Police inaction lets scofflaws prosper

There is a controversial theory within criminology known as the “Broken Windows Theory,” first articulated by social scientists James Wilson and George Kelling and most famously put into practice by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The key idea of the theory is this: if someone breaks a window in an old building, fix it right away because if you don’t, before you know it, all the windows will be smashed, squatters will break in and eventually you’ll have an arson.

It’s a policy the Vancouver police should consider in dealing with the worrying level of mob behaviour that’s become too much the norm in the city. The department clearly fears that aggressive action will escalate violence. But should that extend to complete non-action by officers when criminal acts are taking place?

Wednesday night’s takeover of Commercial Drive by a small crowd of masked little punks is a case in point. Instead of arresting the first bozo or three to light a fire in the middle of the street, police spent their time redirecting traffic until the riot squad could arrive.

It’s this unnecessarily permissive attitude by city officials that contributed to the Stanley Cup riot. By not “fixing broken windows,” police are inviting bigger problems.