Yo, Mike! Yo, Al! Fix "broken windows," and jail window breakers

July 22, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer

Yo Mike! Yo, Al! Tell us how you plan to ...

Jennifer Baldino Bonett
South Philadelphia

Congratulations on your primary win! The potential for a change in leadership has renewed this native Philadelphian’s delight in our great city. Thank you for your interest in hearing from Philadelphia’s citizens.
I would highly recommend that your team study the "broken windows" theory of public safety.
If we attend to seemingly little things such as broken windows, graffiti, poor street lighting, drivers who flout the law by double parking, dog walkers who don’t pick up after their pets, businesses that don’t keep their storefronts clean, etc., neighborhoods will look better, feel better, and become more desirable, walkable and livable.
Having worked for the president of the University of Pennsylvania during the West Philadelphia safety crisis of the late 1990s, I can attest to the success of such efforts.
Stopping crime from the top down (through policy, gun-control efforts, etc.) clearly isn’t working. But giving power to regular citizens by taking care of their everyday needs and everyday environs would speak volumes and have far-reaching, long-lasting effects that would reverberate widely.
And help can come from so many circles: police, surely, but also citizens’ groups, special services districts, the Parking Authority, SEPTA, and other institutional safety/police departments, to name just a few.
Studying the broken windows theory could be a wise part of your public safety strategies.

Michael Nutter's Response:

Dear Jennifer,
I agree with your view that dealing with less high-profile instances of crime and disorder can dramatically improve the safety and spirit of our neighborhoods because, as we have seen all too often of late, "broken windows" can lead to shattered lives.
A major aspect of both the broken windows theory and my "Safety Now" plan is community policing. Having police out on the beat as a regular part of the community has been shown to work and work well across the country.
As a city councilman I fought for funding to put 100 extra police officers on the street, and if elected mayor I will make sure all our officers are properly assigned to deal with all types of crime throughout our city.
The key to making all of this work is community. If we are going to tackle crime — both violent crime and misdemeanors — people in our neighborhoods need to be involved at every step of the way. We need to change the "no snitching" culture that is preventing our police officers from gathering the evidence they need to prosecute cases.
We need to clean up the graffiti, garbage and debris that litter our streets, addressing these quality-of-life issues daily so people have a sense of pride in their neighborhoods. More important, the community needs to be involved so that trust and partnership can be built by the people in the neighborhoods and the police who patrol the streets.
As I was writing this letter, the 222d person this year was killed. If I am elected mayor, I will do everything in my power to ensure that people throughout our city are safe, and more important, feel safe.

Al Taubenberger's Response:

Dear Jennifer,
When John Timoney was Philadelphia’s police commissioner, a friend said he used to dread going to New York because of the squeegee men who used to confront motorists. He asked Timoney how he got rid of them when he was a deputy police commissioner in New York. "It’s simple," he said. "We arrested them." They would say, "We’re going to come back and commit bigger crimes." Timoney would say, "I hope you do. Right now we can only put you away for a day to two. If you commit a bigger crime, we’ll put you away for years."
I want my police commissioner to take that no-nonsense approach to fighting crime. Go after the little things before they become bigger things. I want property owners to be held accountable for maintaining their properties. If a suspected drug house has overgrown weeds and trash-littered lawns, I want the Department of Licenses and Inspection to come down heavily on the owners. When people think they can get away with petty violations, they think they can get away with major crimes. Dog walkers who don’t pick up after their pets and shop owners who don’t keep their storefronts clean won’t be immune. They’ll be given citations.
I want the various departments and agencies involved in fighting crime, such as the police department, campus police, SEPTA police, Housing Authority police, and Parking Authority security, to work together, and I’ll give them the support they need. Jennifer, you mentioned empowering regular citizens. I’m a firm believer in town watches. I take part in one in my neighborhood in the Northeast, and that’s not going to stop. Even if I’m the mayor.