New York City police commissioner offers ways to reduce crime

Angie Wagner

Monday, May 17, 1999 | 7:40 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - While the New York-New York hotel-casino tried to replicate the Big Apple in every detail, New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir wasn't impressed with the graffiti found on trash cans inside the resort.

He insisted Monday during the annual Tourism Safety and Security Conference here that graffiti can't be found in New York City.

Safir was joking, but the graffiti in the city has been reduced, as have homicides and other violent crimes.

New York City has gotten serious about reducing crime, and Safir offered conference delegates tips for doing the same in their own cities.

"Police work and crime reduction can make a significant difference in how a city is perceived," he said.

Safir noted that Las Vegas is a top tourist destination, but New York remains a hot vacation spot because of the reduction in crime.

"People come there because it's safe," he said. "We understood that you had to send a message in New York City that crime was not to be tolerated."

Safir, who became commissioner three years ago, said the New York City Police Department and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani first began targeting small crimes - graffiti artists, pickpockets and people who play music too loud.

The department, which employs 40,000 and has 76 precincts, also targets drug dealers, even giving criminals random drug tests. Safir said 80 percent of crime in New York City stems from drugs.

"The federal government's not going to solve New York City's drug problem. Each city has to solve its own drug problem. Police departments tend to do temporary things when it comes to drugs."

Safir said the NYPD has taken a business approach to getting rid of drug dealers, using police officers to block off neighborhoods so drug dealers can't get in and encouraging citizens to do their own policing.

Safir said that in the future, DNA testing will become one of the most powerful tools in crime reduction.

"We have to look at technology changing the way we identify people."

New York Gov. George Pataki has proposed taking DNA samples from everyone convicted of any felony or attempted felony. The proposal has been sent to the state Legislature.

The conference continues on Tuesday.