By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, January 25 at 3:46 PM
Reports of rape shot up an astounding 61.4% since 2004 (though department officials claim that number is misleading). The numbers of murders were up 14.9%, robbery up 12.7%, and aggravated assault up 22.5%.
It was reported two weeks ago that the St. Louis Police board (whose members are appointed by the governor) had proposed a change in how officers are paid. The change would give Chief Joe Mokwa a 21% raise.
Click here to download a PDF of the SLPD press release (with our own notes).
9 Comments:
That is a funny headline.
But seriously, you don't actually think that the police department has any control over the crime rate, do you?
The police *investigate* crimes. They don't stop very many.
Generally, with the exception of prostitutes and streetcorner drug dealers, criminals operate out of sight of police officers.
4:50 PM, January 25, 2006
What nonsense are you talking? I see why you posted that anonymously.
I can guarantee you that if a police officer was dedicated to walking the six blocks around my house -- which is located in the 6th district (the one with the highest number of murders in the city) -- that crime would decrease by 50%.
And if the city had twice as much available funds to hire 1,000 more officers (to add to the 1,340 already on the job), that crime would go down.
Police presence makes a major difference in reducing urban crime. That's Page 1 of any report or text book.
Why are there more murders in my O'Fallon Park neighborhood than say a southside hood with similar demographics? Police presence. Before the crime, not after.
6:11 PM, January 25, 2006
I don't think there are a lot of neighborhoods with the "same demographics" as O'Fallon Park.
There may be similar percentage black, similar percentage low income, but what about the amount of vacant lots and buildings?
If you really found two neighborhoods with nearly identical conditions, I suspect you'd see two things:
Similar police presence and similar crime rates.
Crime is not a north south thing.
Police presence is not a north south thing.
As a north side resident, you ought not perpetuate such sterotypes.
Oh, and forget about text books and studies.
I talk with the police themselves. They say the same thing.
As did I---
Criminals don't act in plain sight of police officers (with the exception of street corner drug dealers and prostitites).
So sure, if there's a policeman outside your door, then it's doubtful a theif will try to break in right past him.
But you and I both know that there aren't enough police to go around to protect all 350,000 city residents like a force of personal body guards.
3:33 AM, January 26, 2006
Vacant buildings don't kill people, people kill people.
And when you say "Oh, and forget about text books and studies," I hear: facts are for wusses.
We agree that 1,340 officers is not enough. But you and I are just going to have to agree to disagree about how more officers would affect the amount of crime in the city. I just think it's common sense that having more police officers means that each officer has more time to better do his or her job.
But I wonder what you would say about the reverse? Don't you think that crime would go up if we only had 600 police officers in the city?
5:39 AM, January 26, 2006
Neighborhoods with more people outside of their houses, walking the neighborhood have the least crime.
I'd rather have that than more police officers.
8:01 AM, January 26, 2006
"Neighborhoods with more people outside of their houses, walking the neighborhood have the least crime. "
You are aware that there are many neighborhoods in our city in which residents don't feel safe walking to the corner store?
I venture to guess that the crime came before the fear.
9:25 AM, January 26, 2006
Not a single white shirt deserves a raise, when crime is on the rise, and we need to hire more blue shirts.
9:37 AM, January 26, 2006
the number of police is not the problem, the lack of good education the general public has recieved "because of there own fault, wanting to hang out and pimp the women" has caused most black me to end up in a position where options are few and becoming a thug is one most take. it pays the bills, it aint right, but if you want to fix the streets, start in the schools. Right now city high schools are breeding growns for prisoners. sad to say.
2:22 PM, January 31, 2006
Ask any cop on the street. He will tell you that they catch the criminals, but there aren't enough prosecutors because Shrewsbury cut their budget!
12:46 PM, December 20, 2006
Post a Comment
<< Home