Washington, D.C., Police Chief Charles Ramsey has joined the long list of police executives who take credit for a drop in crime. (They rarely take the blame when crime rises.) Ramsey, who has just completed eight years heading the police force in the nation’s capital, was asked by the Washington Post how his tenure will be judged by crime historians?
“The year before I came, there were 301 murders,” Ramsey said. He added: “Last year, we had 195. We are also at our lowest level of reported crime since 1969. That’s a positive accomplishment.” Ramsey said: “We have reversed a deadly trend in terms of crime, but crime stats don’t capture things like improved training, drop in inappropriate uses of force, improved equipment and facilities. All of these things put us in a better position to fight crime and build stronger relationships with our communities.”
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/03/AR2006050300942.html