Gotham City Crime Stats Deserve Congrats

In 2008, overall crime numbers in the city dropped for the 18th consecutive year. Not all crimes. Compared to 2007, murder was up 5% and robbery rose by 2%. Rape was down 1% and burglary dropped 6%. All major crime (113,348 cases) was down 4%. Our police are definitely doing more with less manpower and resources. Crime-fighting advances in technology and officer re-assignments were given much credit but most of the praise and thanks should be lavished on the men and women of the NYPD. Individually and together, they bravely maintain the thin blue line between New Yorkers and chaos. Kudos to the cops!

IMPORTANT NOTE: This piece was written today about an older New York City news headline. NYCo site delays prevented its publication before now. In an effort to entertain and educate this blog’s devoted viewers, 100’s of older headlines will be posted in chronological order until this blog is discussing current events again. Though some stories may no longer be as relevant as they once were, they remain interesting news items worthy of mention and viewer comments.

[This is a copyrighted editorial, originally published on http://www.NEWYORKCITYonline.com/NYC-Online/blog.php. We invite you to post your comments and reply to others. This piece may be duplicated or printed with permission.]

NYPD Applications & Retirements Not Cause For Code Blue

The weak economy was ensuring that the “thin blue line” is not getting thinner. It’s probably a safe bet that “economic stimulus” or not, police employment problems today aren’t an issue. The NYPD will remain strong. That's welcome news for all New Yorkers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog is a quick comment on an older New York City news headline. Unforeseen NYCo site development delays prevented its publication before now. For readership continuity, 100’s of older headlines are to be posted in chronological order until this blog is current. Though some of the stories may no longer be as relevant as they once were, they remain interesting news items worthy of this site’s mention and viewer comments.

[This is a copyrighted editorial, originally published on http://www.NEWYORKCITYonline.com/NYC-Online/blog.php. We invite you to post your comments and reply to others! This piece may be duplicated or printed with permission.]

Ex-Felon Ex-GI Wanted NYPD

Osvaldo Hernandez was once convicted for carrying a gun illegally. Later, he carried one with honor in Afghanistan as a highly decorated paratrooper for the United States Army. He was hoping a Queens judge would restore his right to bear arms … this time for the New York City Police Department. If this happened, he would probably be the first ex-bad guy would carry a badge. If the judge decided in his favor, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, an ex-Marine, would have made the final decision. Osvaldo served his country. It’s hoped that he was given the chance to serve his community with the same distinction.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog is a quick comment on an older New York City news headline. Unforeseen NYCo website development delays prevented it’s publication before now. For readership continuity, 100’s of older headlines are to be posted in chronological order until this blog is current. Though some of the stories may no longer be as relevant as they once were, they remain interesting news items worthy of this site’s mention and viewer comments.

[This is a copyrighted editorial, originally published on http://www.NEWYORKCITYonline.com/NYC-Online/blog.php. We invite you to post your comments and reply to others! This piece may be duplicated or printed with permission.]

Sounding The Crimestoppers E-larm

[Insert "George Orwell, 1984" reference wherever appropriate.] The NYPD wants you! A new Web site encourages the good citizens of New York City to report on bad citizens suspected of criminal activity. It’s easy now to submit “e-tips” or upload photos or videos of alleged criminals or crimes in action. The site is nypd-crimestoppers.com. This website is secure, anonymous and has five language options making it more accessible to the general public. A tipster receives an unique identification number for a tip. A call to the Crimestoppers hot line at 800.577-TIPS lets the tipster follow the case’s progress. In September, police began a similar program for cell phone users. With only 13 texts, 4 images and 1 video received so far for that concept, it can’t be said that the public is overwhelmingly embracing the “dirty rat” concept. It takes time for society to be changed. However, one of those tips did lead to an arrest. The NYPD is testing image and video transmission direct to police in the field. In the past 25 years, Crimestoppers has helped police solve 2,500 violent crimes including over 1,000 homicides. Substantiated tips leading to arrest or indictment are eligible to receive up to $2,000 from the New York City Police Foundation. It’s generally known that cell phones and personal computers are easily traceable back to the user. In a time when being Photoshopped is commonplace, it’s hoped that the police are careful in their response to any anonymous received. Bringing crime down to zero and catching real criminals is a good thing and we should all be on board with that effort. How police respond to a SPAM campaign against an innocent person remains to be seen. People, be very sure of your facts before you click that Send button.

NYPD On The Lookout For Ad Team

The police department has $40 million to launch a new cadet recruitment campaign. They want to engage an experienced marketing company to help them spend it wisely. The agency must be capable of producing effective television, radio and Web ads. Maybe the NYPD should first recruit a few Darren Stevens types to work in-house so they could save money on expensive ad agency fees? Welllll? (Bewitched TV show, Samantha Stevens, catch phrase for all those under 30.)

NYPD Clipped From Cutting Hair

The courts “just said no” to a type of drug testing preferred by the NYPD. The Police Department’s change from random urine testing to comprehensive hair testing was recently cut down in an appeals court. The union representing New York City cops, detectives and sergeants claimed the city never negotiated for their approval during collective bargaining agreements. They also argued that “bald” cops were subjected to “invasive” screening because hair samples from them were taken from legs or pubic areas. The NYPD countered, claiming it didn’t have to bargain because only the “testing technology” changed, not the policy. It sounds like one or both parties are "splitting fine hairs," here. Hair testing can screen for drug use going back 90 days vs. only a few days for urine tests. That fact alone makes it imperative for the safety of citizens and police officers. We must implement this form of illegal drug screening. Not only that, it makes sample cheating more difficult. The city will look for other ways to implement this vital program. What was hair once may be hair again.

Dog-NYP'd Detective Sues

Could a K-9 actually bite a fellow cop instead of "taking a bit out of crime?" Detective Vincent Manco alleges that Officer Figueroa’s dog did just that. His suit claims that the officer failed to properly handle his dog. Also, that Figueroa, “knew well of [its] vicious and ferocious nature and disposition.” He says the city and K-9 unit officers knew the dog had a “record” of attacking people and didn’t take proper precautions. Manco claims the police dog had poor training and was on the wrong leash. Manco crosses the supposedly un-crossable “Blue Line” by also claiming that his fellow officers were either ill-advised or unable to handle their assignment. Cop vs. cop and canine. Is New York's NYPD going to the dogs?

Taser Slay Jolts NYPD

Several weeks ago, a naked and distraught Bedford-Stuyvesant man was mistakenly "Tased" by a NYPD Emergency Service Unit officer. Iman Morales, 35, fell from a window roll-down gate to his death upon Brooklyn's hard pavement below, ten feet below. An initial police review determined that two officers (Lieutenant Michael Pigot who ordered the shot be taken and Officer Nicholas Marchesona who took it) were apparently at fault. Sadly, in the days that followed, the distraught lieutenant committed suicide. Tasers may save lives if used properly. The use of electricity to stun is arguably safer than using bullets to stop. Police guidelines state that a Taser should not be used "when the subject is in a position where a fall may cause substantial injury or death." Also stated in the guidelines is the fact that officers must assess the situation thoroughly before deciding to use a Taser. Had these two rules been followed, two of our fellow New Yorkers would be alive today. In 2008, 180 Taser shootings occurred in NYC. There was only this one fatality. That’s not a bad record for our New York City police department. To their credit and our benefit, even one death is too many. The NYPD is taking swift action and looking into solutions to prevent future fatalities. For example:
· There’s been a new commanding officer installed for the NYPD's Emergency Services Unit.
· All 440 ESU officers are being retrained at a Taser refresher course at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field.
· Advanced knowledge of a situation can be vital to its peaceful resolution. A database of incidents at a particular address may be available to officers responding to emergency calls.
Additional mental health training for cops is being discussed as well as the use of a database culled from existing psychiatric records. This is sure to run up against reasonable opposition.
The NYPD will continue to examine this case for some time to come. Morales untimely demise may lead to a change in the morals of the NYPD. Let’s pray that from this double tragedy, not a single episode like this will ever occur again.

The Nuke-Not NYPD

The Police Department received a $29.6 million anti-terrorism federal grant that will help complete a radiological detector “ring of steel.” This network of high-tech devices is supposed to prevent radioactive materials and nuclear weapons from entering New York City (I wonder if these security measures prevent these things from leaving the city if they’re already here.). Let’s pray the new equipment will work as well as the NYPD has since 9/11.

Police Holding Fire

“Stop or I’ll shoot” followed by the sound of gunfire has been heard less frequently around NYC recently. NYPD records state that shooting incidents were down12.6% in 2007 compared to 2006; however the number of bullets fired rose. Cops shot their weapons 111 times in 2007 versus 127 in 2006. They used 588 bullets in 2007 (136 during one occurrence alone) compared to 541 in 2006. 7 police officers were shot (3 fatally) and cops shot 19 people (all male, 10 fatally). Officers shot 39 dogs last year opposed to 30 dogs in 2006 (Can't let our city "go to the dogs," right?). Considering the tough job that police have, statistics confirm professional restraint by our men in blue. The police should be commended for their great service in New York City. When there’s trouble, theirs is one of the toughest jobs in our community. Don’t expect it to get easier for them anytime soon.

NYPD Segway Scooters Supposedly Suck

Since 2003, some cops have been patrolling on two wheels instead of two feet. Police Officer Gary Schneider, 42, trained other police officers on how to properly navigate around town on a Segway scooter. Sadly, a software glitch caused a demonstration ride to lock its wheels and throw him to the ground. He broke his leg so severely that he was unable to continue working for the NYPD. Now, he’s suing the Police Department for all of their purchase, maintenance and repair records. He believes that Segways suck and he’s looking to protect his fellow cops. He’s not faulting the city, but Segway, the manufacturer. Why again is it that cops need these gizmos instead of walking their beats in New York City?

Good Guys Playing “Hide And Seek" With Bad Guys

GPS tracking devices are being used by the NYPD to fight crime. One device that they employ is a $439 LiveWire GPS system. It’s a transmitting device about the size of a deck of tarot cards. This device transmits a car’s location every five seconds relaying the vehicle's location, speed and direction. Cops simply plant these devices in the suspects’ vehicles, receive vital information from them and make their arrests at the appropriate time. Police say they have been using devices like these in just this manner for years. Cops have not always bothered obtaining a search warrant for this electronic cop, though. They claim they’re not using it to catch suspects; only to monitor their movements. In other words, it’s like high-tech tailing. That argument is now being challenged in court. It’s suspected that the good guys are going to win this legal battle.

NYPD Car Crashes Climbing

Police officers in cars start a new tour of duty by "hitting the streets." Unfortunately, that expression has recently taken on a whole new meaning. New York City has 8,839 police vehicles. Accidents involving these NYPD autos are up 11% over the past three years. Damage reports rose from 4,014 accidents in 2005 to 4,477 in 2007. Most auto accidents occurred in Manhattan below 59th Street. Thankfully, a large number of them are considered very minor. Legal costs for New Yorkers from 2003-2008 are a whopping $155 million. Repairs are additional. Next time you see a “cop in a cruiser,” remind them to "be safe and buckle up!"

Cops Cop Real Raise

Happy cops make unhappy crooks. New York City and the Police Department reached agreement on a new pay scale for New York’s Finest. NYPD rookies will get $42,000 instead of $36,000. NYPD officers will get a 17% increase over four years. Their base salaries will shoot from $65,382 to $76,488. NYC officers will soon be at a more comparable level to cop salaries in surrounding communities making it less likely for them to leave for greener pastures. It's smart to pay this kind of protection money.

City Cop Chutzpah For Kosher Cadets

Diversity on New York City’s police force is a wonderful thing. It reflects, as it should, the multiplicity of the population. The NYPD proudly boasts 10 Orthodox Jews in its cadet class; 9 men and 1 woman. They are among a group of 1,218 classmates who hope to graduate in December. The very best of luck to them all! However, the Police Department has already excused this group of ten from working dusk to dusk, Friday to Saturday. This action was obviously taken out of respect for their faith. Does the city have the right to make religious allowances for them regarding their work schedule for non-holiday observance? Non-Jewish cops probably don’t get their work schedules adjusted to accommodate their faith, do they? On a different yet pertinent matter, an ultra-religious city female bus driver was recently fired for refusing to wear department-issued pants. She was disobeying their mandatory uniform requirements. Slacks for women are forbidden according to the dress code of her religion. Prejudice is a crime. So are double standards. To be perfectly clear here, this blog is not a knock against Jewish people or any other people of faith. It is however a knock against city policy makers for enforcing somewhat inconsistent religious rules. All city workers regardless of their faith should be treated the same. Likewise, all those of deep religious convictions who apply for city jobs should recognize that there are certain employment requirements that should be treated as gospel and obeyed as such.

NYPD U-ranium

Local law enforcement has new water-weapons in their arsenal. They’ve added two $1 million high-tech police boats capable of detecting radioactive uranium which may be smuggled by boat into New York. These TRACS (Tactical Radiological Acquisition and Characterization System) are similar in size and design to existing police boats. By their nature however, they’re built for more serious missions. The NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau has searched for water-borne uranium before. The equipment aboard these new craft though do it better and provide greater detail about what’s detected. Eight additional boats should be added in 2009. That’s long overdue news to nervous residents of New York City. It’s understood that only so much can be done to safeguard our city. No preventative measure will ever be foolproof. Nevertheless, nearly seven years after September 11th, NYC should already be guarded by a fleet of these boats, in every access waterway and on duty 24/7. Let’s hope that this apparent chink in our armor is merely deception to mislead those who would seek to harm us. Let’s hope too that all that needs to be done is already done. Finally, let’s say a special prayer of thanks to those who guard the frontlines, whether on land, in the sky or on the water.

NYPD BlueTube

Big Brother wants to watch you. Actually, the New York City Police Department wants to watch what you see and video-record if it contains evidence of criminal activity. Very soon, they’ll make it very easy for people to upload videos and text, direct to 911. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says this will increase the flow of information which in turn will help law enforcement and make New York a safer place to live and work. As most sports fans know, video replay of a close play can eliminate doubt and bring the truth to light. In that light, this is a good program. Evidence will help protect the rights of the innocent and to obtain justice when necessary; depending on the camera angle, of course. It remains to be seen whether or not police receive many spiteful videos from neighbors filming neighbors littering or not cleaning up after their dogs. This new system may become an invasion of privacy for some but may ultimately prove to "make better neighbors" than Benjamin Franklin's fences.

Cops Go From Good Guys To Better Guys

NYPD misconduct complaints have declined for the first time in seven years. 7,559 complaints were filed with the Civilian Complaints Review Board in 2007. Though that number is lower than in 2006, the CCRB states that total complaints are still at historic highs. Whether that’s the fault of New York’s cops or a more sensitive citizenry is unknown at this time. We should all be grateful for the overwhelmingly professional manner in which today's police conduct themselves. Also, for the fact that we as New York City residents have recourse to take if we feel that our rights have been violated.

Manhattan Beach Bias Brouhaha

Attorney Gene Berardelli was ticketed while intervening on behalf of several black teens trying to enter a public beach in predominantly white Manhattan Beach. Police claim that they were at the beach and others, in response to “Senior Cut Day,” a day when many New York City high school kids play hooky. However Berardelli claims cops were permitting white kids onto the beach while preventing blacks. The NYPD explained that the white kids were on a field trip while the black kids were cutting classes. Berardelli plans to file a complaint with the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Hopefully this matter won’t prove as black and white as it seems.

Energy Consumption Tax Too Taxing

Mayor Bloomberg thinks the best way to reduce energy consumption is to raise taxes. It’s sad for us how most politicians believe that "higher taxes solve problems." He doesn’t see any short-term fixes for the high price of oil. The fix he does see though is a breathtaking rise in energy taxes to discourage our energy usage. It’s true that much higher prices at the pump will force some motorists to curtail unnecessary driving. However a higher price for gas will also punish those who must drive for employment. It will unfairly raise costs for those who don’t even own cars (Sounds like "Taxation without transportation!). These poor souls will pay more for many retail goods and services that use or depend on vehicle deliveries. What’s needed now are innovative ideas … not old ones like higher gas taxes, tolls or mass transit fares. Improving and expanding mass transit services to accommodate more riders, reducing the size of city-owned vehicles to burn less gas (Let the politicians and police squeeze into Austin Coopers like we're being forced to!), maybe even issuing tax breaks to vehicle owners who drive more efficient cars; these are just a few examples. Give residents of New York City better transportation options instead of sticking the City's hand deeper into our pocket.