Less than one month after being sworn in as Springfield’s acting top cop, Commissioner William Fitchet announced the formation of a new four-officer Ordinance Squad to issue warnings and citations for violations of city ordinances ranging from playing music too loud to jaywalking to having an unkept lawn. (See “Police hearten blight victims” from April 12, 2008 Republican) Since then, Fitchet and Republican Mayor Domenic Sarno — who had been pushing for the Ordinance Squad since being elected last fall — have been singing the praises of the Ordinance Squad (See Republican articles below the cut).
Sarno, Fitchet and other police officers refer to this new, more forceful gust blowing through the SPD in terms of “quality of life” improvements, “Zero-Tolerance Policing” or “the broken windows theory.”
What is this broken windows theory? According to Officer Mark E. Kenney of the Ordinance Squad, it is the idea that relatively minor problems like a single broken window can infect entire streets and neighborhoods (Republican, “Police hearten blight victims”). This theory, also called Quality of Life Policing, or Zero-Tolerance Policing, is based on the works of criminologists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling. The idea is simple: when police take care of (have zero tolerance for) small “quality of life” problems such as public drinking, excessive noise, and, indeed, broken windows, a sense of order is restored to the neighborhood, which will reduce more serious, violent crimes such as murder and rape.
The question is: Does the broken windows theory hold up in practice? Does quality of life policing really reduce violent crime rates? According to various studies, the answer is no, it does not. But quality of life policing does two things: it increases police brutality, police violence and police murder. In addition it targets Blacks and Latinos.
Springfield is not the first city where the broken windows theory of policing has been tested…and failed. The broken windows theory was first put into practice in the 1990s in New York City under NYC Police Commissioner William Bratton and Mayor Rudolf Giuliani. Cities such as New Orleans, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Anaheim and Minneapolis quickly followed suit.
Did crime go down in these cities? Yes, it did. But crime went down everywhere during this time period, including in cities where this aggressive form of policing was not used.
The crimes that did go up were the crimes committed by the most dangerous gangs in town — the police. Baltimore Police Commissioner Thomas Frazier, who oversaw the institution of Zero-Tolerance policing in his city, was at first opposed to this new form of policing, calling it “one iota away from discriminatory policing.” And what was the result of this new quality of life policing in Baltimore in its first six months? Seventy civilians shot by the cops. Similarly, from New York City to New Orleans to Anaheim, complaints of police brutality skyrocketed between 65% and 100%. In its first three years in practice, NYC paid out over $100 million in damages from police brutality. And the targets of the police violence were overwhelmingly Black, Latino, and/or queer.
A 2003 evaluation of the NYPD Zero-Tolerance policing, “Does Quality of Life Policing Widen the Net?” (PDF, 1.5 MB), showed that the targets of these quality of life policing are Blacks and Latinos. Misdemeanor arrests quickly increased by 75% and 90% of all those arrested were Blacks and Latinos.
The broken windows theory is a bogus theory. Quality of Life Policing will not lower serious crime. But it will increase police brutality.
How long will we have to wait for our next victim of police violence in Springfield? How long will it take us to stand up to this new form of draconian policing and realize that it will not solve our problems but only create new ones?
For more information:
See Christian Parenti, Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in Age of Crisis (available for sale from Western Mass Copwatch)
4 appointed to police squad
Monday, February 11, 2008
By PETER GOONAN
pgoonan@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD - Acting Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet has appointed four officers to serve on an ordinance squad, aimed at cracking down on quality-of-life issues ranging from noise complaints to unshoveled sidewalks.
Fitchet and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced the new squad Friday, postponed from Wednesday due to the stabbing injury of Patrolman Kevin P. Fitzgerald. Sarno said the squad is of “utmost importance.”
“Residents and business owners have cried out for this force,” Sarno said.
Fitchet said that in addition to enforcing city ordinances, the squad will focus on motor vehicles violations such as speeding and illegal parking, as well as cruelty to animals. The city will have “zero tolerance” for animal abuse, he said.
While the four officers are assigned to the day shift, they are willing to be flexible on their hours when needed, Fitchet said. Communication with residents and neighborhoods is key, he said.
The officers are Keith C. Fleming, Raphael Vega, Mark E. Kenney and Christopher J. Hrycay. They will be under the command of Lt. Thomas A. Trites.
The ordinance squad is an extension of Sarno’s campaign pledge to create a “flex squad” of police, housing and law department officials who would work with the mayor’s office to act promptly on quality-of-life issues.
The police unit would handle matters such as cars regularly speeding on streets, improper parking impeding snow removal, and gathering of gangs at street corners, officials said. They would also be available to respond to emergencies when needed, Fitchet said.
Reports will be kept on warnings and citations, and the police will follow up to discourage habitual offenses and offenders, Fitchet said.
An ordinance squad existed many years ago, but was curtailed due to personnel constraints, Fitchet said. While constraints continue, both Fitchet and Sarno listed the quality-of-life issues as essential to address.
“The citizens feel strongly about it,” Fitchet said.
Residents and businesses can call for assistance by the ordinance squad beginning tomorrow.
The telephone number for a problem in progress is (413) 787-6302. The phone number for habitual offenses and offenders needing follow-up is (413) 750-2371.
Sarno had proposed the ordinance squad last April to former Police Commissioner Edward A. Flynn. Flynn’s chief of staff, Jennifer Flagg, said the idea was counter to Flynn’s approach that all officers work on crimes large and small in specific geographic areas.
Police squad praised
Thursday, March 20, 2008
By PETER GOONAN
pgoonan@repub.com
SPRINGFIELD - A squad of police officers assigned to crack down on neighborhood nuisances was praised yesterday for its first-month accomplishments ranging from animal rescues to responding to noise complaints.
During a press conference yesterday, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and acting Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet said the four-officer Ordinance Squad, under the supervision of Lt. Thomas A. Trites, has responded to more than 300 complaints since its inception on Feb. 11.
“I’m proud of you guys,” Sarno said, standing with the unit members. “Because everywhere I go, they are singing your praises. The response has been tremendous.”
The squad issues warnings and citations for violations of city ordinance and responds to telephone complaints from residents, merchants and neighborhood groups. The telephone number is (413) 750-2371.
The unit, formally known as the Police Department’s Quality of Life/Ordinance Flex Squad, was launched by Fitchet, as sought by Sarno.
One of the highlights of the past month was when two squad members, Mark E. Kenney and Raphael Vega, assisted the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control Center with the removal of approximately 70 animals from a Washburn Street house, and worked with Code Enforcement officials “to remedy deplorable living conditions there,” Sarno said.
In addition, squad officers assisted a Vietnamese family on Dawson Street recently when their house in the Forest Park neighborhood was the targeted by vandals who spray-painting graffiti.
In another listed highlight, squad member Keith C. Fleming issued numerous citations to taxi drivers regarding violations of city ordinance and state statutes, working with Taxi Commissioner Lisa Placanica. The citation effort will continue on a regular basis, Sarno said.
In addition, squad member Christopher J. Hrycay, assisting drug task force members, located a suspect wanted on drug charges who had temporarily avoided capture, officials said. Police recovered 2,000 packets of heroin.
Walter B. Gould, president of the Outer Belt Civic Association, attended the press conference, saying the neighborhood appreciates the squad’s efforts. As one example, it took the squad just a day to end a problem neighbors had with a tractor trailer making noise while parked at 4 a.m.
Fitchet said the squad is doing a “Herculean job” in addressing quality of life issues.
One Comment
I am all for the quality of life, but what I dislike about it is that the individual who is the prime suspect in an ordinance violation continues to get off with numerous warnings over a period of 8/07-current. The person plays dumb like she doesnt know that there is an ordinance in place but we were in court numerous times and court order issued by the judges and she continues to play loud music, her dysfunctional kids slamming doors, bouncing basketballs in the house, fighting, kicking doors because the kid is being locked out, swearing like two sailors and a pirate on a ship daily, and loud music i can not stress any more, and loitering around the premises, known drug dealers and party goers and weed smoking, fumes come in through my window where my 5 month old sleeps. Kids of all ages from preteen-adults behaving badly. I am tired of this. The girl has to the end of Sept 08 but until then she is going to make things difficult unless the landlrd does something and now cause the end of the month is a couple of weeks away but its too long for me to stand I am liable to do something to make me become someone’s cell mate. I live on Genesee St., Springfield MA I have made numerous calls to the non-emergency number from last year until recent she received one citation which she is trying to fight. When she knows full well she had her music blasting and left her house and her mother refused to answer the door. I have had it up to here *&&^^%$$#$%@^#^*&@^#(*#&$*( with this nasty chick. Police has been to my door looking for a hispanic male 15-16 accused of robbing a store and he was ratted out as the suspect. They were in the house but refused to open played like they werent home. five cars came looking for him and searched the parameters.When police left they turned back up the music and turned on the lights. The mother Carolyn Saldana is unfitt to take care of a pet bird.