Last week, Milwaukee’s police chief wrote a seriously misguided editorial about the city’s crime problem. Chief Hegerty claims the police department is already doing many crime-fighting things being suggested by outsiders. But the truth is that she has done a miserable job as chief, the crime rates are out of control, and the police department is not doing enough.

Here is a reality-check response to her from Sheriff David Clarke:

TUESDAY, April 10, 2007, 7:37 a.m.
CLARKE ANSWERS HEGERTY

Just some thoughts on the Chief’s article in Sunday’s Crossroads.

This isn’t a plan. it’s nothing more than an assortment of resources. There are no stated objectives (just what is she trying to accomplish) nor can we measure any progress or lack of.

All we’ve heard from her up until now is her lamenting that “there is only so much the police can do.” I’m from the Bill Bratton school that believes that policing is still America’s most effective tool to fight crime.

After only 27 months of the Giuliani/Bratton plan, crime was reduced across the board in New York by 33% and homicides were cut in half. It only took 27 months for these results!

All Chief Hegerty has to show for her performance is: 5 more homicides this year than over the same time period last year, robberies up 36% and aggravated assaults up 32% in 2006 and 1500 people shot in the city in 05 and 06 (808 last year alone). Yet she says that everything she’s doing is working. I liken it to Alice In Wonderland-the land of make believe.

Only now, with 7 months left on her contract does she write something down that people can analyze. Somebody needs to tell her that she’s three and a half years too late. Alderman Donovan has been asking for an action plan for some time before he came up with one of his own. Let’s try his.

David Clarke