Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1731
AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MAY 2009 17 DAVID J. TERESTRE BRANDON DEL POZO OPINION/EDITORIAL How to fi ght crimes and fi res on Wall Street I f companies like AIG c o u l d s o m e h o w b e fi xed by cops and fi re- fighters, we'd be in much better shape. When terrorists attacked New York City on 9/11, cops and fi re- fi ghters worked around the clock, in dangerous con- ditions, with no days off. Afterwards, many of them enlisted in the military and fought overseas to keep their nation secure. The need for self-sacrifi ce was obvious and they did not hesitate to do what was asked of them. Unfortunately, the pres- ent fi x requires a different type of person: the banker. The way most of them have reacted to our modest de- mands, there doesn't seem to be a duty-bound bone in their bodies. More important to them than what they can offer their nation in need is whether or not they can keep millions of dollars in bonuses, paid by our taxes, for cleaning up the horrible mess they've made. If a fi re department accidentally set an occupied building on fi re, you'd see its men and women working to put that fi re out, ashamed and maybe working for free. The idea of demanding a huge bonus to correct their own mistake would seem vulgar to them. Many corporate executives at AIG disagree, complain- ing that they have earned their expensive lifestyles and suddenly being deprived of them would be the signal to jump ship. Anything less than the mil- lions of dollars a year they are accustomed to would make saving the economy a waste of their time. They probably wouldn't mind if we just left an enve- lope of cash from our pay- checks with their doormen. These men and women were quick to sing the praises of the American way when it was netting them untold fortunes in annual compen- sation. They were eager to tell the world how great our country was, and that its free markets were the perfection of hu- man striving. Now that democracy has lost its profi tability, they are calling the rest of us naive and spiteful for not paying their huge salaries from our own pockets. The American people have every right to demand that financial wizards not only accept capped salaries at troubled institutions, but also roll up their sleeves and eagerly compete for these jobs, each trying to convince us that they are the one who can best succeed in turning a place like AIG or Citigroup around. A spot at one of these companies should be sought after like a patriotic badge of honor. It's not like we're even asking CEOs to forsake their fortunes for good: The successful turnaround of a huge, troubled corporation is a sure way to land a job making millions once your work there is done. If executives instead leave troubled fi rms to claw their way into whatever ones will pay them millions as they watch the economy disinte- grate, then the implication is grave. America, in one of its most troubled periods, would have to rely on what it created: aloof, powerful people who really do be- lieve that the size of their paychecks is the only source of their personal worth. Wall Streeters loved call- ing themselves "masters of the universe." They need to be reminded that if we truly let them have the free market they once praised so highly, most of these people would be jobless, with no income, and living off of their savings. Still, somehow I think they would scrape by. There may be reason for hope: Word is that some A.I.G. executives are al- ready pledging to return their bonuses. While we can't tell whether this is due to the nationwide backlash they've caused or a desire to do the right thing, they work in an industry where success should be measured by results. Execs returning lavish pay they don't deserve is a good one, and we should take it as a fi rst step toward getting their moral bearings back. Brandon Del Pozo is a captain with the New York City Police Dept. This commentary ap- peared in the March 21, 2009 edition of The New York Daily News. I n this time of auster- ity, police departments across the United States are facing shrinking bud- gets, no pay raises or even worse, furloughs and lay- offs. When the economy tanks, tax bases dry up and public sector employees are placed at fi nancial risk. It's not just the cops, its firemen, teachers and all civil servants are in this mess, together. But perhaps what sepa- rates law enforcement from the others is the ability to provide a safe environment in our cities and towns al- lowing the groundwork of economic recovery to constitute and fl ourish. I feel this fact is over- A criminal stimulus looked and clearly under- stated by today's politicians and pundits. As we all know, when economic conditions wors- en, so does crime. When we combine these factors with the upcom- ing warm weather months, which will bring heat and humidity, along with short- ened tempers and higher criminal activity, we can realistically expect a very large spike in crime. Simply stated, the social conditions that cultivate crime will widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Unfortunately, this will mark an end to the multi- year era of double digit reduction in crime and no doubt spur cries for law enforcement to take charge and do more with less. While I'm all for effi- ciency in policing, we need to factor in this signifi cant curtailment of resources, manpower and support. While some of these short- falls may be recouped by improvements in processes and technology, the predict- able erosion of public sup- port for our police agencies is almost certain. As many of the veteran offi cers out there already know, gauging the mood of the public we serve, even in good times, can be a very slippery slope. But as the economic con- ditions will continue to worsen before they im- prove, I can easily foresee an extremely tumultuous road for the law enforce- ment community for the remainder of the year and into the near future. David J. Terestre is a sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. I'm his lawyer.