Reply to Bob Herbert's NYT OP-ED

Read this article from Bob Herbert's New York Times Op-Ed. It is a simple and quick read, so simple a caveman could do it...Seriously, it’s that poorly written.

Jim Crow Policing



SURPRISE! New York Times editorial regarding allegations of racism!!

A brief overview of the Op-Ed, every other paragraph goes like so: Paragraph A, misused statistic slanted to make blacks and Latinos out to be victims. Paragraph B, insulting and degrading comments targeted at a law enforcement body 1000’s strong and covering the entire Metropolis that is New York City, a pretty large generalization…

As chief of police in a major metro area that is either maintaining record low crime rates or showing signs of movement towards lower crime rates I would continue to adhere to the policies being used on the street. Strong Police presence in any neighborhood is never a bad thing. If the Chief was to remove patrols the same misguided journalist would be writing about how the police abandon the minority neighborhoods. This article has accomplished two things. The perpetuation of this nation’s number one social problem which is the continued over exposure to accusations of racism and two the continued use of publications to insight hatred for law enforcement.

On an individual basis if the police officer in question of a specific incident said anything that was perceived as racially motivated than that particular officer should be interviewed and investigated. However, the generalization that all New York City police officers are targeting non white citizens is a destructive and inflammatory accusation that could possibly have negative affects on the law enforcement city wide. That being said if any accusation is found to be rooted in truth than that particular law enforcement officer has broken his oath to serve and protect and should be reprimanded accordingly.

The exploitation of the statistics being used in this Op-Ed has two major flaws that I want to discuss. The first being that the location in which these supposed unlawful searches took place is an important factor that should be included. Labeling the location as New York is a large swath of land with neighborhoods that have culturally exclusive populations. If the statistical data for these incidents occurred in neighborhoods with high black or Latino populations that would explain the abundance of the specific races used in the statistics. It isn’t logical for an officer to think to himself, “Ok to make this fair I must find a white person” in an all Latino neighborhood.

The second flaw is best seen in the 3rd paragraph of page 1. Drugs were found in only 1.6 percent of blacks and 1.5 percent of Latinos and the drugs found in whites was 2.2% then according to the authors own allegations those statistics are incompatible. If the total number of white people searched is lower than the total of blacks and Latinos then the statistic for which drugs where found would be higher. Example: If 1 out of 100 blacks/Latinos were searched and had contraband that would be 1% total, if 1 out of 50 whites that were searched had contraband that would equal 2%. Statistics are helpful in proving an argument, but if the specifics of any given statistic are withheld from the argument than red flags should be soaring!

The approach taken by the author to the statements regarding off season clothing is pretty self explanatory. Last time I checked you couldn’t hide a KG-9 automatic pistol in biker shorts. However you can add to your rational that the crime rate increases exponentially with improved weather, that being understood it is odd to see a person wearing a leather jacket in July in 90 degree heat. The author is obviously smart enough to write for the New York Times, why is the author turning in an article that would be thrown away at a high school newspaper? The issue itself is an over used excuse in today’s society. The article is a constant diatribe of anti law enforcement propaganda and the author distorts facts in order to incite a negative emotional response.

This article is a prime example of an emotionally motivated case of journalism malpractice! 

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