NYPD Crime Statistics Review Shows Need for Transparency

A committee empanelled to look at how the New York Police Department reviews crime statistics has found more transparency and more training is needed.

The committee was created in 2011 by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly amid allegations of widespread downgrading of crime. Their report was released Tuesday.

It found the department has “robust standards” and generally does a good job. It offered suggestions for improving by disclosing error rates by crime to the public, interviewing officers in person as part of the audit process, and holding those who make errors in reports responsible.

Kelly said he was working to incorporate the suggestions.

The report also says that 229 officers were disciplined following complaints of misconduct in 2012. Last year, people filed 5,763 complaints — 3 percent fewer than the prior year. But the toll-free complaint line was down and office closed for two months after Superstorm Sandy.

The number of officers disciplined was slightly higher than 2011 where 216 were disciplined. Stop and frisk complaints accounted for about 30 percent of the total. The data shows people are most likely to complain about a street encounter if they were searched.

This article appeared in print on page 15 of the July 3rd, 2013 edition of Hamodia.