Chicago Police: No More Preventive Patrols

A Chicago Police memo dated February 26, 2007 essentially calls for a halt to preventive police patrols. The poorly written memo, from Charles L. Williams, Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Patrol, calls for a cessation of "handing out cars [sic] keys and sending out cars to just ride around are long gone."

Several issues here. First, how can something be "long gone" if you're just now putting an end to it? Second, are those patrol cars really out there "to just ride around," or to present a deterrent to crime? Granted, there is no way to measure the effect of any deterrent, but is it unreasonable to assume that the occasional bad guy thinks twice about grabbing a purse when he sees a patrol car? Third, is it now the Chicago Police Department's position is now only to react to crimes after the fact rather than proactively attempt to deter or prevent them?

The last paragraph sums it up:

"The bottom line," it says, "is supervisors should ensure ALL of their personnel have a particular mission when they begin their tour of duty. This will help our Department continue to reduce violent crime in our City."

This is believable only to those willing to suspend disbelief.

The memo and some good insight can be seen at SecondCityCop blog.

Hat tip to Rogers Park Rake.