The NYPD Needs to Regain Citizen Support, with Zachary Tumin | Big Think

TL;DR

The New York Police Department has made significant progress in reducing crime but has also lost citizen support. The future of policing involves data-driven strategies, precision targeting, and community engagement for successful crime control.

Transcript

The New York Police Department over the last 12 years has made extraordinary progress in reducing crime in New York. It started 20, 25 years ago with an idea called CompStat which was the idea that turn all the data that we have about crime transparent, let us see in infinite detail where it's happening, who's doing it, gives us the opportunity to ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👻 CompStat has been instrumental in reducing crime in New York City by allowing the police department to analyze crime data and allocate resources effectively.
• 🥺 The relentless pursuit of crime control has led to a decline in citizen support for the police department.
• 🎯 The future of policing involves precision targeting of individuals or groups responsible for crime, rather than targeting entire communities.
• 🏛️ Building relationships with communities through engagement and understanding their concerns is crucial for successful crime control.
• 😒 The use of social media can provide valuable insights into emerging crime patterns and disorder in communities.
• 👮 The police department should aim to achieve crime control, citizen support, workforce engagement, and positive outcomes for neighborhoods to measure its success.
• 🇳🇨 The New York Police Department needs to adapt to changes in legislation and find new ways to ensure safety and security for citizens.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the role of CompStat in reducing crime in New York City?

CompStat is an advanced system that utilizes crime data to identify crime hotspots, track criminal activity, and allocate resources effectively, resulting in a significant reduction in crime rates.

Q: How has the focus on crime control affected citizen support for the police department's mission?

The emphasis on crime control has caused a decline in citizen support as some people feel targeted or unfairly treated by law enforcement, leading to strained relationships between communities and the police.

Q: What is the future of policing in New York City?

The future of policing involves data-driven strategies, precision targeting, and community engagement. By using social media and analyzing online behavior, the police department can identify individuals or groups responsible for crime and address the issues surgically while building relationships with communities.

Q: How can the police department regain citizen support and achieve successful crime control?

The police department needs to prioritize engagement with communities by understanding and addressing their concerns. By measuring success based on outcomes for neighborhoods, such as improved safety in parks and schools, the department can achieve crime control while gaining citizen support.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The New York Police Department has successfully reduced crime in the city by using the CompStat system, which analyzes crime data in detail and allows for precise resource allocation.

• However, the focus on crime control has led to a decline in citizen support for the police department's mission.

• To achieve success in crime control while maintaining citizen support, the police department should prioritize engagement with communities and measure success based on outcomes for neighborhoods.