There was a good story this week in the Northeast Times about crime in the 15th district. We’ve noted the decline in certain types of crime this year compared to 2008. The article by William Kenny gets into the details of what is going on here.
According to official police statistics released earlier this year, the 15th district had 145,000 calls for police service in 2008, some 1,300 more than the next-busiest district, the 25th, which serves portions of North Philly, Kensington and Feltonville.
The final tally allowed the 15th – which covers a broad geographic area including Frankford, Wissinoming, Tacony, Mayfair and Holmesburg – to retain the dubious distinction that it has held throughout recent memory.
But painting the neighborhoods that comprise the 15th as crime-infested wastelands does not provide an accurate or fair picture of the territory, according to the police district’s commanding officer, Capt. Frank Bachmayer.
Many factors, chiefly geography and population, dictate its statistical deviation from other districts, Bachmayer says. Meanwhile, even with its high volume of police calls and crime, the 15th as a whole is actually safer than many other districts in terms of frequency of violence.
“It’s one of the biggest districts and it’s the most populated district in the city,” said Bachmayer, who next month will mark his third anniversary in command of the 15th.
When the 15th was named as one of the high priority crime districts, my first reaction was – well isn’t that great. Nice reputation to have. I’ve had time to rethink that position though. Now we have more attention from the police and we are starting to see less crime. The fact is that the crime is perpetrated by the criminals. Ignoring them just gives them a license to go on as they have before. Thank the cops and let’s see more of the same.
