More Statistics

Steve Chapman has an interesting take on the debate of "More Cops = Less Crime."

• The Democratic theme song is "Happy Days Are Here Again," and nowhere do Democrats think that axiom applies better than in the realm of fighting crime. They recall that thanks to legislation passed in 1994, President Bill Clinton put 100,000 cops on the street, and the result was an abatement of violence. Give Democrats their way, they suggest, and we can repeat that success.
• But anyone who expects this approach to work as promised should take a closer look at what happened the last time. The 1994 bill didn't make good on its goal of adding 100,000 cops to the streets. A study commissioned by the National Institute of Justice estimated it produced a net increase of just 82,000, while allowing that it might have been as few as 69,000.

The 100,000 number turned out to be pure fiction and the studies completed afterwards showed just about zero effect on crime. The only thing the millions of dollars did was allow Clinton to run as a "Law and Order" candidate, while he and his wife committed felonies by the bushel.

In any case, the shortages we see day in and day out are beat cars not being manned, down a wagon, tact/gang short, zero rapids - in other words, no backup. Which might explain while crime may be down, assaults and batteries on the police seem to be way up.