Let's go to the tape

A local news station called us yesterday to report on the red light camera issue and ran a piece on a specific violation.  I've included the segment below.

For the moment, let's set aside our biases for or against red light cameras and simply look at the facts of this case.  Better yet, let's go to the tape of the violation.  As you watch it, note that the vehicle in question is the second car on the tape, not the first.

The person interviewed said he came to a stop.  The reporter used the term, "complete stop."  When asked, the reporter said he had not viewed the video.  You make the call.

When I hear concerns about unjust enforcement, I always encourage people to prepare a defense and take advantage of our system of due process in this great country.  The beauty of the red light camera technology is that there is plenty of information available, if one simply takes the time to be informed.

Florida law requires a driver to come to a complete stop (the wheels must stop turning) before making a right turn on red.  Let's be careful out there.

Number Crunching

While the exact source may be in dispute, Mark Twain popularized the phrase, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s an effective way to communicate the reality that people love to play with numbers.

We look at numbers a lot here. We evaluate stats on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. In the past, we have been rightfully criticized for manipulating the numbers, so we have safeguards in place to maintain the integrity of the gathering and reporting processes.

Recently, our Crime Watch partners published a newsletter, which highlighted a short-term spike in residential burglaries. Some published comments made it appear that we took issue with the numbers from the Crime Watch folks.

I support the message Crime Watch is delivering to our residents. It’s working (see http://www.bocachiefblog.com/2012/06/residents-connected-stepping-up.html). They were simply using raw numbers to create immediate awareness. We do need to be thoughtful about the conclusions we draw from data of this nature. Consider the following when you hear about Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) stats:

• UCR stats have limited value relative to determining the quality of life and law enforcement services in a particular jurisdiction.

• When evaluating UCR stats, think long-term trends.

In the latter part of 2010, I wrote a blog (http://www.bocachiefblog.com/2010/09/crime-barometer.html) about the risks associated with using UCR numbers as an effective measure of crime and community concerns. “Snapshot” numbers are not necessarily accurate and are not useful for meaningful analysis.

Everyone has a spin, including the BRPD. While we keep crunching the numbers, you keep a critical mindset. Stay Safe.

Running Red Lights

Across the country, and in Boca Raton, there has been much debate about red light cameras.  Since the program started here in May, we have processed thousands of violations.  A picture (or video) is worth a thousand words.  Check out this video from Clint Moore Road and Congress Avenue:

The reality is that there are way too many people running red lights out there.  As a law enforcement officer, I don't care to get into the money argument.  If people slow down and stop for red lights, the program goes away.  Let's be careful out there.

Residents Connected, Stepping Up

Over the past month or so, we have publicized our efforts to address a dramatic increase in burglaries. We have seen some positive results and have profiled many of our arrests on our website.

Lynn Gordon of CBS 12 recently highlighted one of these cases. I’ve included the video below:

There are a number of obvious themes in this piece. However, the primary message in this success story is that citizens need to be informed and involved if we all want to be effective crime-fighters.

Last year’s statistics show that 63% of the suspects arrested for major crimes in Boca Raton do not live here. The wave of recent arrests supports this notion. Because we are a destination city (for legitimate and illegitimate purposes), we really need our citizens to be our eyes and ears.

These recent cases demonstrate that neighbors are paying attention and calling us when they see something suspicious. The key is being connected.

We try to push out loads of information through a number of different platforms, including Facebook , Twitter and YouTube.  You can sign up for alerts via Nixle and E-alerts.

Consider being “connected” in a meaningful way, also.  How well do you know your neighbors? Well enough to know that the vehicle in the driveway doesn’t belong, or that the person in the backyard is suspicious? Knowledge is power; and only useful when action follows.

I’m proud of how our residents have stepped up to help us combat our burglary problem. Be part of the solution, too. See something, say something. Stay Safe.