Shootings are becoming such a problem in downtown Norfolk that city officials are cracking down on nightclubs that violate city ordinances — inspiring charges of racism in the process.
Good luck holding down the homicide rate, guys. If you shut down a nightclub, you don’t eliminate demand for partying and booze. Local businessmen will set up new nightclubs somewhere else. Young people will continue to drink, do drugs, and get into quarrels with guns.
What you need is more police. However, the police force, which is 255 officers short and operating at 33% below full staffing level, is expecting to lose another 77 officers by the end of the year. Without replacements, the force would be operating at at 44% below full staffing.
Police Chief Michael Goldsmith says the city is turning the corner, reports The Virginian-Pilot.
One problem affecting the police, which is afflicting almost every sector of the economy, is the “retirement tsunami.” Baby Boomers are hitting retirement age, and they’re calling it quits. There’s not much that Chief Goldsmith can do about the demographic bulge.
But the PD can poach officers from other localities. Norfolk signed up six officers from New York following a city ad campaign in the Big Apple. Tough luck, New York. Let’s just hope other jurisdictions aren’t poaching from Norfolk. Also, new recruitments are up, says Goldsmith. He expects 40 newbies to come on board in July.
So, the city expects to lose 77 veteran officers by December and to gain 40 junior officers by June. That leaves a six-month gap when the police force will be operating at 56%. That sound grim.
Missing from the Pilot’s discussion is any consideration of police morale. Are police quitting because they’re demoralized? If so, why?
— JAB
