Small Cities Struggling with Lack of Police

People seem shocked to discover that vilifying the police, and reducing the force levels have real impacts on things like 911 response time, and crime rates. And it isn't just places like Chicago or Portland that are having problems.

Richmond, Virginia is the 100th largest city in the nation, so not a "big city." 100 police vacancies leave 'Richmond struggling'

Richmond needs 22% more police officers than they actually have. That has impacts,.

Some other patterns that may take form under a short-staffed police department, according to Pelfrey, include:

• Slower response time
• Slower backup arrival
• Less time and attention for certain calls
• Difficulty recruiting and retaining officers
• Overworking officers leading to fatigue

They talk at length about the "culture" and the attitudes toward policing, but then they get to one of the real problems, very close to the end of the article.

However, he said Richmond Police face additional challenges because surrounding agencies pay officers more money.

Because better pay NEVER convinced anyone to take a certain job over another. Not that the problems they mention don't play a part.

As for "the community," they are awake to the fact that they do really need police.

“They’re frustrated. They’re terrified," community activist Cruz Sherman said. "We've had, unfortunately, five shootings in the last 27 hours. We're having so many that we have to say, 'Was is this location or that location?'"

Sherman joined Richmond Police on Tuesday to check in with workers and business owners at the Southside Plaza who may have been impacted by the gun violence.

And it is all about the guns. Of course it is. Gangs. The breakdown of the family. The breakdown of social institutions. Lax policies on law and order. None of that could have an impact. (Those are mostly the result of Progressive policies.)

But imagine that fewer police, and policies that turn bad guys loose result in more crime. Color me shocked.

And the Powers That Be want you to know that fewer police are not contributing to more crime. Or Something. Click thru for that and more..