Dear Editor:
Mayor Bing apparently does not understand that Detroit isn't the rule; rather it's the exception when it comes to murder rates. Most large cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and yes, even Chicago, have murder rates that are literally a fraction of Detroit's rate. Mayor Bing challenges New York Mayor Bloomberg's statement of fact that New York's murder rate is one-tenth of Detroit's by writing that Detroit doesn't have techniques such as "stop and frisk at will." My goodness, Mr. Mayor. "Stop and frisk" is constitutionally protected proactive policing. It's not randomly stopping people and violating their rights.
I am a former Detroit Police officer, and have retired from the Los Angeles Police Department. In spite of many professional and proactive police officers, the Detroit Police Department has time and time again demonstrated that it does not have the creativity, the flexibility, and the will to effectively fight crime in our community. A lack of resources isn't the problem, any more than "more cops on the street" is a solution. The DPD lacks leadership. In my opinion, large parts of our community have little confidence in the Detroit Police Department. That's one of the reasons that many of us who live in the Midtown/New Center neighborhoods rely on the Wayne State Police Department for police services. I am not certain that the DPD should continue to be the primary policing agency in our city.
Thomas E. Page
Retired, Los Angeles Police Department
