Mike Green, the Crimefighter Cries "Uncle"

On October 5, 2007, the Rochester Police Department implemented a "zero tolerance" policy on crime went into effect after a violent week in Rochester that included two murders that have outraged the city.

Casey Bortnick of R-News reports that:

In the 20 days of the program, police have been working 12-hour shifts and aggressively patrolling the streets. The RPD reports 254 violations, 333 misdemeanors, and 67 felonies. Eleven people have been arrested for gun violations. Nearly 60 weapons have been taken off the streets. Police have also seized large amounts of drugs.

On Mike Green's website, Mike Green states that "Under his leadership, the office is combating violent crime and homicides by targeting armed violent felons, drug dealers, and those illegally carrying guns."

Curiously, Mike Green told Casey Bortnick of R-News "It doesn't do any good to go out and make arrests if we don't have the resources to prosecute them."

Huh? The Rochester Police Department is turning in 12 hour shifts and making the types of arrests Mike Green deems most important, those being armed violent felonies, drug dealers and illegal guns and, instead of relishing the challenge, Mike Green says the unthinkable - THAT HE IS INCAPABLE OF PROSECUTING THESE CASES.

That's right, Mike Green, the crime fighter that the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle endorsed
as "a tough, no-holds-barred prosecutor" has cried "UNCLE!"

The truth is that Mike Green was having a difficult time prosecuting homicides and violent felonies BEFORE zero tolerance. See for yourself at the New York Division of Criminal Justice:

2006 Violent Felony Conviction Rate of Non-New York City Counties

County 2006 Conviction Rate

1. Schuyler 100%

2. Hamilton 100%

3. Herkimer 97.0%

4. Washington 96.4%

5. Livingston 94.7%

6. Ontario 94.2%

7. Chenango 92.3%

8. Delaware 91.5%

9. Lewis 90.5%

10. Chautauqua 90.0%

11. Schoharie 88.9%

12. Wyoming 88.5%

13. Greene 88.0%

14. Yates 87.5%

15. Nassau (Long Island) 87.4%

16. Columbia 87.2%

17. Saratoga 86.9%

18. Allegany 86.8%

19. Warren 86.7%

20. Fulton 86.5%

21. Seneca 86.4%

22. Oneida 85.7%

23. Oswego 84.6%

24. Montgomery 84.1%

25. Jefferson 83.9%

26. Cattaraugus 83.2%

27. Steuben 82.4%

28. Rensselaer 82.0%

29. Madison 81.7%

30. Chemung 81.7%

31. Tioga 81.6%

32. Orleans 81.4%

33. Sullivan 81.1%

34. Rockland 81.1%

35. Clinton 80.7%

36. Otsego 80.6%

37. Dutchess (Poughkeepsie) 80.4%

38. Putnam 80.3%

39. Essex 80.0%

40. Schenectady 79.0%

41. Broome (Binghamton) 78.0%

42. Genesee 77.6%

43. Albany (Albany) 77.0%

44. Orange 76.9%

45. Franklin 76.2%

46. Cortland 75.9%

47. St. Lawrence 75.7%

48. Wayne 75.4%

49. Suffolk 75.0%

50. Cayuga 75.0%

51. Tompkins 71.8%

52. Westchester (Yonkers) 70.4%

53. Onondaga (Syracuse) 69.4%

54. Monroe County 69.1%

55. Ulster 66.9%

56. Niagara 62.8%

57. Erie (Buffalo) 58.8%

58. Richmond 52.3%

Anyone else alarmed?