I just caught this article on how homicides have been reduced in New York in the first half of 2013.
City Homicides Drop Sharply, Again; Police Cite New Antigang Strategy
The number of homicides on record in New York City has dropped significantly during the first half of the year — to 154 from 202 in the same period last year — surprising even police officials who have long been accustomed to trumpeting declining crime rates in the city.
In the first 178 days of 2013, the city averaged less than a murder a day, the first time the police can recall that happening for any sustained period. The latest numbers were recorded through Thursday.
Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly attributed much of the drop to a new antigang strategy meant to suppress retaliatory violence among neighborhood gangs. Police officials also credited their efforts at identifying and monitoring abusive husbands whose behavior seemed poised to turn lethal.
The recent decrease in violence is all the more striking because last year the department recorded the fewest homicides since it began a reliable method of compiling crime statistics half a century ago. The police recorded 419 murders in 2012....
Not that it will last, thanks to the NY City Council.
City Council Votes to Increase Oversight of New York Police
Over the objections of the mayor and police commissioner, the New York City Council early Thursday morning approved by veto-proof majorities a pair of bills aimed at increasing oversight of the Police Department and expanding New Yorkers’ ability to sue over racial profiling by officers.
The two bills, known together as the Community Safety Act, passed during a late-night meeting of the Council that began after 11 p.m., lasted more than three hours and in which members also voted to pass the city’s budget and override a mayoral veto of a law on paid sick leave.
Community Safety Act. Almost as Orwellian as Affordable Care Act or Recovery Act. But leftist always loved propaganda like that.
...One, known as Intro 1079, would create an independent inspector general to monitor and review police policy, conduct investigations and recommend changes to the department. The monitor would be part of the city’s Investigation Department alongside the inspectors general for other city agencies.
The law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2014, leaving the matter of choosing the monitor to the next mayor.
The other bill, Intro 1080, would expand the definition of bias-based profiling to include age, gender, housing status and sexual orientation. It also would allow individuals to sue the Police Department in state court — not only for individual instances of bias, but also for policies that disproportionately affect people in any protected categories without serving a significant law enforcement goal.
Both measures passed the 51-member Council with the votes needed to override a mayoral veto. As that threshold was passed just after 2:20 a.m., scores of supporters who had filled the chamber’s gallery and waited hours through the debate erupted into cheers.
Mr. Bloomberg, who has promised to veto both measures and this week called his opposition to them a matter of “life and death,” released a statement after the vote. “I will veto this harmful legislation and continue to make our case to Council members over the coming days and weeks,” he said.
"...disproportionately affect people in any protected categories..." Funny, these people who cheered it's passing are for some reason not concerned that murder and other violent crimes disproportionately affect people who are black or Hispanic or gay or poor. But that's not of concern to these "community groups". They only want to suck more money from the tax payers and lawsuits are the way. The fact a 25 year old black man in a club gets knifed over a "disrespect" is not an issue. The fact the police put out a general broadcast that the suspect is a "black male" living in a housing project is. They can file a discrimination suit on that.
I wonder if in a year or so when the suits are filed and the city is looking at millions more lost for nothing what will the council do? They've already chased out the middle class and anyone with money who can get out is. The mayor, in a spasm of "head out of assitis" acknowledged there are only around 40K people left in the city paying significant taxes and they are high earners. Which means they can leave at some point. And if things get worse they will.
I wonder if these idiots on the city council think (rhetorical question, I know) of what an effect this will have on policing. In my department in 2001 or so we started to collect racial data on any people who stopped on a self initiated basis, e.g. traffic stops, on the street investigations, etc. This is what came out at a roll call from our shift lieutenant.
Guys, you have to document everything that you do self initiated. If the numbers show you are disproportionally pulling overs blacks or Hispanics, etc, you can be disciplined, fired or sued...
To put this in context this was after a all the district and shift commanders were called into a meeting with the chief at the last minute and told this was going into effect as soon as the meeting ended. I think the man was giving us a warning "take it easy until this settled out..." Well the warning worked. Self initiated investigation ground to a halt. The department's ticket issuance dropped over 60% and other on view investigations like narcotics drooped also. We had to document our "on views" on a form turned in with the workcard. In roll calls people would put a "0" on top of it.
After a month or so when the city knew it was loosing it's ass in tickets, and also when better guidance came from the state attorney general's officer, the department revised it's collection plan. But I don't see that happening in New York.
Bloomberg, I'm no fan of yours but I'll give you this. You have continued the anticrime program of Guiliani and kept the murders down. Hopeefully after you veto this you can pick off enough members to kill it. For once I'll say good luck to you. If not, God help the people of New York.
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