Official Greater Philadelphia Area Crime Thread (Dallas, Wall: considered, memorial, gray)

[moneymkt]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Another Old City Car-jacking last night. Awesome.

Im not suprised, its too dark at night

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Since we are on this deep topic (yet great conversation), do you feel that Asians, Hispanics (basically any non-white groups of people) fall into this category? Are these instances more extreme with the black community? Is the black community more sensitive to these instances?

In the end we are human, and vitriol behavior comes from all colors, take for example the disturbing attacks of many Asian people last year in Philadelphia and NYC (committed by young black men & women). And I've been accosted at random 3 times in my life for being gay, all by young black men & women, and all in NYC and Philadelphia.

I guess my point, the first paragraph is honest questions, the second is that I think unconscious bias does exist, there is a level of victimhood, entitlement, I think race relations have gotten worse since pre BLM, and it's becoming harder for me to sympathize with these stories (Sesame Place) when it could have been a simple oversight, resulting in an over the top lawsuit.

Separately, some of the most egregious examples of recent racism, homophobia and violence are committed by young black people (as referenced above). At some point we all have to look at ourselves and realize we too are part of the problem (speaking at large).

My post is not meant to offend, honest talking points.

Well, I know that those Black girls on the Broad Street Line whose mother turned them in were beating up on a young Asian woman, so yes. But also no. The baggage of history weighs more heavily upon the slave descendants in this country.

I don't buy the oft-asserted definition of racism as "prejudice plus power" and inhering only in groups. Power is more fluid and situational than that definition allows. A member of a powerful group can find themselves powerless in certain cases.

On the flip side of your last statement, consider how often Blacks have protested that whites have ignored the blatant mistreatment they've experienced at the hands of law enforcement in the years leading up to the George Floyd incident. Perhaps the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction too far too fast, but I'm not 100 percent convinced that it has. That incident, however, has triggered a lot of ritual performance on the part of all who have reacted to it.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by mphilly

Great discussion in the last few posts and I agree with most of what you said cpomp.

As for surpassing last year’s murder numbers, I’m surprised because it seems like things have been quieting down after a horrible start to July but last year’s number doesn’t seem to be going up much recently so I guess this was a relatively quiet period last year too.

I must have missed the "quieting down" thing. Never seemed like that to me.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I must have missed the "quieting down" thing. Never seemed like that to me.

There was a point within the past couple of months where homicides were down over 10% year-over-year, but unfortunately summer violence trends did not follow suit.

I know it's become en vogue to trash and blame politicians for all of the ills of the city. While much better leadership would at least give some sense of things "being taken care of," at some point, we all have to recognize the severe lack of resources to tackle a very complex, multi-faceted and multi-generational problem.

Violent crime certainly didn't just appear in 2020. It's been an awful intractable problem in Philadelphia going back decades. But most recently, what's been crippled is--as in many big cities like Philadelphia--a sense of control over it, and the fact that accountability has all been tossed out the window.

Philadelphians have to get that sense of control back, and it's going to take a lot more than any Mayor or DA to get there. Everyone behaving with a constant sense of fear only emboldens those with criminal intent, as well.

[JamesJay64]

Originally Posted by Duderino

There was a point within the past couple of months where homicides were down over 10% year-over-year, but unfortunately summer violence trends did not follow suit.

I know it's become en vogue to trash and blame politicians for all of the ills of the city. While much better leadership would at least give some sense of things "being taken care of," at some point, we all have to recognize the severe lack of resources to tackle a very complex, multi-faceted and multi-generational problem.

Violent crime certainly didn't just appear in 2020. It's been an awful intractable problem in Philadelphia going back decades. But most recently, what's been crippled is--as in many big cities like Philadelphia--a sense of control over it, and the fact that accountability has all been tossed out the window.

Philadelphians have to get that sense of control back, and it's going to take a lot more than any Mayor or DA to get there. Everyone behaving with a constant sense of fear only emboldens those with criminal intent, as well.

I do feel we're in a city un-policed. If there isn't road work going on, I literally never see them unless it's to get food or work security at Target. If Philly PD and the FoP "approve" of the next mayor, maybe this will change.

[JamesJay64]

There have already been two homicides today - I don't understand what is going on, how can this many people have "reasons" to want to kill?

[Angus215]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

There have already been two homicides today - I don't understand what is going on, how can this many people have "reasons" to want to kill?

Because there are evil people in the world, and when you allow evil people to do whatever they want without consequence, this is what happens. The all-time highest murder rate in the history of Philadelphia. Thanks Kenney, Krasner, and the people who elected them into office!!!

[Angus215]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

I do feel we're in a city un-policed. If there isn't road work going on, I literally never see them unless it's to get food or work security at Target. If Philly PD and the FoP "approve" of the next mayor, maybe this will change.

Agreed. It is very rare to see a cop in center city or on SEPTA. It's like the wild west. For some reason, this is what Kenney, Krasner, Soros, and the rest of the progressive liberals wanted.

[JamesJay64]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Agreed. It is very rare to see a cop in center city or on SEPTA. It's like the wild west. For some reason, this is what Kenney, Krasner, Soros, and the rest of the progressive liberals wanted.

I mean, I do feel safe in Center City night and day, and have never had any issues on SEPTA - but I still notice that there are never any police at all. There are times when I see a homeless guy sitting in the middle of Chestnut for hours, sketchy people sleeping/congregated while clearly on drugs in a train station, or other random things like that and I don't understand how there is no one to intervene.

Regarding the political side of this, I typically vote democrat, though I did vote for Peruto since there was 4 years of data showing Krasner isn't making a positive impact (not to mention some terrible interviews where he just doesn't seem to care). Kenney doesn't do anything, and there are some simple solutions that City Council could work on to start addressing many issues... but they just don't .

I agree that many democrats are too soft on crime - but why does that mean there can't be a police presence? Philly PD wasn't defunded. Why won't they make traffic stops when there are people going 3x the speed limit, driving recklessly, and running red lights? The Driving Equity Law doesn't prevent that. Why can't there be a couple foot patrols in Center City's retail corridors? They can still walk the beat, and the pedestrian/business volume warrants the allocation of resources. Same goes for NoLibs. Why can't they make any effort at all to address the ATV/dirtbike problem? Engaging in a chase isn't the only possible solution. This is the police CHOOSING not to do their job, in my opinion.

[mphilly]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

I mean, I do feel safe in Center City night and day, and have never had any issues on SEPTA - but I still notice that there are never any police at all. There are times when I see a homeless guy sitting in the middle of Chestnut for hours, sketchy people sleeping/congregated while clearly on drugs in a train station, or other random things like that and I don't understand how there is no one to intervene.

Regarding the political side of this, I typically vote democrat, though I did vote for Peruto since there was 4 years of data showing Krasner isn't making a positive impact (not to mention some terrible interviews where he just doesn't seem to care). Kenney doesn't do anything, and there are some simple solutions that City Council could work on to start addressing many issues... but they just don't .

I agree that many democrats are too soft on crime - but why does that mean there can't be a police presence? Philly PD wasn't defunded. Why won't they make traffic stops when there are people going 3x the speed limit, driving recklessly, and running red lights? The Driving Equity Law doesn't prevent that. Why can't there be a couple foot patrols in Center City's retail corridors? They can still walk the beat, and the pedestrian/business volume warrants the allocation of resources. Same goes for NoLibs. Why can't they make any effort at all to address the ATV/dirtbike problem? Engaging in a chase isn't the only possible solution. This is the POLICE choosing not to do their job, in my opinion.

Yep, the police have seemed to go on strike because their feelings are hurt. I get that Krasner and his policies are a huge part of the problem but the police can still make an effort and many of them clearly no longer care.