, we have an oversupply of "quantity" when it comes to police officer compensation, or staffing vs. the actual amount of work. "Quality?" Not so much.
In Suffolk County, police overtime is rampant and yet hundreds of officers were apparently available to show up at the recent daytime arraignment of an alleged cop shooter. In Nassau, there is so little to occupy a police officer's time that one decided to have an affair and conduct his trysts while he was on duty. It took a good long time for anyone to notice.
On Long Island, we have an oversupply of "quantity" when it comes to police officer compensation, or staffing vs. the actual amount of work. "Quality?" Not so much.
17
First and foremost, bad apples need to be removed and replaced with psychologically-sound recruits. Quality trumps numbers.
6
Here are some statistics to all the blowhard anti-police that believe I don't need to look at the statistics because Rev. Al and the other race-baiters know better. This is the average statistics for shootings by police and others in NYC up to 2011. Pretty recent & reflective of average numbers based upon percentages.
Percentage Race of Criminal Shooters, 72% Black, 24% Hispanic, 3% White
Percentage of Race of Perps Shooting AT Police, 67% Black, 33% Hispanic
Percentage of Race Shot by Police, 44% White, 33% Hispanic, 22% Black
The last includes those welding knives or other weapons, serious assault on the officers and of course those who the police perceived to have been armed and weren't. These stats were provided by NYC government.
I am wondering why this isn't looked at by the NYT's? Or any other media outlet. Am I missing something here? Are they false? Is the Mayor's administration lying or the Police Department? It seems if these stats are true what are the protests in NYC really about? It certainly isn't a racial issue that's for sure. Because according to the stats. While Blacks are the most likely to be shooters in this city, they are the least likely to be shot by the New York City Police Department.
As for the hiring of more officers hire only if they are allowed to enforce the laws in all communities if you want the blue flower pots of the 80's again that were not allowed to do much then leave the number as it is and God help this City.
Percentage Race of Criminal Shooters, 72% Black, 24% Hispanic, 3% White
Percentage of Race of Perps Shooting AT Police, 67% Black, 33% Hispanic
Percentage of Race Shot by Police, 44% White, 33% Hispanic, 22% Black
The last includes those welding knives or other weapons, serious assault on the officers and of course those who the police perceived to have been armed and weren't. These stats were provided by NYC government.
I am wondering why this isn't looked at by the NYT's? Or any other media outlet. Am I missing something here? Are they false? Is the Mayor's administration lying or the Police Department? It seems if these stats are true what are the protests in NYC really about? It certainly isn't a racial issue that's for sure. Because according to the stats. While Blacks are the most likely to be shooters in this city, they are the least likely to be shot by the New York City Police Department.
As for the hiring of more officers hire only if they are allowed to enforce the laws in all communities if you want the blue flower pots of the 80's again that were not allowed to do much then leave the number as it is and God help this City.
6
Flower pots? They weren't so dormant when Michael Stewart was killed were they?
1
Well, I would say the adjoining photo sums it up well; The NYPD is a Police Television production putting on a show to get more fans and power.
2
I've never walked around New York and wondered "How come there's no cops around? I don't feel safe."
I have been harassed on my way to work by NYPD. I have told NYPD officers of a suspicious package and was told to "not worry about it" because they were too busy having a conversation. My girlfriend has been pulled off the subway late at night for dozing off on the train and was verbally threatened by the police officer. It was just her and him on the platform. She said she had never been more scared in her life. I have read about NYPD attacking MTA workers, choking unarmed individuals to death, making protests at funerals, and refusing to do their jobs as this article states.
And we should hire more of these NYPD officers?
I have been harassed on my way to work by NYPD. I have told NYPD officers of a suspicious package and was told to "not worry about it" because they were too busy having a conversation. My girlfriend has been pulled off the subway late at night for dozing off on the train and was verbally threatened by the police officer. It was just her and him on the platform. She said she had never been more scared in her life. I have read about NYPD attacking MTA workers, choking unarmed individuals to death, making protests at funerals, and refusing to do their jobs as this article states.
And we should hire more of these NYPD officers?
26
No, it shouldn't increase its staff at this time. Arguably, the problems we've seen in Ferguson, MO and elsewhere are in part due to overstaffed, overarmed police departments. They've become overzealous and overafraid to the point of being worse than counterproductive.
5
For DeBlasio opponents any increase in violent crime, no matter how slight, will be used as evidence that his policing policies are radical & ineffective. A slight uptick is inevitable because there is always more crime in summer than winter but it will be harnessed by DeBlasio's opponents in the same way any uptick was harnessed a few years ago by stop-and-frisk supporters.
Questioning police policy does not imply a desire for anarchy or a hatred of police. Most NY'ers want police they can trust, who feel positive about the community they serve. The fundamental issue people have tired of is that the NYPD often approach minor interactions with the same tough attitude as when violent crime was out of control, even when people are not breaking any law. People feel disrespected and threatened by the police and seek to avoid any contact with them. This is not a recipe for trust but for a police state, where people cooperate mainly to avoid encounters with the law. Police offices are ambassadors for the city. When people see police treating the sick, poor, homeless, or mildly irritating like degenerate thugs it makes them feel less safe. Our police can't forget that the power they wield is ultimately enforced through violence at the end of the gun. They have a responsibility to wield that power in a way that shows ppl they are capable of distinguishing between good & bad citizens. Most do, many have not, and people have noticed. That's why the discussion on quality is critical.
Questioning police policy does not imply a desire for anarchy or a hatred of police. Most NY'ers want police they can trust, who feel positive about the community they serve. The fundamental issue people have tired of is that the NYPD often approach minor interactions with the same tough attitude as when violent crime was out of control, even when people are not breaking any law. People feel disrespected and threatened by the police and seek to avoid any contact with them. This is not a recipe for trust but for a police state, where people cooperate mainly to avoid encounters with the law. Police offices are ambassadors for the city. When people see police treating the sick, poor, homeless, or mildly irritating like degenerate thugs it makes them feel less safe. Our police can't forget that the power they wield is ultimately enforced through violence at the end of the gun. They have a responsibility to wield that power in a way that shows ppl they are capable of distinguishing between good & bad citizens. Most do, many have not, and people have noticed. That's why the discussion on quality is critical.
9
Let's look at the statistics:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cscity.pdf
They show a significant increase in the murder rate (20%!), no change in the rape rate, and that most of the decline came from a drop in burglary and larceny. Keep in mind that the bad weather contributes to the decrease in crime, which makes the rise in murders so distressing.
The data suggests that more police has helped with the decrease in crime, and the change in stop and frisk has contributed to a rise in murders.
I wish the editors would link to data instead of merely reporting their skewed interpretation of it.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cscity.pdf
They show a significant increase in the murder rate (20%!), no change in the rape rate, and that most of the decline came from a drop in burglary and larceny. Keep in mind that the bad weather contributes to the decrease in crime, which makes the rise in murders so distressing.
The data suggests that more police has helped with the decrease in crime, and the change in stop and frisk has contributed to a rise in murders.
I wish the editors would link to data instead of merely reporting their skewed interpretation of it.
8
If crime goes down, and it has gone down substantially in the past couple of decades, while police hiring goes up, despite all the automation and computer technology that has increased efficiency many times what it was even a few years ago: it is inevitable that innocent people will need to be arrested to justify the increased cost to the taxpayer.
8
Glad to know that the Times does not want people who commit "petty" crimes to be arrested. Can we have a definition beyond marijuana possession? And, oh by the way, a "worrisome" increase in shootings? Up double digits last year, up 20% more this year. Is that worrisome, or perhaps these are petty crimes.
4
In all jurisdictions. there are far more crimes committed than crimes solved. For every burglar caught many get away. For every rapist charged, many remain fugitives. And for every store robbery case closed, many remain open. It is the nature of crime that most get away with it. That's why it's worth the risk to commit most crimes. More police should increase the percent of bad guys caught. If you think extra police would be wasted, don't pay for them. But if the police force is acceptably competent, 1,000 new police officers will help arrest many of those now getting away with it.
3
There should be no public policy to discourage abortion in cases where the pregnancy resulted from a rape.
3
Don't scale up the police force until the murder rate tops 5,000 a year.
1
Just like a yo yo, add police officers when crime is up, lay them off when it drops. Like maintenance on your car, don't bother wasting your money until something breaks.
New York City's huge population needs as many police as possible; and law enforcement is a great career for "the young and the restless".
I believe that with 35,000 police officers NYC should be able to do an effective job continuing to lower crime rates via re-allocating resources to progressive community policing strategies and de-implementing/funding ineffective ones.
Also just like in any job, there are individuals who exemplify the mentality, grit, character and subsequent production that the job calls for. Your model employee. Then there are lazy do little employees. The NYPD should identify these low performers who's behavior is a drain on tax payer dollars and fire them. SIMPLE. FIRE THOSE COPS. Then use that money to entice and recruit higher quality individuals with higher IQ's. Thus making a stronger smarter and smaller police force with more more money for tools at their disposal. The solution is not a larger more bloated force, that only benefits Union and city bureaucrats looking for reputation bumps.
Also just like in any job, there are individuals who exemplify the mentality, grit, character and subsequent production that the job calls for. Your model employee. Then there are lazy do little employees. The NYPD should identify these low performers who's behavior is a drain on tax payer dollars and fire them. SIMPLE. FIRE THOSE COPS. Then use that money to entice and recruit higher quality individuals with higher IQ's. Thus making a stronger smarter and smaller police force with more more money for tools at their disposal. The solution is not a larger more bloated force, that only benefits Union and city bureaucrats looking for reputation bumps.
5
The NYPD protects it's own. They'd never fire a police officer, no matter how much of a drain they are. You can be a rookie cop and choke an MTA worker (that's a felony offense) like NY Police Officer Mirjan Lolja did and you'd only get a suspension WITH PAY. The cop was caught on video smirking after the attack. If anyone should be fired it should be this guy. Yet, the NYPD does nothing.
9
We do not want police forces to be the employers of gun nuts.
3
Crime is down, so there obviously isn't an issue of New York needing a greater quantity of policing. A large percentage of the public disapproves of the way that some police work is being handled so, yes, there is a need to improve quality in some way. The question is in what constitutes "quality."
Since there really isn't an increased need for more policing, the issue really isn't about better training in policing techniques. Let's be honest about this. The problem is that we need cops who are more humane, more socially literate and who are just generally more classy. Refining the character of some persons who are in the police force and of new recruits who will be entering the police force should be priority number one. Let's start by requiring college degrees as pre-requisites for admission to the police academy. Not vocational "police training," but the sort of general and broad knowledge required of a person who earns a Bachelor's degree.
Since there really isn't an increased need for more policing, the issue really isn't about better training in policing techniques. Let's be honest about this. The problem is that we need cops who are more humane, more socially literate and who are just generally more classy. Refining the character of some persons who are in the police force and of new recruits who will be entering the police force should be priority number one. Let's start by requiring college degrees as pre-requisites for admission to the police academy. Not vocational "police training," but the sort of general and broad knowledge required of a person who earns a Bachelor's degree.
6
Our public officials are evidently inclined to bill terrorists as agents of a vast secret organization rather than individuals acting out extreme mental illnesses.
Fox Butterfield where are you - "why do we have so many police when crime is low?"
Freedom from violence and crime is our greatest freedom of all.
4
Consent of the governed works a whole lot better than a police state.
6
That's what they said in the now thankfully defunct Soviet Union.
3
But it isn't crime when white collar Republicans do it.
7
The police always have to justify their jobs, so more police means more policing. Already we have too much policing and more police will just make this worse. I see no initiatives giving the police new, non-confrontational jobs. They'll just keep doing what they've been doing. This is a weak-kneed editorial. I don't understand why the Times would take this position.
7
"They'll just keep doing what they've been doing."
I hope they keep doing what they've been doing. I don't want them doing anything else.
I hope they keep doing what they've been doing. I don't want them doing anything else.
1
I find puzzling the number of out-of-state/out-of-country individuals commenting an editorial solely focused on the NYPD. The NYPD is unlike any other police department in the world and comparisons to one's own local police department are likely to lead to inaccurate analogies. That is not to say that the NYPD is exceptional but rather that this is distinctly unique and deserves to be analyzed from this perspective. It is the police department of a city rich with ethnic diversity and political liberalism. It is a department that is fast becoming a mirror of the population it represents. It is a department that has a tremendous responsibility to protect its citizens from a very real threat of terrorism. It is our police department made up of fellow New Yorkers. It is a police department that will never be perfect, that will always have bad apples, will always have some corruption, that will always require citizen oversight but will constantly demonstrate why it is the finest police department in world.
15
Jordan as a retired NYPD Detective, well said. We were never perfect, and while we should always strive to be better, and we do there will always be mistakes and individuals who shouldn't have ever been hired. With that siad show me any other Department in the United States that as you point out does what we do? You will be hard pressed too I think. And thank you for you kind thoughts!
1
Jordan, I live in Vermont and we have experienced the same problem recently. People from outside our state have no shortage of opinions regarding our gun laws, despite the fact they know nothing about us. It seems one aspect of our society is that the further one is from the issue the more strident their opinions. When it comes to opinions regarding the NYPD I'll refrain from any comments as I will admit, unlike some others, I wouldn't know what I'm talking about.
1
"I find puzzling the number of out-of-state/out-of-country individuals commenting an editorial solely focused on the NYPD."
Why? People from all over the world like to visit it, or need to travel there on business. This doesn't just concern New Yorkers.
Why? People from all over the world like to visit it, or need to travel there on business. This doesn't just concern New Yorkers.
3
Shooting are way up in NYC and as for the lower crime rate for the first few months of this year, there is an old police saying "Jack Frost is the best policemen!" Let's see what happens when the weather gets warmer. The sharp decrease in crime I am sure has to do with a few factors, but as to agree with the many commenters here that the police have no impact on that is an extremely false and dangerous statement.
Police executives deploy officers where the crime is. It is reactionary in that regard. That is why certain areas of the city see many officers and others have to really look to see any. While the use of SQF as a data driven statistic was a huge blunder by Commissioner Kelly and Bloomberg. It should have been used as the Constitution and Supreme Court have outlined, it was probably an extreme measure to reduce and prevent murders in communities of color where overwhelmingly all these take place. There are thousands of people walking around NYC who otherwise would be in their graves right now. Perhaps not the best way to prevent this, but seeing as the likes of Al Sharpton and others can't get a handle on the breakdown of society in these areas what were the police to do?
The nation is foolish in thinking this is solely an abuse of authority problem. They will never shine the light on the other part of the equation. Black on Black crime and the breakdown of civil society in these neighborhoods.
Hiring quality over quantity is of course important too.
Police executives deploy officers where the crime is. It is reactionary in that regard. That is why certain areas of the city see many officers and others have to really look to see any. While the use of SQF as a data driven statistic was a huge blunder by Commissioner Kelly and Bloomberg. It should have been used as the Constitution and Supreme Court have outlined, it was probably an extreme measure to reduce and prevent murders in communities of color where overwhelmingly all these take place. There are thousands of people walking around NYC who otherwise would be in their graves right now. Perhaps not the best way to prevent this, but seeing as the likes of Al Sharpton and others can't get a handle on the breakdown of society in these areas what were the police to do?
The nation is foolish in thinking this is solely an abuse of authority problem. They will never shine the light on the other part of the equation. Black on Black crime and the breakdown of civil society in these neighborhoods.
Hiring quality over quantity is of course important too.
5
People in the United States get killed doing their jobs every day. It is sad. Sanitation workers, convenience store clerks, truck drivers and police officers. Police are typically victims of guns because of the availability of firearms in America. Hundreds of millions of guns. Criminals and the mentally ill can obtain them. Yet the police do nothing about gun control. They take no public position about the tens of thousands of people who are killed by guns each year. Yes they investigate the deaths. Yet when citizens are endangered by the lunatics legally doing "open carry" and "stand your ground" they police never say "this is a terrible idea".
1
NYC is not a 'stand your ground' state; the NYPD gets sued on a regular basis because they refuse to issue pistol permits. Your statement about doing nothing about guns is ridiculous because the 'good' people of NYC have demanded that Stop & Frisk not be used as a tactic. Why do you think they were doing that? Use your head, it is not the cops who are out of control, it's some of the people who live here and view good citizens as victims. How about we train the criminals not to rape, rob and pillage the City.
1
The final paragraph of this editorial nails it.
The NYPD has plenty of funding, cops and "toys." When they show that they are responsible in using these high-tech gadgets, not shoot or kill unarmed civilians, overreact to, and in arrests and events, then they can increase their numbers.
In the meantime, when cops think it's OK to continue lethal practices that are not about public safety (think shooting the unarmed, chokeholds, etc.) and use gadgets that are unconstitutional and potentially permanently injuring bystanders like sound cannons, (http://gothamist.com/2014/12/13/lrad_nypd_protests_sound.php)
they should be limited to using the existing immense funding they already have to hire more cops if they think they need them.
Additionally, every time the city has to pay out millions for wrongful death or damage lawsuits that should come OUT of the NYPD budget. That's the only way that a bloated and unaccountable department can BEGIN to change it's policies - if it is hit in the pocket.
If we want more cops, why can't we also revamp the CCRB (Civilian Complaint Review Board) to have some teeth and real consequences for police that act inappropriately? That could be a bargaining point. Why do we have to accede to EVERY demand made by the NYPD?
If we don't force the police to live within reasonable budgets, and develop reasonable policies that don't cost the taxpayers millions or hurt or kill people unnecessarily, the number of cops won't make a difference.
The NYPD has plenty of funding, cops and "toys." When they show that they are responsible in using these high-tech gadgets, not shoot or kill unarmed civilians, overreact to, and in arrests and events, then they can increase their numbers.
In the meantime, when cops think it's OK to continue lethal practices that are not about public safety (think shooting the unarmed, chokeholds, etc.) and use gadgets that are unconstitutional and potentially permanently injuring bystanders like sound cannons, (http://gothamist.com/2014/12/13/lrad_nypd_protests_sound.php)
they should be limited to using the existing immense funding they already have to hire more cops if they think they need them.
Additionally, every time the city has to pay out millions for wrongful death or damage lawsuits that should come OUT of the NYPD budget. That's the only way that a bloated and unaccountable department can BEGIN to change it's policies - if it is hit in the pocket.
If we want more cops, why can't we also revamp the CCRB (Civilian Complaint Review Board) to have some teeth and real consequences for police that act inappropriately? That could be a bargaining point. Why do we have to accede to EVERY demand made by the NYPD?
If we don't force the police to live within reasonable budgets, and develop reasonable policies that don't cost the taxpayers millions or hurt or kill people unnecessarily, the number of cops won't make a difference.
23
Instead of increasing police, let's put the peacetime dividend toward peaceful ends. A recent report on the libraries described shocking neglect of buildings and inadequate resources. Instead of policing efforts, let's support education and self-development. Libraries are public spaces dedicated to education and creativity. The city should be devoting resources to such efforts.
8
Who says we don't need more police officers?
Come to Flatbush, where we've had in the last several months five or so armed robberies at various establishments on Church Avenue, Cortelyou Road, and Coney Island Avenue. We've had armed hold-ups on residential streets in the middle of the day, and we have had babies shot by stray bullets.
And of course we have girl gangs beating up one another.
Then there are the guys who sit in their cars waiting for drug customers. Who come.
I wouldn't be so smug about a downtick in crime. It depends on where you are. Here in Flatbush, we're plenty busy.
Come to Flatbush, where we've had in the last several months five or so armed robberies at various establishments on Church Avenue, Cortelyou Road, and Coney Island Avenue. We've had armed hold-ups on residential streets in the middle of the day, and we have had babies shot by stray bullets.
And of course we have girl gangs beating up one another.
Then there are the guys who sit in their cars waiting for drug customers. Who come.
I wouldn't be so smug about a downtick in crime. It depends on where you are. Here in Flatbush, we're plenty busy.
4
Amazing the way these comments denigrate the police. As yourself: who you gonna call if you need help?
5
When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.
3
A cop who won't choke the life out of an unarmed man.
3
The NYC police need to get rid of some of its officers and have them replaced with quality, size doesn't matter.
8
Lots of great Ideas by folks who know little about NYC and its Police. Solo cars will never happen. Too dangerous. I agree with the militarization/Andy Mayberry view, althought NYC, we ain't no Mayberry. Aunt Bee is imaginary. The Police are here to keep the lid on society's garbage can so everyday normal people can go about their lives in peace. Oh and they generate a ton of revenue on the backs of poor New Yorkers. Seat belt and cell phone overtime. Cops have to give 25 movers (seat belts and phones primarily). When DeBlasio says the Government is worried about your safety you better hold on to your wallet. The cops do as they are told. Policy starts at Gracie mansion.
4
Sorry, I beg to differ. I live in Midtown West. There's never enough Police officers when you need them. Bloomberg added two citibike kiosks on each end of the block! The tourists just don't stop. Then, there's a public housing building for displaced people whom the city can't find housing for....all on one block! Guys leaving the strip bar late at night hollering, drunk out of their minds. We have the street jammed with church group tour buses, stopping mid street to let people on and off, causing traffic jams and horn honking. There's a strip bar, two parking lots and a theater with the most popular musical in a decade playing. All this as mentally disturbed people fight, drink and cause problems at the city housing building. I told one cop, the city should simply open a precinct in the ground floor of that building as the cops are called everyday! What a waste of tax money! And, where are the rules about tour busses. This is a residential neighborhood. All this while the cops you do see are posing for pictures with tourists.Mostly one can't even locate a police officer. I'd prefer more real cops, cleaning this place up, enforcing laws. All this for $3000 a month. Enough.
7
predictably, commenters here, not too fond of authority in any context, want to gut the force, or just complain about the force that exists today. DeBlasio may seem coy on this issue right now, because his reputation among cops is already mud, but you know where his liberal sympathies lie. So, NY will cut the force and that, along with DeBlasio insisting on a hands off policy for criminals, will inevitably lead to a crime wave like those of old. Liberals will scratch their collective heads and wonder why they are in this mess----------and blame the police. Wash, rinse, repeat.
7
No I don`t live in New York but I have been there many times and hope to return to explore even more.
Having two officers per car can be a good. They act as back up, for each other and very possibly for you. Training is the secret here. While one is handling the law the other could be spending time being { I know this sounds naive } Officer Friendly and building a better connection to the people around them. Being Officer Friendly can be infectious and hopefully it will spread.
As to walking the beat. Maybe they could spend more time with one walking and one riding and then trade places.
There is a saying for riding old motorcycles.
Wrench-ride-repeat
Having two officers per car can be a good. They act as back up, for each other and very possibly for you. Training is the secret here. While one is handling the law the other could be spending time being { I know this sounds naive } Officer Friendly and building a better connection to the people around them. Being Officer Friendly can be infectious and hopefully it will spread.
As to walking the beat. Maybe they could spend more time with one walking and one riding and then trade places.
There is a saying for riding old motorcycles.
Wrench-ride-repeat
Quality matters. One bad officer cancels out ten good ones.
21
Or sadly, in some recent cases, the entire police force.
3
In general, more police translates to greater safety and security in the streets. I support increasing the staffing of the NYPD. It is hard to believe the anti-police tone of the majority of these comments.
The Police Dept. is society's first line of defense against crime, civil disorder,"street justice" and mayhem. Further, the threat of terrorism is serious and real. The NYC Police Dept. should be given great credit for keeping the city safe after the devastating terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. The NYPD has foiled numerous terrorist plots that were hatching.
As a taxpayer, I think the priority for tax dollars should go toward upholding "public safety", i.e., adequate funding for the Police Dept., New York State Troopers, etc. Second, tax dollars should be devoted to maintaining the infrastructure- roads, bridges, tunnels, etc.
New York Police- I support you !
The Police Dept. is society's first line of defense against crime, civil disorder,"street justice" and mayhem. Further, the threat of terrorism is serious and real. The NYC Police Dept. should be given great credit for keeping the city safe after the devastating terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. The NYPD has foiled numerous terrorist plots that were hatching.
As a taxpayer, I think the priority for tax dollars should go toward upholding "public safety", i.e., adequate funding for the Police Dept., New York State Troopers, etc. Second, tax dollars should be devoted to maintaining the infrastructure- roads, bridges, tunnels, etc.
New York Police- I support you !
14
"In general, more police translates to greater safety and security in the streets. "
That rather depends on which end of the baton you're at.
That rather depends on which end of the baton you're at.
8
Joyce Behr@ So fear is your motivator....Pretty common.
2
Good luck convincing New Yorkers that they need fewer police officers. Already they see an increased murder rate and more homeless people sleeping on the street under Mayor de Blasio.
New Yorkers already know they are a target for terrorists. Now they fear they are also becoming a target of liberal policies.
New Yorkers already know they are a target for terrorists. Now they fear they are also becoming a target of liberal policies.
8
Homelessness in NYC seems to be tied to the state of the national economy. It soared during the Reagan Administration.
5
the police have nothing to do with homeless people sleeping on the streets. We have too many cops, when what they do is illegal stop and search, and petty pot busts.
5
The only thing New Yorkers see is Eric Garner pleading for his life as cops murdered him. "I can't breathe" is still echoing in the ears of everyone in this town, the cops are in the dog house where they should be. Time out.
3
Completely agree that quality must supersede quantity, as outlined; the police force must be friendly, ready to serve its community with the courage that we know them for, and the dedication required for the job. Abuse of power, out.
16
London and NYC have roughly the same size population but the NYPD is already twice the size of the Metropolitan Police. What is wrong with this picture?
31
National firearms regulation.
6
Steve Bolger
This is certainly a factor (although NYC has stricter gun laws than most jurisdictions) but 100% LARGER?
This is certainly a factor (although NYC has stricter gun laws than most jurisdictions) but 100% LARGER?
2
Inconsistent public policy confuses the public. The US has lost sight of the need to reinforce delegation of the power to kill other people to agents of a justice system charged to bring disputes into a nonviolent resolution process in courts, in its arms policies under our social contract.
"Maybe the answer is it doesn’t matter that much." It sure matters to the taxpayers who can count on the expensive funding for life of bad cops, along with the good ones, with no recourse for bad behavior in the Blue Wall that militarized police forces across America have adopted. Just look at the numbers of cops who were in on the killing of Eric Garner. They were like flies on rotten meat. NO MORE COPS.
20
Quality has been expensive for a long time. In my father's day, that was the reason economy was found by separate parking enforcement, and separate City civilian inspectors to follow up on Ordinance violations. The same was true of shifting dispatch and office work to civilian employees.
In this day of militarizing police, and giving armed "Law Enforcement" power to so many agencies, we have entirely departed from the original idea that all those people were instead of cops, because quality cops are expensive.
The quality cops were back up. They were not the first response to everything.
Instead of more cops, we could look at making better use of them. That might well include more emphasis on further improvements in quality. That does seem needed too.
In this day of militarizing police, and giving armed "Law Enforcement" power to so many agencies, we have entirely departed from the original idea that all those people were instead of cops, because quality cops are expensive.
The quality cops were back up. They were not the first response to everything.
Instead of more cops, we could look at making better use of them. That might well include more emphasis on further improvements in quality. That does seem needed too.
5
Yesterday, I asked a Long Island City cop for directions to the G Station. He could not string two sentences together and basically communicated with hand gestures. I saw lots of cops standing around corners doing who knows what.
While I am sure there are quality police in NYC, the ones I saw and spoke to were not.
While I am sure there are quality police in NYC, the ones I saw and spoke to were not.
14
A big presence of police, highly trained and skilled, with a Mayor who is supportive of the force is key to maintaining growth of business and tourism. Never forget 9/11 an realize our population will suddenly grow by 2 million when illegal immigrants come out of the woodwork when they receive resident status.
2
"the omnipresent terrorism threat"
Omnipresent, really?
Omnipresent, really?
31
And your alternative terminology would be...?
When police departments have time to enforce tobacco revenue laws and pull people over for expired inspection stickers, we need fewer police.
41
It was NYC Mayor de Blasio's pursuit of a "ground breaking" civil racketeering lawsuit against bootleg cigarette sellers that was the impetus of the police department's crackdown on loosies.
Perhaps the mayor should have thought about the consequences of his own policy?
Perhaps the mayor should have thought about the consequences of his own policy?
3
Don't blame the mayor because cops in this town are arrogant hotheads. That's a soft excuse and it holds no weight, that officer did what he wanted on Staten Island. Those cops could give a *** about what De Blasio wants, they just want to beat on some poor people to teach them how to "act". That broken windows bull is just an excuse to harass people to make more affluent people feel "safe" and "comfortable". To increase "tourism" and "business". Giuliani time is over.
4
More police on the street is not the answer. if the police dept had quality police and the backing and trust of ALL citizens, we would all be OK. There is a mistrust in a lot of cities around the country of police and the criminal justice system, including what we have seen on the part of prosecutors with the use of the Grand Jury system, and all white juries for police.
I like the proposition of quality over quantity, and more diversity on the force, and community policing should be instituted.
I like the proposition of quality over quantity, and more diversity on the force, and community policing should be instituted.
5
Less police force is no less effective, as mentioned in part of your editorial:
"When cops essentially walked off the beat for a couple of weeks in a wildcat job shutdown this winter, writing no tickets and making no arrests for minor offenses, chaos did not overtake the city."
Besides, with the ubiquitous traffic cameras (http://nyctmc.org/), red light/speed cameras (http://www.photoenforced.com/ny.html) and surveillance cameras, there are more "eyes" looking at what's going on than ever. The aforementioned list does not include the private cameras that are watching. Police have been able to make arrests based on videos taken by ordinary citizens.
So, unless crime statistics show a compelling need to put more cops on the streets, there is no need to do so.
"When cops essentially walked off the beat for a couple of weeks in a wildcat job shutdown this winter, writing no tickets and making no arrests for minor offenses, chaos did not overtake the city."
Besides, with the ubiquitous traffic cameras (http://nyctmc.org/), red light/speed cameras (http://www.photoenforced.com/ny.html) and surveillance cameras, there are more "eyes" looking at what's going on than ever. The aforementioned list does not include the private cameras that are watching. Police have been able to make arrests based on videos taken by ordinary citizens.
So, unless crime statistics show a compelling need to put more cops on the streets, there is no need to do so.
8
Worries about "the persistence of drug and gang crime in some neighborhoods and public housing" are troubling. Why not decriminalize drugs instead of imprisoning poor people and people of color? And why not address the inability of people to find housing where they work, forcing them into ghettoized communities where gangs can thrive? Police can't fix systemic problems.
Wouldn't it be great if we had a system where people could rate police by stuff that helps them: Is traffic moving? Can our kids walk to school safely? Can you get assistance when people are fighting in the street at 2 am? Are homeless people getting help so they don't have to sleep on subway cars? I would think that smart cops could have an impact.
Wouldn't it be great if we had a system where people could rate police by stuff that helps them: Is traffic moving? Can our kids walk to school safely? Can you get assistance when people are fighting in the street at 2 am? Are homeless people getting help so they don't have to sleep on subway cars? I would think that smart cops could have an impact.
17
Since the crime rate is low they should take advantage of that and hire new officers. Therefore they could lower the crime rate even more, which is in the interest of all citizens
4
The ubiquity of cameras is a major factor discouraging crime that gets less credit than it deserves.
2
New York City is the Police capitol of the nation. What happens in NYC spreads to the nations cities and towns via the in-the-pocket Television networks cop shows. The federal government knows this. That is why the C.I.A. and F.B.I. run the NYPD. That is also why President Obama picked New York area people to lead the nations law enforcement, namely Mr. Comey as F.B.I. Director and Persecutor Loretta Lynch as the New Attorney General.
There is a simple reality in American Politics; Republicans are for an enlarged Military while Democrats are for a Police State in America.
America was once known as "The land of freedom". Now we are called "The land of laws" by our political leaders. We lose with either party.
Four predatory secret police killed Amadou Diallo in his own doorway execution style. Four secret police killed Garner for the frivolous crime of selling single untaxed cigarettes. Do you think, maybe, there are too many cops?
There is a simple reality in American Politics; Republicans are for an enlarged Military while Democrats are for a Police State in America.
America was once known as "The land of freedom". Now we are called "The land of laws" by our political leaders. We lose with either party.
Four predatory secret police killed Amadou Diallo in his own doorway execution style. Four secret police killed Garner for the frivolous crime of selling single untaxed cigarettes. Do you think, maybe, there are too many cops?
4
There is no need for more police here in Flushing (Queens) UNLESS they actually "walk the beat". Citizens who walk in Flushing, even if it's only to walk to and from the #7 train, see very few, if any, police "walking the beat". We do see a lot of police cars whizzing by, or stopping some poor guy or gal who made an improper turn, or went through the red light on Main and Kissena.
I also walked these same streets 65 years ago - from the time I was 7 until the time I was 21. You actually saw cops on the street walking a beat back then. Not now!
I also walked these same streets 65 years ago - from the time I was 7 until the time I was 21. You actually saw cops on the street walking a beat back then. Not now!
33
With the current level of police training in New York the major downside to hiring more police will only mean more police on the street doing things the old-fashioned way. The insensitive way. The Patrick Lynch way. It just means more people will be at risk of an unwarranted abusive or violent confrontation with police. If the city can afford to hire 1,000 more unneeded cops, better to put that money into intensive training and retraining of the current force.
20
Time to scale back the world's 4th largest army.
42
Are the Speaker and the City Council fighting last century's war on crime? Probably, Have the mayor and commish made the force more efficient and effective? I hope so.
As long as we view any police force as an occupying force we can expect little positive interaction with the community. Where the police are clearly on the side of the people, we are all auxiliary officers, eyes and ears in the community, cell phones at the ready.
As long as we view any police force as an occupying force we can expect little positive interaction with the community. Where the police are clearly on the side of the people, we are all auxiliary officers, eyes and ears in the community, cell phones at the ready.
22
Too often the police think of themselves as an occupying force, us vs them, "civilians" as objects. That problem goes both ways, and is one of the most important things for us to change.
6
Far from being "too thin", the "blue line" is absurdly fat with huge budgets, excess military equipment, and too many cops.
Police are, of course, important. But American police have been perverted from crime-fighters to revenue seekers, as everything from Ferguson to the out-of-control drugwar demonstrates. The result has been a steady deterioration in the relationship between the cops and the communities they police; instead of Officer Friendly, we're faced with iron-clad Robonarcs whose purpose is to incarcerate as many people as possible while taking as much public property through forfeitures as they can.
The solution to this mess is to stop the drugwar; fire half the cops; and double the salaries of the ones that remain. We don't need more cops, and they don't need a bigger budget. What we need is high-quality police who are fighting crime instead of arresting teenage pot smokers and forfeiting their parents' property. And that means raising the standards for police by paying them more and requiring better cop behavior.
Police are, of course, important. But American police have been perverted from crime-fighters to revenue seekers, as everything from Ferguson to the out-of-control drugwar demonstrates. The result has been a steady deterioration in the relationship between the cops and the communities they police; instead of Officer Friendly, we're faced with iron-clad Robonarcs whose purpose is to incarcerate as many people as possible while taking as much public property through forfeitures as they can.
The solution to this mess is to stop the drugwar; fire half the cops; and double the salaries of the ones that remain. We don't need more cops, and they don't need a bigger budget. What we need is high-quality police who are fighting crime instead of arresting teenage pot smokers and forfeiting their parents' property. And that means raising the standards for police by paying them more and requiring better cop behavior.
53
- Why not ONE officer per car? Effectively DOUBLES the coverage. In this age of instant communication, GPS & cell phones single officer patrols very viable.
- Being a police officer is NOT a particularly dangerous job; according to OSHA being a construction worker is statistically more dangerous, policing rarely makes annual list the Top 10 most dangerous jobs. Yet it is this deep seated myth that is part of the reason officers tend to resort to excessive force so readily.
- Professional standards of education, training, oversight (impartial 3rd investigation of all complaints etc) & personality testing need to be established. Feds hand out lots of $ to states, these can be used as carrots to encourage setting of high standards of conduct.
- Neighborhood/Community Policing. Rapport is vital. More 'Andy of Mayberry'; Less SWAT Teams (articles have been written re routine over use of SWAT teams in order to justify cost/existence)
- Militarization of police must stop. Police as an Army of Occupation will never work, lose the hearts & minds and no amount of force will succeed. Military gear sends a harsh message re expectations & impacts emotions/behavior on both sides: clothes make the man & citizens react differently. A cowed population is not a solution, resentment & hostility will flower: feelings buried alive never die.
- Weed out the bad; QUICKLY! A profession which takes pride in their professionalism expels the unworthy, they do not close ranks to hide the unfit.
- Being a police officer is NOT a particularly dangerous job; according to OSHA being a construction worker is statistically more dangerous, policing rarely makes annual list the Top 10 most dangerous jobs. Yet it is this deep seated myth that is part of the reason officers tend to resort to excessive force so readily.
- Professional standards of education, training, oversight (impartial 3rd investigation of all complaints etc) & personality testing need to be established. Feds hand out lots of $ to states, these can be used as carrots to encourage setting of high standards of conduct.
- Neighborhood/Community Policing. Rapport is vital. More 'Andy of Mayberry'; Less SWAT Teams (articles have been written re routine over use of SWAT teams in order to justify cost/existence)
- Militarization of police must stop. Police as an Army of Occupation will never work, lose the hearts & minds and no amount of force will succeed. Military gear sends a harsh message re expectations & impacts emotions/behavior on both sides: clothes make the man & citizens react differently. A cowed population is not a solution, resentment & hostility will flower: feelings buried alive never die.
- Weed out the bad; QUICKLY! A profession which takes pride in their professionalism expels the unworthy, they do not close ranks to hide the unfit.
5
Two cops per car is a quality issue. It is much better, much safer for both cops and those they deal with. The first requirement of safety is to "establish officer presence" and peaceful control of the scene. There ought to be fewer one man cars.
8
Teamwork is essential to reduce panic.
2
One man cars dramatically increase the danger to both the police and the criminals. One policeman alone in a high crime area is much more likely to be attacked and to respond with deadly force.
2
NYPD should not hire more law abiding citizens and turn them into the Lynch Mob. The arrogant union shot themselves in the face with their on the job sick out, political stunts at funerals, and trash talking union leader of no merit. Now everyone knows they were just put out on the streets to harass, incite, and cause problems. Shrink the criminal syndicate known as NYPD, and buy their union leader a muzzle.
59
Quality always matters! If NYC has an opportunity to choose quality over quantity, they should snap it up. Such a chance may not rise again.
23
Mayor de Blasio is likely to bend a bit here, but that is fine. Perhaps adding 500 new officers is a worthy compromise, enough to satisfy the City Council and Speaker Mark-Viverito. Under this mayor, policing seems headed in the right direction, but much of this progress is likely made much easier by the very favorable crime rate. If it starts to rise, Mr. de Blasio will really be tested on his past promises and present action. That is when it would become politically difficult to continue to push for the right policies.
Can't remember the exact amount but there was a study of actually how many cops are on the street at one time on one shift in New York City. The numbers were shocking.Does anyone really think Bratton is going to want less cops or the union less members.Crime is down because the crack era is over and the perps are getting older. Most major cities can do with one officer patrols we need two. Do a real study about manning and then lets make some sound decisions. Asking Bratton does he needs more cops is a real no brainer.
8
Instead of standing up to the police unions, the mayor seems to have abdicated to them. When the NYPD when on work slow down and there was no increase in crime, that was proof that less police and not more are needed.
Then, a mentally-disturbed man shot two policemen and everything changed. Instead of listening to Black Lives Matter protesters, New York now has two additional police forces dedicated to monitoring and policing protests. In the legislature, there is a bill that could pass that would make resisting arrest a felony. Resisting arrest is a charge of choice and a very easy one to use.
Police forces and mayors around the country are going in the wrong direction. We don't need more police state. We need to dismantle it. Spend the money on education, jobs, and housing. Use a portion of the savings retraining good cops in how to police communities.
Cincinnati had a terrible problem. Then they reformed. Other cities can do it too, with courageous mayors, city councils and chiefs of police leading the way.
---
http://www.rimaregas.com/2015/01/answering-jeffreytoobin/
Then, a mentally-disturbed man shot two policemen and everything changed. Instead of listening to Black Lives Matter protesters, New York now has two additional police forces dedicated to monitoring and policing protests. In the legislature, there is a bill that could pass that would make resisting arrest a felony. Resisting arrest is a charge of choice and a very easy one to use.
Police forces and mayors around the country are going in the wrong direction. We don't need more police state. We need to dismantle it. Spend the money on education, jobs, and housing. Use a portion of the savings retraining good cops in how to police communities.
Cincinnati had a terrible problem. Then they reformed. Other cities can do it too, with courageous mayors, city councils and chiefs of police leading the way.
---
http://www.rimaregas.com/2015/01/answering-jeffreytoobin/
58
Rima, there is a difference between not issuing tickets and not being on patrol. Have you ever gotten off with a warning? That is what was happening during the slowdown.
QED,
Then please explain this case. If it isn't that there are way too many cops per capita, then I am all ears!
NYC Cops Hand Deliver Jaywalking Tickets to 2 Teens Hit by Car http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/03/nypd_cops_hand_deliver_jayw... via @TheRoot
Then please explain this case. If it isn't that there are way too many cops per capita, then I am all ears!
NYC Cops Hand Deliver Jaywalking Tickets to 2 Teens Hit by Car http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/03/nypd_cops_hand_deliver_jayw... via @TheRoot
3
Is this not the language that reflects the mentality of the NYPD and most police agencies, that they are at war with fellow citizens? Do they not realize that they are not greater than any other citizen? They have been granted broader discretions. This idea that police work is "deadly" is hyperbole. Yes it is hazardous work, as firefighters. The military, soldiers who willing face danger with the understanding that they may be killed or maimed for the sake of their country, that's "deadly".
Police many times are unqualified mentally and physically to perform their duties. Just recently two guys climbed the RFK bridge without any resistance and undetected.
We need more police to watch bridges? Perhaps we should wake up a few of these officers or develop a policy about excessive cell phone use on duty. If this was a war the police would have many casualties. Imagine soldiers texting on duty.
We need to get out of this idea that having a conversation with black/latino residents will solve the problem. Or the idea more police will improve relations. There has NEVER been an amicable relationship between black/brown residents and the NYPD. It will take a total deconstruction of a culture that was steep in graft, racism, abuse, murder, drug dealing and collusion with the mob.
This spin on how great the NYPD is subjective. If you are a white nyc resident the chances are your experience was good; for black/brown it is precarious and oppressive...