New York, NY – Crime is on the verge of going up this year for the first time in nearly two decades — and anxious NYPD brass are cracking down in an effort to keep their historic gains intact.
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Through July 17, incidents of the seven major felonies are down only slightly — 0.4 percent — over the same period last year, dipping from 54,447 to 54,254. The annual tally has dropped every year since 1993.
But with half the city’s 76 precincts showing crime spikes, Ray Kelly desperately wants to avoid being the first police commissioner since Lee Brown to show a year-end uptick, and his top deputies are scrambling to make sure it doesn’t happen.
Department Chief Joseph Esposito and Deputy Commissioner Patrick Timlin two launched a get-tough policy that will involve more weekly meetings and follow-ups with precinct commanders, who will catch hell if hot spots aren’t smothered quickly.
A contentious sit-down at Police Headquarters Thursday was an example of the new approach, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
This week, the commanders of the 70th Precinct in Midwood, Brooklyn, and the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills, Queens, will be called on the carpet over a rise in grand larcenies, which represent the biggest number among the seven felonies tracked by the NYPD.
Under previous NYPD policy, each of the eight borough commanders, and the precinct commanders under them, would go to Police Plaza for “CompStat” sessions only every other week.
Now “they’re singling out commanders, cherry-picking from all over the city,” a source said.
Crime is going up and punishment is going down…what is wrong with this picture. The criminal element has little to no fear or respect of law enforcement. The Civil Liberties folks keep pushing for less stop and frisks and want to make nice with the criminals. If the criminals won’t respect the law then they learn to fear it. NYPD and other departments are operating with their hands tied in many cases. What about the rights of average law abiding citizens to be able to live without fear? Difficult times made more difficult when the police can’t do their job.
That’s the problem with cooking the books – eventually, reality catches up, and then comes crashing down on you …
Ny is now city of sodom. Economy is dying and crime is up and all the liberal politicians are very busy with gays. Sick society. We get what we voted for.
I wonder how long it will take for some contributor to blame this phenomenon on Mayor Bloomberg?
Anyone taking the subway daily can attest to the increase in crime. With the departure of the head of the MTA the incompetent Jay Walder things have to improve.
They have laid off a huge amount of cops, what do you expect? Terrible!
One could add another 35,000 cops to the force (essentially doubling it), and it would not have that much of an impact on preventing crimes. Basically, most of the job of the uniformed force is reporting past crimes. The Detective Division makes the majority of the felony arrests. Secondly, most serious crimes occur indoors. Cops cannot destroy crime. One must take into account, the barbarian type individuals who live in NYC, and commit heinous crimes. They are of all races, backgrounds, and ethnic groups.
Thank you mr mayor (bllomberg)
(where is Rudy ?)