Dear Editor:
Over the past twenty years, most major U.S. cities have achieved dramatic reductions in their crime rates, including the number of homicides. Detroit is a major exception to this trend. Today, Detroit has a murder rate multiples of the rates in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and most other cities. For example, Los Angeles, a city of approximately 4 million people, has reduced its homicide count to fewer than that of Detroit, a much smaller city. Not only is Detroit a much smaller city, it covers a much smaller geographic area. In spite of the cutbacks in the Detroit Police Department, Detroit has MORE officers per capita than Los Angeles.
Yes, the causes of crime are many, and are arguably complex. Regardless, other cities have proven that effective and efficient policing can make a huge difference in the crime rate. The Detroit Police Department's continued response to the crime rate is to complain about a lack of resources, a lack of community support, and to point out underlying social issues about which the Department has little control. Proactive policing, on the other hand, includes a data-driven focus on crimes. It also includes aggressive traffic enforcement which increases the visibility of the police, and the likelihood of criminals actually being caught.
The City has announced that it is conducting a nationwide search for a new Chief of Police. Clearly, promoting from within the Department's ranks will lead to the same, old, ineffective style of policing. It's past time to bring in a new Chief who has a proven track record of crime reduction.
Thomas E. Page
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