Let the cops do their job!

As recently reported, New Yorkers again saw a decrease in crime in 2011 throughout New York City, and for that, we must commend the work of the New York City Police Department. Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly for their continued efforts and diligence in keeping New York City the safest big city in America. It was not too long ago that New Yorkers could only dream of their city earning such honors.

Now, as we continue to enjoy the safety of our hometown, we must continue to allow our police officers to do their jobs in order to keep crime at bay, and to keep us feeling safe in our homes, in our communities, and in our neighborhoods.

To maintain order and security, we must allow police officers to protect us, and rid our streets of criminal activity and stolen goods. The streets of New York are often a place where stolen merchandise, such as pocketbooks, scarves, computers, phones, i-Pods and more, are purchased. Must we remind readers that this is illegal? That is why the NYPD directs operations to rid our streets of those who both buy and sell on the black market.

We can’t tolerate this behavior, just as we do not allow, and won’t stand for, the illegal sale of guns, drugs, and more on our streets. When these crimes are tolerated, we start to lose control of the safety of ourselves, our families and our neighbors. This is what creates a cycle in which New York’s public safety becomes compromised, and almost immediately, we see more and more crimes taking place.

As a former New York City Police Officer, I regard the progress our city has made in fighting crime as tremendous. There are many reasons for this success, and much work has gone into making this all possible. Any attempts to change policy that would handcuff our police officers threatens their ability to fight crime and challenges the progress we have made in New York.

Marty Golden (R–Bay Ridge) is a New York state senator and former New York City police officer