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LATEST LETTERS

Aurora crime rates

Thursday, May 10 at 10:32 AM

Mark A. Golden of Aurora writes:

Let’s take a look at something. The Crime Rate in Aurora is down according to the Chief of Police, but the work load in the Courts is up. Now how can both statements be true? I have heard that the Chief of Police has had the reporting categories changed recently. Those categories are where the crime numbers are reported to the FBI. Several years ago another Chief did the same thing. He changed the reporting categories and miraculously the crime rate went down that year too. Isn’t it amazing how statistics can be manipulated? When I attended college several years ago I attended a course in propaganda. The course used statistics to show how propaganda is used to your benefit. “100% of the Dentists surveyed recommend our toothpaste.” (The question you should now ask is how many Dentists did you speak with?) The answer could be as simple as ONE, but the statistic is still true. Certain major crime rates in Aurora are down. The question you should now ask is has there been a resent change in how the crimes are recorded? You might be surprised to learn that they have been changed. That would make any comparison obscure and incorrect. But the statistic would still be true.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Mark,

Some of us in Aurora happen to like, and support Chief Oates. Funny how you fail to mention that you used to work for us. If you want to be such a politician, test again, and run for union president. A change is needed there too.

Posted by my name 2 on May 10, 2007 02:13 PM

Oates has been a boon to the Aurora PD. The PD has been stuck in the dark ages for years, and is now trying to become a respected police department AGAIN. What happened...Aurora was nationally recognized as a great police department in the 80's and 90's...then became what they are now. The time for change has come, and Oates is a start. Next it's time to chop the heads of the current administration to allow for needed changes. Keep up the good work Oates....and get rid of all those un-needed LT's! Put some cops on the streets and chop the Admin for god's sake.

Posted by my name 2 on May 10, 2007 03:02 PM

The work load in the courts is up because if illegal quotas put on Aurora Officers for traffic tickets...yep, just like Denver. At least Denver only does it to their traffic officers (which is expected and necessary). Aurora gives patrol officers quotas...and even implemented a new evaluation system based on it! (Check it out Rocky). That doesn't make for good policing...that makes for corruption. A good cop will write a crap ticket (within the law, but one he/she wouldn't have written otherwise) if it get's him a good eval...which means a raise and diapers for his/her kid. It starts from the top down...and trying to use cops/tickets for revenue is as corrupt as it gets.

Posted by my name 2 on May 10, 2007 03:09 PM