Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The 1980s are back!

From the NY Post:

It feels like a flashback to the 1980s on city streets - an era no one's nostalgic for.

Overstretched cops are struggling to combat petty crime, according to police sources - resulting in an easing of enforcement that's taking Manhattan down fast, angry New Yorkers told The Post.

"People tell me they're scared to come here," said Greg Agnew, owner of the East Bay Diner on First Avenue at 29th Street. "Guys are hanging out in the street, doing things they're not supposed to be doing, loitering. They cause fights. They urinate on the floor, There's drug use."

Earlier this month, The Post reported that the NYPD had shifted focus away from quality-of-life crimes - such as loitering, urinating and drinking in public, and minor traffic offenses - and was instead focusing on major crime and counterterrorism.

Last year, the number of summonses issued for minor criminal violations dropped by tens of thousands, city data shows.

The neglect is fast sending the city back to the dark days of the pre-Giuliani era, New Yorkers said last week.


I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. Summonses went down because people are better behaved. Our mayor said so and he wouldn't lie.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg Answer: Reduce the number of cops, pay them less and increase the number of illegal immigrants.

Anonymous said...

quality of life crimes are a way for assholes to pick on poor people. ticket people for pissin in the street, dont jail them.

Anonymous said...

Maspeth mom says...
It was the Guiliani administrations thinking that most criminals start with petty crime. Bascially they are corret. People dont start with homicides- they start with shoplifting, move up to muggin, then get brazen enough to rob with a gun, and then use the gun if the need be. Also a guy who goes around robbing people using a hand gun - is not afraid to throw litter in the street or pee on your sidewalk. If you can catch the guys who is committing the small stuff - you will eventually catch someone who is committing the more serious crimes. Or the petty criminal will lead you to the serious criminal becuase he doesnt want to go to jail. As much as I did not like Guiliani - this worked.

Anonymous said...

Quality-of-life violators don't go to jail, unless they have an outstanding warrant, are carrying, or act stupid around the cop. If that happens to be most of the "poor" people that get written up for turnstile jumping or public urination, I don't see how its the cops fault.

Anonymous said...

How many wealthy developers have been victimized by crime?

How many middle class people have been victimized by crime?

Of those two numbers, which is the greater number? How has that number gone up in the last year?

Who is safer from crime in this city: wealthy developers or middle class citizens?

Who are the cronies of the Commissar?

Why are the crony wealthy developers safer than middle class citizens?

Who controls police hiring and deployment?

Anonymous said...

Mayor Mike must think his ass smells like Channel #5 because he never removes his head from it to see how the rest of NYC lives!

That's why this eccentric, pompous, imperious, fool isn't fit to be the leader of a great metropolis.

And Der Mayor still insists (citing his played down crime stats)
that we live in a safer New York
today ? C-mon!

MAKE SURE THIS RICH RUNT DOESN'T GET A 3rd TERM...unless it's spent in jail!

Maybe that old slush fund scandal will resurface in time once again...just before election day!

Anonymous said...

Maybe "George" is right...
NRA all the way!

I'll just have to take care of my own if the cops can't do the job!

Matt Kane said...

Mayor Bloomberg's ass smells like Fox 5 NY?

georgetheatheist said...

Maspeth Mom. It was William Bratton, Giuliani's Police Commissioner, who came up with the "broken window" concept of police enforcement: sweat the little stuff and the big stuff won't materialize. Giuliani, remember, became jealous of Bratton's success. He thought he was upstaging the Mayor. He canned Bratton.

I would probably vote for Rudy again. Although he does come across as a petulant asshole at times.

Anonymous said...

LOL, typical NY Post; this is such B.S. Were these commentators even alive in the 1980's?

The streets are NOTHING like back then. Even 10 years ago was COMPLETELY different on the streets. Not saying things are perfect now, but I have noticed no recent backtracking, at least not in Manhattan or Queens.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:
"George" is NEVER right.

Georgie:

You solidified my impression of you when you mentioned voting for Rudy. Good job.

Anonymous said...

It was William Bratton, Giuliani's Police Commissioner, who came up with the "broken window" concept of police enforcement...

Wrong again, george. "Broken windows" comes from a 1982 article by political scientist James Wilson and sociologist George Kelling.

p.s. Don't tell Wade. He thinks sociologists are good for nothing.

Anonymous said...

"The 1980s are back!"

Cool! I'm going to get my Alfonso Ribeiro break dancing board out of storage, along with my Adidas with the fat laces, Kangol hat, and sweat suit!

Maybe channel 11 will bring back those goofy video games they used to have back then, where kids would call in and yell: "PIX PIX PIX PIX PIX PIX PIX PIX!!!!!!"

p.s. Don't tell Wade. He thinks sociologists are good for nothing.

Mostly nothing. I actually have a minor in sociology, so I know what I'm talking about, and the only thing it's good for is driving a taxi. But I was wise enough to change majors and graduate from the school of business. There's a reason why there aren't any millionaire sociologists, unless they married well or inherited money.

Anonymous said...

A minor in Sociology? and here I thought you minored in Homosexual Studies.

Anonymous said...

A minor in Sociology? and here I thought you minored in Homosexual Studies.

As opposed to your double major of Womyn's Studies/Queer Studies

Anonymous said...

"There's a reason why there aren't any millionaire sociologists, unless they married well or inherited money."

So what you're saying is unless someone is making big bucks at what they do, their jobs are worthless. Sociology majors often go on to get their masters in Social Work. Although not a lucrative job, they do valuable work for less than fortunate families and they should be commended for it. What do you do? Shuffle paper from one side of the desk to the other? Congratulations! You are a true contributor to society.

Anonymous said...

Ah lay off Wade. I think Wade is starting to Wise Up.

You can always marry green but you can only inherit blue (blood).

Even then you gatta piss vinegar or you end up like Poor Caroline.

Anonymous said...

they do valuable work for less than fortunate families and they should be commended for it. What do you do? Shuffle paper from one side of the desk to the other? Congratulations! You are a true contributor to society.

Perhaps I hit you a little too close to home?

The value of social work has been disputed by many folks more eminently qualified then me. I won't bore with you some "cut and paste" articles similar to what another guy on this blog does incessantly. Sure, some social workers do excellent work, but many are also the very same "paper shufflers" that you sarcastically deride as being "true contributors to society". One of my friends from school is a social worker, and he's quite cynical himself of the profession.

But I stand corrected in one regard. There's a certain guy that Italian Girl has a school girl crush on, who's moved from "social work" to bigger things. Italian Girl used to have a "bobby sox" crush on Scott Baio, moved onto a teenage infatuation with the Backstreet Boys for a while, then with her hormones running full steam, fell in love with Justin Timberlake. But now she's moved on to an even bigger heart throb. This guy used to be a "community organizer" in Chicago. He has yet to contribute much of anything to society, other then 2 mediocre books, and huge sales of merchandise with his image. He's now president of a large sovereign state. His name escapes me now, perhaps it will come to me later when my glasses of vin santo wear off.

Ragazza italiana should select her words carefully in the future, before she shoots her verbal machine gun in an indiscriminate manner. Maybe she should take Joe up on his offer to give her firearms lessons on the range in Vermont. At the very least, her aim will improve a bit.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm. Maybe it was me who hit a nerve.

Scott Baio? Backstreet Boys? Justin Timberlake?

Yuck. Yuck. And Double Yuck. You couldn't be more off the mark, my friend.

And Obama? You aren't fit to shine his worn out shoes.

"Ragazza italiana should select her words carefully in the future, before she shoots her verbal machine gun in an indiscriminate manner."

Are you threatening me?

Anonymous said...

Are you threatening me?

Who knew Ragazza italiana could be so butch? Or should I say, de generes? (There's a double meaning there - Ridgewoodian might get that one!)

Nodding off......reading the label on this bottle of vin santo is much more interesting right now......

Anonymous said...

I asked a simple question. How you read that as "butch" is beyond me. But I am curious about something. Why are you obsessed with homosexuality? And let the vin santo wear off before you respond.

georgetheatheist said...

Wade, it's "ragazza" italiana.

georgetheatheist said...

Bratton applied Kelling's idea.

It's the difference, don't you know, between engineering and theory.

Anonymous said...

If its all about the Benjamins, then a lot of Madoff people just fell off their ladders into oblivion. Honest, I really wish them the best. Its rough out there.

But people, LIGHTEN UP. People here who even agree on most issues tend to snark up and insult. Just because there is anonymity here doesnt give license to turn into an arse.

Caveat: All supporters of Hizzdishonner and the Willets Point theft are not included in my screed.

Anonymous said...

How about some truth and facts: www.nypost.com/seven/01282009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/quality_policing_152307.htm

Seems like the NYPD is not letting up on quality of life crimes. Sorry queens crap propagandists.

Thank you Ray Kelly.

Queens Crapper said...

That's an op-ed column, not a news column, like the one linked in this post is. Positive NYPD propaganda in the year when the mayor is running for re-election and people are beginning to notice a decline in Quality of Life. There's a shock.

Anonymous said...

People who don't appreciate how Rudy Guiliani turned this city around for the better either weren't here during the bad times or are extreme clueless left wingers.

Anonymous said...

It is a response from the NYPD police commissioner with actual facts. Sorry it conflicts with your propaganda Crapper. Do you have something against Ray Kelly? Would you prefer a different police commissioner?

Queens Crapper said...

We have seen time and again (yes, even Giuliani) that "actual facts" are altered by the Police Department to make things either look better or worse. Ask any cop out there. Sorry you decided to drink the NYPD's Kool-Aid.

Anonymous said...

Yep, crimes are reclassified, people are let go with DATs, felonies are knocked down to misdemeanors. Ask yourself if there is more or less graffiti than under Giuliani and more or less cops. When you live by COMPSTAT, hell you're gonna die by it.

Anonymous said...

This is the same department that didn't count the murders at the WTC in 2001 in its stats because it was considered a "one-time aberration". Gotta keep those numbers low!

Anonymous said...

The NYPD couldn't care less about graffiti. I called them when I saw it in progress and they never showed up.

Anonymous said...

Who knew Ragazza italiana could be so butch? Or should I say, de generes? (There's a double meaning there - Ridgewoodian might get that one!)
-----------

Shouldn't you be sunning yourself in some tropical isle while the rest of us adults struggle with the future?

Anonymous said...

You people are all losers. Giuliani was a craven petulant ahole who yook credit for reduction of crime when it was all engineered by Bratton. I grew up here, and not in an enclaves like Bensonhurst or Maspeth either. The city now is way better than it ws then, and under worse financial conditions to boot. You people are just old and cranky!

Anonymous said...

Giuliani hired Bratton because he wanted to reduce crime. He was the catalyst for positive change in the city in the 1990s.

Anonymous said...

Could we all please cease with the personal attacks and childish insults, and return to the topic at hand! For God's sake, grow up!!!

Anonymous said...

I laugh at you all from my house in "the country". I left NYC many years ago and haven't looked back since.

Join me. You'll be happy you did...