America’s safer streets: why is elusive

[Fuchs]

I think it can definitely be a factor. Friends in NYC told me the mob was alive and well, but due to an under the table agreement that don't conduct visible crimes in the streets because the people don't want to see the crime. The crime is still there, but not visible, and not accounted for statistically (good ole measures of effectiveness and measures of performance, they make liars out of all of us).

We had something similar in Germany.

Albanian, Russian and even Chinese organised crime took over red light districts et cetera during the 90's, often times with a degree of brutality that made our German 80's gangsters look nice.
The unofficial response was to allow the rise of the "Hell's Angels" and "Bandidos" so-called "rocker" gangs, who were German organised crime gangs, albeit even using official clubs. The "rocker" gangs took over red light districts, and in turn made them calm, peaceful and chased away the overt drug dealers and addicts so police would tolerate their business (and business would prosper with more customers!).

That gentlemen's arrangement broke down when several chapters of Hell's Angels and Bandidos clashed in an unacceptable way. Authorities would have tolerated indoor brawls, but some idiots went so far as to use a bazooka.
That clearly went beyond the limit, and authorities began to enforce Landfrieden (state monopoly on violence, outlawing of feuds) again.
Authorities had accumulated enough intel on the German-language criminals (easier than with Albanians et cetera!) to crack down thoroughly in some cities.
The stupid chapters were dissolved, the remaining ones had learnt the lesson.


Meanwhile, Germany is still a typical exile and money laundering place for Italian Mafia, but they, too, learnt after some murders during the late 90's to be invisible again.

[Bill Moore]

Fuchs,

That was an educational post. I was aware of Hell's Angels going global, I had no idea that the Bandidos went global. Would love to read how and why that happened. Let's see I'm in Germany and I want to open a Franchise, McDonalds or Bandidos? I am poking fun at a serious issue, but seriously would like to understand how they go global. I would assume if they're trafficking drugs or people they would just make a deal with another crime family or gang in that country, but doesn't appear to be the case.

I was aware of the Eastern European mafias throughout Western Europe, but didn't consider the challenge that their language presents, another excellent point. However, it is a point I am well aware of in the U.S. with the Russia and Chinese (among other nationalties) mobs. I also wonder if a lot of crime is happening in these communities that doesn't get reported because they're scared to do so, or have a hard time finding a police officer that speaks their language? Perhaps a bit of a reach, but I suspect it is a still a factor.

[carl]

I also wonder if a lot of crime is happening in these communities that doesn't get reported because they're scared to do so, or have a hard time finding a police officer that speaks their language? Perhaps a bit of a reach, but I suspect it is a still a factor.

That isn't a reach at all. That is definitely a factor. In this country the reluctance comes from fear of being deported if the victim is an illegal. If illegals are commonly dealt with, a lot more can be gotten out of them if they are assured that their immigration status is immaterial and local and state officers don't much care about Fed laws. That applies to victims. For bad guys, things are different.

[slapout9]

Toffler was right after all!
In general (I say this very cautiously) the recent crime decrease is because there are more unemployed males at home ready and willing to defend there homes and property and or give good descriptions that the Police can act on quickly. Criminals don't like defended targets and they don't like being identified. At the same time theft of copper from unguarded businesses has gone through the roof. Some crimes against persons (personal attacks) have gone up at least in my area.

[Steve Blair]

That isn't a reach at all. That is definitely a factor. In this country the reluctance comes from fear of being deported if the victim is an illegal. If illegals are commonly dealt with, a lot more can be gotten out of them if they are assured that their immigration status is immaterial and local and state officers don't much care about Fed laws. That applies to victims. For bad guys, things are different.

And it's always been a factor. Nothing new there, really.

[davidbfpo]

Chicago's leading police blogsite:http://secondcitycop.blogspot.co.uk/ Not sure why it has a UK address, normally it is the other way round for those who can be controversial.

CompStat is under fire everywhere: Milwaukee has been caught downgrading serious assaults; New Jersey cities were caught lying; New York is about to pay Officer Adrian Schoolcraft $50 million for his whistle blowing on the CompStat fraud while two New York professors (one being John Eterno a retired NYPD Captain and Eli Silverman) have a book that spells out, step-by-step, how CompStat fudges numbers and lies to the public, all for political gain. Chicago politicians and police brass have bought into the system that may cost taxpayers millions in the years to come. And why is it that the FBI won't accept Chicago crime statistics for their annual crime report?

Wiki on NYPD Adrian Schoolcraft and his current civil legal claim:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Schoolcraft

Website for the book 'The Crime Numbers Game: Management by Manipulation' :http://unveilingnypdcompstat.blogspot.co.uk/ and Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/The-Crime-Numb.../dp/1439810311

[Steve Blair]

I think the address may have more to do with your location than that of the blog. It comes up as secondcitycop.blogspot.com in the US.

They've talked about Compstat a great deal on that blog, and it's never really been in good terms. It's an interesting read for those with an interest in some practices of US law enforcement and Chicago politics.

[Majormarginal]

A great deal of police work is politics.

[Fuchs]

Would love to read how and why that happened.

One of the murders that triggered the crackdown was rewarded with the permission to open a new Hell's Angels chapter in a city in Poland.

It appears that's how it works.

[uwew]

Fuchs,

That was an educational post. I was aware of Hell's Angels going global, I had no idea that the Bandidos went global. Would love to read how and why that happened. Let's see I'm in Germany and I want to open a Franchise, McDonalds or Bandidos? I am poking fun at a serious issue, but seriously would like to understand how they go global. I would assume if they're trafficking drugs or people they would just make a deal with another crime family or gang in that country, but doesn't appear to be the case.

Some German clubs -most remarkably Hannover's "Bones"- became part of the Hells Angels. That put pressure on the remaining clubs to either join the Angels or find some international affiliation. Enter Bandidos (from Denmark AFAIK). Since then many more local crime crime gangs have seen the pros to openly wearing colors and now we have Outlaws and Mongols as well.

And it looks like the German chapters of the Outlaw MCs are cooperating with other international organizations too. The former president of the Angel's most important chapter in Germany had a club in Hannover's Steintor. This building houses an Italian cafe too. This cafe calls itself "Little Italy" and looks like Tony Soprano's Satriale's. I am sure that there is a message in this .

I was aware of the Eastern European mafias throughout Western Europe, but didn't consider the challenge that their language presents, another excellent point. However, it is a point I am well aware of in the U.S. with the Russia and Chinese (among other nationalties) mobs. I also wonder if a lot of crime is happening in these communities that doesn't get reported because they're scared to do so, or have a hard time finding a police officer that speaks their language? Perhaps a bit of a reach, but I suspect it is a still a factor.

No, it is a widespread problem. Many immigrants are either scared or distrust local police and they have good reason for both.

[Fuchs]

On top of that there's the impossibility to infiltrate foreign nationals gangs. How do you find a policeman to infiltrate an Albanian gang or a Chinese gang?

The Chinese triads even have pseudo-secret (=not widely understood) finger signs for some communication which makes police work even more difficult. Only specialists are effective and a microphone or even a single camera are not sufficient.

The Italians in Germany largely limit themselves to money laundering - very difficult to deal with. The typical German restaurant or bar has a third of its earnings as grey income, invisible to the tax collectors. All you need to do for money laundering in such a context is to tell the tax authorities your actual, correct turnover...

[uwew]

On top of that there's the impossibility to infiltrate foreign nationals gangs. How do you find a policeman to infiltrate an Albanian gang or a Chinese gang?

The Chinese triads even have pseudo-secret (=not widely understood) finger signs for some communication which makes police work even more difficult. Only specialists are effective and a microphone or even a single camera are not sufficient.

The Italians in Germany largely limit themselves to money laundering - very difficult to deal with. The typical German restaurant or bar has a third of its earnings as grey income, invisible to the tax collectors. All you need to do for money laundering in such a context is to tell the tax authorities your actual, correct turnover...

According to BKA's Lagebild OK 2010 the Italians are ranked third, with 30 groups that were investigated. If this report is true, their main activities are drug trafficking and counterfeiting. But the official statistics looked always a bit optimistic to me. Already during the 80s there was widespread racketeering of Italian restaurants and businesses in Germany. If you are interested, read Dagobert Lindlaus "Der Mob" about international OK in Germany during that time. Since the German public and officials are in a state of denial about organized crime, I can see no reason why anything should have changed.