Lhota: Do Not Let Our City Become Like Chicago Or Detroit

Visiting a Brooklyn neighborhood that has seen an increased number of shooting victims in recent weeks, mayoral candidate Joe Lhota warned of the dangers of handcuffing the NYPD and challenged his opponent to offer a single proactive solution to fight urban crime. Mr. Lhota pointed to crime-riddled cities like Detroit and Chicago as present day examples of what can happen to a city plagued by out of control violence.

Standing across the street from the 67th Precinct, Mr. Lhota promised that as mayor he would fight to appeal the dangerous laws, passed by the City Council and supported by Mr. de Blasio, that have had a chilling effect on law enforcement. Mr. Lhota also vowed to continue the proactive policing strategies that helped transform New York into the safest big city in America.

Between 1993 and 2012, the 67th precinct saw a 72 percent reduction in violent crimes. However, in just the last few weeks crime has spiked, including 8 victims shot, five rapes and 57 robberies according to the most recent 28 day CompStat report.

“Most New Yorkers have grown accustomed to having safe streets, but the past few weeks have been a frightening reminder of what happens when our cops can’t do their jobs,” said Mr. Lhota. “The past month has seen a 166 percent increase in shooting victims here in this precinct. Our progress is fragile and we can’t give back our hard won gains. Just look across the country to cities like Detroit and Chicago to see the effects of weak policing and emboldened criminals.”

Mr. Lhota continued, “Bill de Blasio doesn’t have the experience or the right policies to deal with crime in a city of 8.3 million people. His reckless agenda will put our safety at risk. As mayor, I will not only applaud our men and women in blue for their remarkable work, but I will make sure they have the tools they need to keep themselves and all New Yorkers safe.”

{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}