Learning from the NYPD THE EDITOR, Sir: IN MY search for other perspectives on the issue of crime fighting, I visited the web site of the New York City Police Department, (NYPD) who have been bringing down their city's crime rate every year for the past seven years. On the site I found speeches by the New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani which outlined much of the reasons for their successes. The first important point to note is that the speeches were being made by the Mayor. It causes one to think about our own local government system, and how much more it could be doing in terms of policy development and implementation. With respect to crime-fighting measures, Giuliani outlined four key initiatives which were used successfully. The first is the shifting of emphasis from arresting people to reducing crime, the key component of which was the compulsive collection of crime statistics. Secondly, they focused intensely on what has been identified as New York's biggest problem - the illegal drug trade. He pointed out that as a result of the successes in fighting the illegal drug problem, over a five-year period overall crime was reduced by 47.5 per cent and homicides by 70 per cent. Thirdly, there was a focus on small crimes, the idea being that without this focus, neighbourhoods will get out of control and serious crimes will get worse. This is akin to Jamaica's zero tolerance effort. The fourth and most profound initiative outlined by Giuliani is more a principle than a measure. Giuliani believes that the police should be supported and given the benefit of the doubt, particularly in periods when crime appears out of control. He pointed out that overwhelmingly, the police are out there trying to protect and save lives. In the neighbourhoods where crime is the highest, their activity is most important. He explains that supporting the police is not political, in the cynical meaning of the word. Supporting the police is a way to save lives. The society will eventually have to take a decision on this matter, as I cannot see how our good police personnel are to confidently grapple the problem without the benefit of the doubt. I am etc., PETER MYERS E-mail: cabinetoffice@excite.com Via Go-Jamaica
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