Thread: Phoenix Crime Rate Drops - Better Police Work or Fewer Illeg

Phoenix Crime Rate Drops - Better Police Work or Fewer Illegals?
Updated: Saturday, 25 Sep 2010, 6:24 PM MDT
Published : Friday, 24 Sep 2010, 10:47 PM MDT

PHOENIX - Crime in the city of Phoenix has dropped substantially. Phoenix Police say it's because of good police work and their relationship in the community -- but the union for Phoenix law enforcement says it's because of the flight of illegals from our state.

Crime is at its lowest in 20 years, and the Phoenix Police department says every major type of crime has seen a drop.

By the end of 2009, crime was down 16 percent, and the decline continued in 2010.

Homicides, rapes, robberies and theft are all down in the first six months of 2010. The department is crediting the drop with good police work.

"Over the course of the last few years the focus on repeat offenders has certainly played into this. We believe our relationship with the community has affected this¿ we opened up two new precincts, we have neighborhood offices, I think a lot more access that the community has with the officers," credits Sgt. Steve Martos.

But are their other factors at work? Levi Bolton from the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association says there's another reason for the drop -- and it's not necessarily good police work.

He says that the crime rate has dropped because of illegal immigrants leaving the state.

Sgt. Martos disagrees. "We are the only city in the valley that has seen this double digit drop in crime. If in fact it was solely immigration you would see the same type of drop in crime in other valley cities which you haven't seen. So is it possible it has affected it certainly, but we believe some of the other factors that the department is doing has played a big factor in the drop of crime."

Levi Bolton is our guest tonight, and he offers a distinctly different take on why Phoenix's crime rate has plummeted.

He says that around 120,000 people have left Arizona, due to our immigration enforcement policies and the economy. He says the flight of illegal immigrants has had a significant impact on our crime rate.

http://oneoldvet.com/

www.myfoxphoenix.com

A ggod follow would be if the crime rate increases in IA destination states.