First of all, he doesn't get credit for mundane things he did. Now, I am not in favor of "more cops" but it is not commonly known that Dinkins put lots "more cops" on the street and that the decline in violent crime began under his administration!
Here is what is not commonly acknowledged:
Surveying local residents in 2010, 77% percent of residents feel the economic situation in Los Angeles has significantly worsened.[100] A population change occurred from 1992-2007; the black population dropped by 123,000 after the riots and grew more than 450,000 in Latino population.[104] According to the Los Angeles police statistics, violent crime fell by 76% between 1992 and 2010 and tensions between racial groups have lessened;[106] 60% of residents reported racial tension has improved in the past 20 years with decreased gang activity.[107]
Here is what is not commonly acknowledged:
Mayoralty
Dinkins entered office pledging racial healing, and famously referred to New York City's demographic diversity as a "gorgeous mosaic."[12] Dinkins's term was marked by polarizing events such as the boycott of Korean-owned groceries in Flatbush and the 1991 Crown Heights riot. When Lemrick Nelson was acquitted of killing Yankel Rosenbaum during the riot, Dinkins said "I have no doubt that in this case the criminal-justice system has operated fairly and openly."[13]
Although rates of most crimes, including all categories of violent crime, made consecutive declines during the last 36 months of his four-year term, ending a 30-year upward spiral and initiating a trend of falling rates that continued beyond his term, Dinkins was hurt by the perception that crime was out of control during his administration.[14][15] Dinkins also initiated a hiring program that expanded the police department nearly 25%.[16]
[edit]1993 election
In 1993, Dinkins lost to Republican Rudy Giuliani in a rematch of the 1989 election. Dinkins earned 48.3 percent of the vote, down from 51 percent in 1989.[17] Although he was a moderate with a substantial history of building coalitions and supporting Jewish causes,[18] one factor in his loss was his perceived indifference to the plight of the Jewish community during the Crown Heights riot. Another was a strong turnout for Giuliani in Staten Island; the Dinkins administration opposed a referendum on Staten Island's secession from New York. Dinkins defeated Giuliani handily in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, but Giuliani's margin in the other two boroughs was large enough to win the election.
During his final days in office, Dinkins made last-minute negotiations with the sanitation workers, presumably to preserve the public status of garbage removal. Incoming mayor Giuliani blamed Dinkins for a "cheap political trick" when Dinkins planned the resignation of Victor Gotbaum, Dinkins' appointee on the Board of Education, thus guaranteeing his replacement six months in office.[19] Dinkins also signed a last minute 99-year lease with the USTA National Tennis Center, including strict limitations on flights in and out of neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the US Open.
A 2009 report in The New York Times looking back at the Dinkins administration suggested that its achievements were not as Giuliani stated, noting:
- Significant accomplishments in lowering New York City's crime rate and increasing the size of the New York Police Department, and the hiring of Raymond W. Kelly as police commissioner;
- The cleanup and revitalization of Times Square, including persuading the Walt Disney Corporation to rehabilitate an old 42nd Street theater;
- Major commitment to rehabilitation of dilapidated housing in northern Harlem, the South Bronx and Brooklyn despite significant budget constraints-—more housing rehabilitated in a single term than Mr. Giuliani did in two terms;
- The USTA lease, which in its final form Mayor Michael Bloomberg called "the only good athletic sports stadium deal, not just in New York but in the country";
- Mental-health facility initiatives; and
- Policies and actions that decreased the size of the city's homeless shelter population to its lowest point in 20 years.[20]
Well, then, why does he get such a bad rap and why was he not re elected?
He refused to do what the press and Ed Koch and Rudolph Giuliani were screaming for during the riots in Crown Heights and Washington Heights. These morons were braying for a massacre, two massacres, but Dinkins deployed intelligent police tactics as well as diplomacy and in so doing he saved not only many lives and prevented much property damage, he also saved New York from the fate of Los Angeles!
The LA riots which we did not have here in NYC thanks to David Dinkins:
Deaths and Arrests
On May 3, 1992, The Supreme Court extended the charging defendants 48-hour deadline to 96 hours. That day, 6,345 people were arrested and 44 dead bodies were still being identified by the coroner using fingerprints, driver's license, or dental records.[94]
By May 16, 1992, 51 men and 7 women were dead because of the riots and the Los Angeles Coroner's Office listed 50 of the 58 people dead as homicide victims.[95] Forty-one of the victims were shot to death, seven were killed in traffic accidents, four died in fires, three were beaten to death, two were fatally stabbed, and one died of a heart attack.[95]
Nearly a third of the rioters arrested were released because police officers were unable to identify individuals in the sheer volume of the crowd. In one case, officers arrested around 40 people stealing from one store- while they were identifying them, a group of another 12 looters were brought in. With the groups mingled, charges could not be brought against individuals for stealing from specific stores, and the police were forced to release them all.[96]
Weeks after the rioting, 11,000 people (mostly black and Latino) continued to be arrested.[97]
By May 16, 1992, 51 men and 7 women were dead because of the riots and the Los Angeles Coroner's Office listed 50 of the 58 people dead as homicide victims.[95] Forty-one of the victims were shot to death, seven were killed in traffic accidents, four died in fires, three were beaten to death, two were fatally stabbed, and one died of a heart attack.[95]
Nearly a third of the rioters arrested were released because police officers were unable to identify individuals in the sheer volume of the crowd. In one case, officers arrested around 40 people stealing from one store- while they were identifying them, a group of another 12 looters were brought in. With the groups mingled, charges could not be brought against individuals for stealing from specific stores, and the police were forced to release them all.[96]
Weeks after the rioting, 11,000 people (mostly black and Latino) continued to be arrested.[97]
[edit]Rebuilding Los Angeles
After three days of arson and looting, 3,767 buildings were burned [98] with over $1 billion in property damage.[99] Donations were given to help with food and medicine and the office of State Senator Diane E. Watson provided shovels and brooms as racially mixed volunteers from all over the community helped clean. 13,000 police and troops patrolled the area protecting gas stations and food stores that were not affected by the looting,in which were able to reopen along with other areas such as the Universal Studios tour, dance halls, and bars. Many organizations stepped forward to rebuild Los Angeles; South Central's Operation Hope and Koreatown's Saigu and KCCD (Korean Churches for Community Development), they all raised millions to repair destruction and improve economic development.[100] President George H.W. Bush signed a declaration of disaster; it activated Federal relief efforts for the victims of the looting and arson which included grants and low-cost loans to cover their property losses,[98] the Rebuild LA program promised $6billion in private investment to create 74,000 jobs.[101] Unfortunately, it didn’t go through after a few year and in contrast lost 50,000 jobs.
The majority of the local stores were never rebuilt [102] because, even though store owners had great desire to rebuild, they had trouble getting loans, myths about the area arose discouraging investment in the area and preventing growth of employment.[103] Few of the rebuilding plans came to be because business investors as well as the community members rejected South L.A.[104]
Today, billions of dollars have been put into renovating Hollywood and have cleaned up ‘crack neighborhoods.’ [104]
The majority of the local stores were never rebuilt [102] because, even though store owners had great desire to rebuild, they had trouble getting loans, myths about the area arose discouraging investment in the area and preventing growth of employment.[103] Few of the rebuilding plans came to be because business investors as well as the community members rejected South L.A.[104]
Today, billions of dollars have been put into renovating Hollywood and have cleaned up ‘crack neighborhoods.’ [104]
[edit]Residential Life
Many Los Angeles residents were motivated to buy weapons for self-defense against further violence, though the 10-day waiting period in California law stymied those who wanted to purchase firearms while the riot was going on.[105]
