Here we are. Twenty-three homicides into 2016, with people struggling with what it means to live in a community with so much pain and struggle. With trying to find something concrete to do as violence undercuts a community in so many different ways. Meanwhile on CNN, a comedian is talking about Camden and community policing.
.Safe to say, after three more murders over the weekend, no one is talking about community policing or the opinion of W. Kamau Bell. Reporters like Jim Walsh are (rightfully) pointing out how silly the President’s visit looks now. The quotes from local NAACP President Colandus “Kelly” Francis are getting longer in these articles — he’s been on top of police attrition and the idea that you can not effectively run a police force as a temp agency for the surrounding (whiter) suburbs since the beginning. And Dan Keashen from Camden County is right to point out that we shouldn’t judge policy based on short-term trends — even if this particular line of logic from him is verging on the Onion-style parody because he’s (in)famous for declaring from the rafters that the county police force has improved the city based on short-term trends.
Safe to say, little of this is being discussed in Camden. But this video, of an arrest that turns ugly, went viral a few weeks ago:
There is a lot we don’t know and can’t see. But I think there is tremendous power in videos like these (and I applaud the police force to moving towards body and dashboard cams in Camden). They cut through the higher-level narrative and get to the daily experiences residents have with police.
Much of the discussion we see is about whether policy changes are “working.” But I hear a different discourse when I interview Camden residents. It’s not so much about if things are working, it’s about how people are treated by the police. And there’s some weird divides. From many (but not all) of the elderly, I hear appreciation — that they have good interactions and neighborhood blocks are being cleaned up. From young people, the story is more complicated. Part of the reason older folks feel more comfortable around the police is because they are not being targeted. The Camden County Police has famously focused on small crimes (for example, individuals are now cited by police for not having bells on their bicycles) and while the force has rejected “broken windows” language — they’ve been explicit that this strategy is designed to catch those with parole violations or illegal weapons.
The burden of that falls on young people and one effect is that young people in the city feel they are targets, regardless of whether they are engaged in illicit activity.
Maybe there’s a good reason to throw a young man on the ground like this. Maybe there is something going on beyond what appears to be a public drinking citation gone awry. But interactions like these don’t have much to do with “community policing” — and all the Presidential visits and CNN specials in the world can’t change that.
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Stephen, great article.
I absolutely agree with the commentary. These challenges tremendously affect the morale which in turn affects the crime in Camden. Police officers that don’t resemble the residents along with the extremely high attrition rate contribute to this downward spiral.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention jobs, jobs, jobs. Lack of jobs, lack of job training, and lack of support for up-and-coming entrepreneurs, leads to crime, crime, crime.
For over three decades we have trained individuals in entrepreneurship, helped others to develop business, specialized in job creation and job placement and we have seen a direct correlation in a reduced recidivism rate. When a person is working, (living wage job), they feel better about themselves, there is self-worth, and they value themselves. When you value yourself, you will value the life of others as well. This is not original, nor is it deep revelation however the question would be, if these are known facts, why aren’t we doing it? If we are doing it, why are we doing it on such a small scale? How do we have over $2 billion worth of committed tax incentives with no commitment for job training and hiring of Camden residents? Why wasn’t that initiated in the original agreements? Why weren’t there CBAs set up from the beginning? As you look at other urban markets across the country, they place quotas on the company’s for hiring local residents along with mandatory job training.
It makes one think, is this arrogance or ignorance? Is it strategic and intentional or just oversight?
We start offering job training and living wage jobs in Camden, we will start to eliminate the broken windows, broken doors, and the whole broken building.
How does cracking down on minor violations mesh with his statements of “we aren’t going to arrest our way out of this”?
He confuses the cops, the public, and the elected officials with his gift of doublespeak.
There is another conversation people aren’t having about crime in Camden. It starts with a simple idea – THE POLICE CANNOT ELIMINATE CRIME!
Drug dealers and gang bangers that are determined to kill their enemy for pride or profits, will not be stopped by friendly police officers that walk instead of drive down the street. There are other crimes, that their presence may certainly deter, but pre-meditated murder isn’t one of them.
Why do so many people avoid the obvious, afraid to blame violent perpetrators for their violent acts? Dr. Danley is pointing his scholarly finger at the wrong group. He and others completely skip past the shooter. Is he afraid to offend thugs? I am uncomfortable with blaming the police for the immoral acts of violent people. The interrogation and investigation methods that the local police use, pitting criminals against their family or friends in exchange for plea deals, may be accidental catalysts of crime, in that they fuel feuds. That has to become a part of the conversation.
Sean — agree that we need to have a discussion about violence and violent crimes. Are you writing anything for Media Mobilizers that can be crossposted or I can respond to?
Where I disagree is with the idea that the above post is “blaming” the police for current violence. I specifically talk about not using short-term crime numbers to do so. Instead, I push back against the narrative of community policing as “working.” Never blame cops for current violence.
I think that conversations can (and are) happening simultaneously about how police treat people, and how violent criminals are committing atrocious acts. Writing about one does not preclude a conversation about the other.
Not that they are victims like the victims and family and friends of the violent crime victims of Camden, but another untold story is the victimization of good city cops who were made the scapegoats of their plan to dissolve CPD. Intentional sabotaging of the CPD cost people in record numbers, which they conveniently use to compare current “success” to. Look at our stats from 2010, 2009, 2005, 1999…there is no trend of crime going down under Metro. It’s merely down from the layoffs of 2011 and demoralization and mismanagement of 2012 to get this county force up and running. Who is really benefitting?
Officers and their families, like mine, have been made to suffer professionally and financially while others made out like fat cats!
As usual Stephen Danley you are right on point. But one issue I must differ is that the force has rejected “broken windows” language. I submit an article from 2013 as Exhibit A. ‘Broken Windows’ Theory
Thomson also discussed policing strategies that he believes have led to a reduction in violent crimes throughout the city.
One example, the “broken windows” theory, suggests that reining in misdemeanor offenses like public urination, intoxication and disturbing the peace, create an environment in which more violent crimes are less likely to occur.
“Generally what we find, and what broken windows has proven, is that the people who are committing the most egregious crimes are also committing the lesser offenses as well,” Thomson said.
“That is the time that law enforcement needs to be interacting and engaging with those folks,” he said. “What you generally find is when you enforce the small things, bigger things fall as well.” http://patch.com/new-jersey/collingswood/ccpd-proceeds-with-caution-during-first-90-days_bf44f1c8
I agree Darnell Hardwick — there was an explicit broken windows strategy to start. But as the public has soured on these strategies over the past few years, I think the language has changed. I’ve specifically heard the Chief argue that what he was doing was different than broken windows and should be called something different (though I agree w/ you — I don’t think it is).
That strategy is called speaking out of both sides of your mouth and telling people things you think they want to hear. He seems to be a master of it.