"One cop per square mile" is one of the stupidest ideas ever

**drjeff** · July-25-13, 12:43 PM

So downtown, with all its businesses and out of towners, would have exactly one cop. So would the densely populated Mexicantown, SW Detroit area. So would NE Gratiot, where it seems somebody is shot every hour.

This is a talking point idea that makes absoutely no sense. If implemented, it would probably INCREASE crime.

**Hans57** · July-25-13, 01:02 PM

Maybe they mean having one cop in each square mile of the city at all times... There are probably many square miles of the city that have zero police officers in them right this moment.

If a cop were within a half mile of you at all times, in a car. They could be there in seconds.

I also imagine that if this were implemented, downtown and other populous neighborhoods would have more than one cop.

**Hans57** · July-25-13, 01:03 PM

Is there a source on this proposal?

**mkhopper** · July-25-13, 01:08 PM

I don't think it means "exactly one cop" per sq smile, but "at least one cop".

**compn** · July-26-13, 06:22 AM

its a classic campaign promise 'a cop on every corner'.

all i can remember is jack nickelson playing the president in mars attacks.

I WANT THE PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL STILL BE
OPEN, OK? AND I WANT THE PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE GARBAGE WILL STILL
BE CARRIED OUT. AND I WANT A COP ON EVERY CORNER, WHICH, INCIDENTALLY,
WE WOULD ALREADY HAVE IF THEY HAD LISTENED TO ME IN THE LAST ELECTION.

"We cannot afford to put a cop on every corner," Bloomberg said. "We're going to have to do more with technology."

**rb336** · July-26-13, 08:27 AM

New York has 468 square miles and a police force of over 35,000, not including the sheriff, the Port Authority PD...

but technically, the DPD has 19 officers/sq. mile, 1 officer per 260 people. New York is 1 per 237. The problem isn't the number of police, it's policy, density and distribution. They need to re-prioritize. When 4 squad cars show up in minutes to get the press out of the face of a convicted felon, but it takes 40 minutes for even one to arrive at a shooting, something is desperately wrong

**rex** · July-26-13, 09:58 AM

who quoted this?

**rex** · July-26-13, 10:17 AM

I've read law enforcement theory books [[I think the author was named kaplan) that suggest more police on the street doesn't affect the amount of crime an area experiences. I dont completely buy this but I expect the author of that idea knows more than I. Sure enough cops stumble upon crime all the time but is it preventative? I think a cop per square mile is a terrible waste of $$$. Detroit is broke.
However, I think midtown thru downtown needs to be over policed. This area should become a place where young successful people are comfortable raising families.

**Crumbled_pavement** · July-26-13, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by rex

who quoted this?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...RO01/307250044

^^^Link for forum topic.

**Honky Tonk** · July-26-13, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Crumbled_pavement

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...RO01/307250044

^^^Link for forum topic.

Does anyone else think he looks a lot like Jackie Gleason in that photo?

**rex** · July-26-13, 10:42 AM

LOL figures. Thx C_P.
Dude is touched. His strategy flat out wont work.

**sumas** · July-26-13, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by rex

I've read law enforcement theory books [[I think the author was named kaplan) that suggest more police on the street doesn't affect the amount of crime an area experiences. I dont completely buy this but I expect the author of that idea knows more than I. Sure enough cops stumble upon crime all the time but is it preventative? I think a cop per square mile is a terrible waste of $$$. Detroit is broke.
However, I think midtown thru downtown needs to be over policed. This area should become a place where young successful people are comfortable raising families.

SAY WHAT??? I hope you are being sarcastic. Downtown has gotten the lions share of police attention for decades.

Neighborhoods need to be a focus. I take particular exception to "young successful people", those suckers all live in gated communities.

**sumas** · July-26-13, 11:10 AM

I would to say on the few times we needed to call police or ems the response has been decent unlike some of our sister communities. Must be we live near downtown and the "twinkles" and aura of those "successful" folk have rubbed off.

**EastsideAl** · July-26-13, 12:10 PM

Police response really varies terribly throughout the city. Here in the Indian Village area a call to the police usually brings them out in a reasonable amount of time Although still slower, and in lower numbers, than several years back when we had more population and still had the precincts.

My relatives in the Jefferson-Chalmers area though - an area with significantly higher crime than over here - report that it would be just as useful to walk up to Jefferson and wait for a police car to pass by as it is to call them. Response time there seems to vary from 45 minutes to never.

Of course, none of this addresses the problem of the cops doing little or nothing whether they arrive or not, and telling you to call numbers that are rarely answered to uselessly "report" crimes that occurred hours or days before.

**downtownguy** · July-26-13, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

but technically, the DPD has 19 officers/sq. mile, 1 officer per 260 people.

Can I choose the 259 other people that share my cop? For that matter, can I choose my cop?

One of my pet peeves is the cops on the beat downtown. They appear to be dispatched in pairs [[and often seem to stroll with another pair). Why? If I feel safe walking around unarmed, why do cops need to walk in pairs? Having them break up would, in effect, double the number of eyes looking out for crime. With their radios, they could call for back up if necessary.

**SWMAP** · July-26-13, 12:29 PM

If I feel safe walking around unarmed, why do cops need to walk in pairs?

You probably don't have quite as big a target on your back as a lone cop does.

**rb336** · July-26-13, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Can I choose the 259 other people that share my cop? For that matter, can I choose my cop?

One of my pet peeves is the cops on the beat downtown. They appear to be dispatched in pairs [[and often seem to stroll with another pair). Why? If I feel safe walking around unarmed, why do cops need to walk in pairs? Having them break up would, in effect, double the number of eyes looking out for crime. With their radios, they could call for back up if necessary.

perhaps you feel safe walking around unarmed BECAUSE of the paired pairs of cops