Cop Out

In his final press conference, where he chastised the media for its fear mongering, and tooted his own thank- God -I’m -finally -out -of -here -party favor, soon-to-be retired Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson recently announced that violent crime in Philadelphia is down.

With big charts, Johnson promoted the city’s decrease in crime. He even went as far as to say: “We are not ‘Killadelphia’.”

In 2007, Johnson says, violent crime, which includes homicides, rapes, robbery and aggravated assault, declined by 8 percent. Shootings dropped by 13.4 percent; and homicides fell by 3.21 percent.

A friend of mine, who works extensively with the city’s gunshot victims, describes Johnson’s logic as: “It’s like me gaining 10 pounds every year for the past five years, then this year saying I only gained 8. I’m still fat as hell.”

What’s missing from Johnson’s news is reality. His touted decrease in crime is virtually invisible.

In 2007, there were 270 less shootings in Philadelphia, which means that the number of shootings was a ridiculous 1,730 instead of a ridiculous 2,000. The city still suffered a startling average, four shootings for every murder.

In 2007, there were 14 less murders than 2006, the city’s highest number in a decade at 406. But in 2007, the city still averaged more than one murder a day, a total of 392.

Despite Johnson’s obvious loathing of the media, he should know that it’s not reporters who keep Philadelphians fearful of getting shot. It’s the free flow of illegal guns. It’s the wayward gunshots that crack outside their windows. It’s the young man who was shot and killed nearby. It’s his killer who still runs the street.

It’s also his feeble leadership and his shoulder-shrug attitude that crime is winning and resistance is futile.

And after 43 years on the police force, the last five as police commissioner, Johnson’s not the only one looking forward to his retirement.

(Photo credit: Jeff Fusco)