#128 The Crime Machine, Part II

In the second part of 'The Crime Machine,' 'Reply All' delves deeper into the consequences of the NYPD's CompStat system. The episode opens with John Eterno, a former NYPD officer and now a criminology academic, who expresses skepticism about the continuous decline in crime rates. He suggests that the pressure to maintain this decline led to unintended consequences, such as crime report manipulation. Richie Baez, a 14-year veteran of the NYPD, narrates an incident where his superior attempted to downgrade a rape case to a lesser offense to avoid negatively impacting crime statistics. Baez's account illustrates the systemic issue of downgrading crimes to present an image of decreasing crime rates, a practice confirmed by a survey conducted by Eterno among retired NYPD officers.

The episode also addresses the quota system, where officers were pressured to increase their 'activity' through arrests and summonses. Pedro Serrano, another NYPD officer, describes how this system led to indiscriminate stops and summonses, disproportionately targeting Black and Latino men. The narrative contrasts the aggressive policing in minority neighborhoods with the leniency in wealthier, predominantly white areas. The podcast reveals how CompStat's focus on numbers rather than actual crime fighting resulted in racial profiling and a lack of trust between the community and the police.

Edwin Raymond, another NYPD officer, joins the story, sharing his experience with the quota system and how it led to unconstitutional stops. The episode culminates with a class action lawsuit filed by Raymond and other officers, known as the NYPD 12, against the city. They aim to end the quota system and bring about a fairer, more just form of policing. Despite setbacks in court, the group remains hopeful for change.