Summary:
Forget about the markets. The best investment people can make is in public safety, according to Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton.
It's no surprise that low crime rates improve economic development, tourism and residents' quality of life. But they also have ripple effects throughout the economy, Bratton said. Several studies that were reviewed by Rand Corp. put a dollar amount on crimes. For example, a single homicide costs an economy $4 million to $11 million in economic ripple effects, Bratton said.
Taking the most conservative estimate, the LAPD under Chief Bratton has saved the Los Angeles economy $1.6 billion, he said, based on 400 fewer homicides since he took the reins in 2002.
Bratton's appearance was one of his last as chief. He will leave the department Oct. 31 to join the global security firm Altegrity. Bratton expects the LAPD to continue to improve crime rates and race relations as well as the crime-mapping techniques and relentless follow-up that he implemented.
When asked why he joined the LAPD, Bratton cited three challenges he wanted to take on: the city's high crime rate, a federal consent decree requiring policing reforms and the threat of a terrorist strike. The 2001 attacks are what made Bratton want to leave the private sector to return to public safety, he said.
Bratton also wanted to see if he could apply the crime-mapping techniques he implemented in New York City to the smaller LAPD.
Bratton said he had accomplished the goals he set in 2002. Overall crime is down 38 percent, and violent crime is down 53 percent. The consent decree that was imposed eight years ago was lifted in July. And the LAPD is ahead of the game in defending against terrorism. Bratton said his department pioneered many programs adopted by the Department of Homeland Security.
The chief, who repeated the mantra "cops count, police matter" several times during his speech, said the conventional wisdom used to be that police could only respond to crime, not prevent it. People thought crime was caused by the economy, unemployment, poverty and racism.
But crime is caused by human behavior, Bratton said, and police can control behavior. As proof, he pointed out that unemployment has skyrocketed since the recession began, but crime rates, including shoplifting and theft, have remained the same. If done correctly, law enforcement can have a positive impact on joblessness, racial conflict and the economy, he said.
The challenge to preventive policing is to do it lawfully, compassionately and consistently, he said.
