McCarthy: "We're Having A Perception Issue" On Crime
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 14, 2012 4:30PM
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy stayed on message in his attempts to convince residents that recent measures to combat the city's escalating crime rate are working.
McCarthy spoke to the Union League Club earlier this week and said there was a disconnect between recent stats showing a decrease in crime and public perception that the streets are flowing in blood.
“Would anybody believe me if I told you that murders in the city were down 17 percent in the last month? Probably not, right?,” McCarthy told about 100 people at the breakfast. “Would anybody believe me if I told you that shootings are down in the last two months, 10 weeks? Would anybody believe if I told you that we had less shootings on Memorial Day this year than we did last year? Probably not."We’re having a perception issue. And perhaps it’s my problem. Perhaps it’s my fault. I don’t know how to change this.”
McCarthy may be emphasizing the new measures and championing the new gang RICO law signed by Gov. Pat Quinn Monday. But the year to date totals still show an increase in crime. The homicide rate in Chicago is up 36 percent this year, through June 10, while shootings are up 11 percent over that same time period. "Having a perception problem" may be an understatement.
Another probable "perception" problem is separating the recent muggings downtown with the shootings in outlying neighborhoods. Or comparing the increase in violence with McCarthy's claim that "gang audits" (where Police Department gang units share intelligence with patrol officers) are having an effect. People don't look at, or want to look at, nuances when it comes to discussing crime. That isn't stopping McCarthy from accentuating the positives, all the same.
“There’s not one police leader in this country who wouldn’t be ecstatic with a 17 percent reduction in homicides over a 28-day period, a reduction in shootings in nine of the last 10 weeks, a reduction in virtually every crime category,” McCarthy said “We’re down 10 percent in reported crime in this city. And it doesn’t get out there.”