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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNYC Cops Prove They Aren’t Really Needed
A huge number of entitled, mostly white cops in New York City, who have apparently been engaging in a two-week job action to protest their boss’s (that’s Mayor Bill deBlasio’s) support for protesters against the police killing of Eric Garner, a black man busted for selling “loosie” cigarettes on the street on Staten Island, may be unintentionally offering the public a demonstration of their own irrelevance.
For two weeks now, the largest police force in the nation has essentially stopped making arrests. According to a lead story in the New York Timestoday, ticket issuance by police in this city of 8.4 million is down by 90 percent. The paper reports that:
Most precincts’ weekly tallies for criminal infractions — typically about 4,000 a week citywide — were close to zero.
And yet, New York continues to function normally, with people going about their business, secure on sidewalk, street, public transit and in their homes.
Could it be that the city has been wasting much of the nearly $5 billion it spends annually on its over 34,000 uniformed cops (15% of the city’s budget)? Could it be that having all those cops cruising around neighborhoods harassing people — mostly, statistics show, people of color and poor people — by stopping them and frisking them, by busting them for “crimes” like public urination, smoking a joint, drinking a beer outside, selliing trinkets or “lossie” cigs, or just “looking suspicious” — has been doing nothing to reduce major crimes and violence after all?
(getting rid of police) would cut the bloated police force in the city down to size, and, because almost all of those dropped from the payroll would be white, it would go a long way towards making the NYPD much more reflective, racially, of the city they are policing.
If New York still continued, at that point, to function normally, without any evident surge in lawlessness, the Mayor would find himself suddenly with the funds he needs to do those progressive things that so far he has been blocked from doing by lack of funds and by obstruction from the governor, fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo — things like universal preschool, rent subsidies for the poor, etc.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/01/07/nyc-cops-prove-they-arent-really-needed/
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Downwinder
(12,869 posts)to show they are necessary.
imthevicar
(811 posts)CO-Intel-Pro experience to work, I have no doubt.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)
madokie
(51,076 posts)way back in the early '70s, best I remember. The death rate went way down during that time too. Been a long time
IIRC it was Los Angeles county.
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)After seeing your comment I did a couple of quick internet searches and found a number or articles substantiating that.
There have been multiple instances of strikes by doctors and healthcare officials over the last several decades and all around the world. When strikes occur a subsequent decrease in death rates is usually observed (actually, I didn't read a single instance of a decrease not occuring).
It is joked even by doctors that when cardiologists all go to a conference for a weekfewer people die when they aren't around.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Thats whats the problem. Im realizing that cops feel threatened to by guns and I think its a waste of time to bust people for drugs and that gangs really do terrorize the public with their guns and robberies. We really have a messed up world. I have no sympathy for bangers who tout guns and live off of jacking people. They deserve to get shot really and I feel weird saying it but its true. Its the victimless crimes that are ridiculous.
supercats
(429 posts)All the NY cops who disrespected De Blasio by turning their backs should be fired period and of story.
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)
eridani
(51,907 posts)A funny thing happened here in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Apparently this was supposed to be ground zero of the NYPD work stoppage. No arrests. No tickets. No nothing. Just police bunkered in behind the walls of the 79th and 81st Precincts, both of which now have armed SWAT types guarding the gates from imminent invasion.
So the funny thing is life has gone on pretty much normally. Nothing much is going on. Streets are quiet. All hell has not broken loose. Folks are going about their days normally. If policing has stopped, nobody seems to be noticing. We're told all 911 calls are being responded to and handled normally, it's just the police aren't actively pushing folks around.
Which brings us to a rather enlightening discovery: perhaps the NYPD could continue this style of policing with a lot less resources and manpower! Why have a bunch of bums sitting around doing nothing on the taxpayer's dime? Especially when crime is still under control and falling. Especially when the work stoppage has had no effect on the community whatsoever, except perhaps making everyone, including the NYPD, relax.
Mayor de Blasio should applaud the NYPD for demonstrating how much they need a lot less people to keep crime low and preserve order. Then, start laying people off and giving the slimmed-down remaining force a well-deserved raise.
Way to go, NYPD!
eggplant
(4,129 posts)There is the issue of the lost revenue to the city from all of those crappy busts, but I expect that the cops that would be tossed don't bring in (in revenue) as must as the cost (in wages, pension, etc). Such an action would be huge and would truly neuter the assholes in the NYPD. So, expect that they won't be too happy to cooperate.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Scuba
(53,475 posts)
meow2u3
(25,237 posts)We can start by having the NYPD hound the suits on their way to the scene of their crimes work. Then procceed to run undercover operations inside the firms to get the truth about rampant financial crime. Commish Bratton can start this to teach the superrich a lesson in empathy for the poor and non-whites.
All dreaming aside, I doubt anyone will try to do that.
Unknown Beatle
(2,691 posts)some in the NYPD, he would have to deal with right wing loud mouth asshole Patrick Lynch. Does anyone think the fired cops would go quietly into the night with Lynch in charge?
Patrick Lynch is responsible for the cops not working and things are not looking good for them. I think the cops should fire Lynch instead.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)
Helen Borg
(3,963 posts)B Calm
(28,762 posts)
Javaman
(65,002 posts)everyone loved it. no one missed them. they quickly canceled the strike.
on edit:
also, it begs the question, what did Bloomberg allow during his tenure as mayor? my answer with no proof: a boat load of shit.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)Sad that this would boiled down to being about the budget. We need to destroy the financial incentive to harass and arrest people.
Mr Dixon
(1,185 posts)Let them walk, fire them all until they start going after white collar crime, but that will never happen because the people in power control the cops always have.
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)When I was in college, the FBI came to an accounting class to talk with us. Turns out, the best way to join the FBI is with a law degree or an accounting degree.
Local police forces, OTOH, probably don't have a lot of the skills needed to combat white collar crime.
FSogol
(47,505 posts)
Faux pas
(16,037 posts)
Amishman
(5,910 posts)and watch crime rates drop. The best way to fight inner city crime and poverty is to give kids alternatives to gang and other criminal lifestyles.