From the NY Times:More than a hundred retired New York Police Department captains and higher-ranking officers said in a survey that the intense pressure to produce annual crime reductions led some supervisors and precinct commanders to manipulate crime statistics, according to two criminologists studying the department.
The retired members of the force reported that they were aware over the years of instances of “ethically inappropriate” changes to complaints of crimes in the seven categories measured by the department’s signature CompStat program, according to a summary of the results of the survey and interviews with the researchers who conducted it.
The totals for those seven so-called major index crimes are provided to the F.B.I., whose reports on crime trends have been used by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and his predecessor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, to favorably compare New York to other cities and to portray it as a profoundly safer place, an assessment that the summary does not contradict.
In interviews with the criminologists, other retired senior officers cited examples of what the researchers believe was a periodic practice among some precinct commanders and supervisors: checking eBay, other Web sites, catalogs or other sources to find prices for items that had been reported stolen that were lower than the value provided by the crime victim. They would then use the lower values to reduce reported grand larcenies — felony thefts valued at more than $1,000, which are recorded as index crimes under CompStat — to misdemeanors, which are not, the researchers said.
Others also said that precinct commanders or aides they dispatched sometimes went to crime scenes to persuade victims not to file complaints or to urge them to change their accounts in ways that could result in the downgrading of offenses to lesser crimes, the researchers said.
11 comments:
The BTC* fashion label - Giuliani always the fashion plate. Checkered jacket and polka-dot tie.
Bozo the Clown Mens Wear.
This has been going on since 1995.Not only this,but as crime goes down,they want MORE arrests!
Are you surprised at this? This has been going on forever. Everyone knows the facts aren't what the PD says they are...but the numbers must be kept down so as not to upset the applecart!! Can't have to many "pins" on the local precinct maps because it makes everyone look bad. Just ask the community residents what the stats are and they'll tell you the truth.
I am not surprised as this is an agressive program that police perform against measurable metrics - In any field this entails stretching - so that they reach the metric.
The program is aware of most of it and is designed to absorb the practice, however stretching across the board in any one geo area will be noticeable and thus clamped down upon. Keep in mind that it is competitive with some commanders looking at others stretching too much on the metrics.
Rudy? Fudging with the facts and cooking the books????
NO!!!!!!! It can't be!!!!!
Some of the cop haters here might not believe me, but the rank and file cops are elated and relieved that this is finally coming out. If you don't believe me, just look at some of the threads on Thee Rant, where cops vent their frustrations about such issues. They have been intimidated by the brass for over a decade now, to keep the numbers low. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Please do not let this topic die!
Scumbag, immoral and spineless NYPD reprobates.
obviously the criminal element, those who have a lot of contact with the police & CJS know that they can commit crimes because they can always plead to a lesser charge.
This impacts on public safety. No wonder it's such a frustrating experience when you call the police for an obvious issue.
Some of the cop haters here -
don't hate cops but hate when they behave like thugs and brutalize people even criminals. No ONE is above the law including KING Doucheberg. Anywhow, yes it is the BRASS that creates such a toxic environment for good officers who either leave the force or end up playing the game. So yes, in the end we both want the same thing to clean up NYPD so society is safer and officers are their finest.
Does anyone really ever accurately report something that is against their own interest? police, fire, schools, buildings... Seriously. here's a situation where anecdotal evidence is the best kind. before Rudy the city sucked. During Rudy it got better. now it's getting worse. Not Dinkins bad, but worse. When the economy comes back, crime will go down.
Remember the 112 Precinct scandal a few years back, the commander was transfered for cooking the books. It happens in all the other precincts, though not as in your face as in the 112. Believe me, this is the honest truth, as I am a Police Officer who works very closely with the precinctt commanders.
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