I have long wondered why, when we assign public defenders, we don't also assigned a social worker. Crime is a “symptom” of social behavior issues; whether that be poverty, gangs (self-esteem), family background (crime may have been encouraged), mental health, and many more I could list.

Want to cut crime 50%?- Increase social services by 25% not police … I don’t know what research has been done on this, but I’d place a bet on it. Maybe Tacoma/Pierce County should be the place to do this research. I think Tacoma Cares … I think we could do this!

I moved here a year ago and I think Tacoma is one of the most progressive resident involved communities I’ve ever seen. I recently completed a CERT class and there were two others from my neighborhood. Tacoma’s free/reduced health clinics are accessible, but overwhelmed. I could keep going on the good stuff … let’s make it good or better for everyone // Let’s fight Classism .. Care Tacoma!

There's no reason this couldn't work. There's a lot more to reducing crime than more cops and jails. If we kept an eye on our own neighborhoods a 50% reduction would be no problem.

Most crime is committed by kids. Parents need to know where their kids are!

The old style walking patrolmen would help as well.

50% is a huge reduction for such a short amount of time. Such drops have occurred in other cities--just over longer periods of time. New York City's crime rate has dropped by about 70% in the past decade, making it the safest large city in the country. Hopefully, the City Manager will adopt some of NYC's methods to try to reduce the crime here.

I'm guessing that we won't get 50%. I think most people would be happy with anything in the double digits, though.

I agree with jake840.
They can't respond, if they don't know.
Be a citizen.
Report potholes
Report overgrown lots and rights of way.
If speeding is a problem in your neighborhood, report it, have it surveyed, talk with your neighbors, ORGANIZE.
Got a neighbor kid racing up and down the street? talk with his folks. They're your neighbors, get to know them.
If everyone sits on their butts and complains, nothing gets done.
Frankly, I don't think that 50% is doable. But what will doing nothing get us?

Yep, but your going to need more dirt. Lets see if I understand what you are saying. You are going to or atleast say that you are to reduce crime by 50%. The question might be for how long and in what area of crime and in what sector of Tacoma. You could lock up the ten... worst affenders for 30 days and that would amount to a significant percentage..... as we have seen before. A better idea would be to send them to a gulf state or New York as they might not even notice a small increase in the crime rate. Better yet give them the oportunity to serve their county in Iraq for say 10 years with no paroll. Since they are trying to support their habits to servive what better way.

If he had set a goal of 10%, no one would have even noticed, no one would be thinking about it, life would go on as usual. But with this, people are paying attention, thinking outside the box, and looking for new ways to fight back against crime in our city. I love the "we can do it" mentality. It's a refreshing break from the normal status quo complacency that is drowning America these days. Tell me where to sign up and what I should be doing to help.

With a shrinking police presence and a waning desire by the police and the courts in the areas of apprehension and adequate punishment - I'll put my bet on the bad guys!! The challenge is out there - prove me wrong!!

There are too many nay sayers in the world and a lot of them live in Tacoma. If you say a thing is impossible it is self fulfilling that it won't happen. Instead of thinking of all the reasons this idea won't work, lets think of ways to make it happen. City Manager Anderson can't do it by himself, he needs all the citizens of Tacoma to stand behind him and help him. If we do that we will see a Tacoma that is far different and far better than the one we have today. If we don't work to make it happen the result will be our collective fault.

I think we can do it. Murders are way down for the year already. (1 in Tacoma compared to about 10+ in Seattle)

What can citizens do?

Report crime. Report Blight!

Go to TacomaServices.org and click on "Citizen Request"

Vacant Lot in your neighborhood overgrown? (over 2' weeds,brush,grass) turn it in.

Potholes ? turn them in

Dangerous Building? Turn it in

Junk Car? turn it in

Streetlights out? Turn it in

Tacoma right now is complaint based/driven. You complain and the city will fix the problem. The city does not go looking for the problem.

Another small thing is getting street lights in your alley. They cost about $10 a month. Get a few neighbors together and get 2-3 for the alley block and it can make a difference. Call Tacoma Power for more info.

Pick up garbage in your neighborhood.

Crime breeds on bad environments. Clean it up and crime will leave . It is almost guaranteed

A 50% reduction in crime says to me that 50% of the typical ordinary expected daily crime won't happen, not that they will be arresting that many more after they commit some criminal act.
But unless the criminals co-operate by not committing crime or by leaving town to do it elsewhere this pie in the sky dream is not going to happen. But as I mentioned before it IS an Election year and that's prime ground for p[r]imping and promising.
I'm starting to wonder what kinds of drugs the politicians are getting these days, does this signal a move away from Meth back into hallucinogens?

But the biggest question still looms, will the criminals agree to stop 50% of their activities before the deadline?

IM ALL FOR IT, LETS DO IT.

I think our City Manager ought to be commended for being bold and optimistic. For too long, Tacoma has been too cautious, too focused on why ambitious approaches won't work. This goal would dramatically improve the quality of life for everyone in the City, except the bad guys. And it will reinvent police work, and move it much closer to the kinds of community policing that work long term. What's not to like? How can we help?

Setting the bar is a fine idea...it becomes unattainable when you factor in our liberal courts and overcrowded jail. If you can't prosecute and you can't house you end up with a revolving recidivism rate.

I do believe with the help of Tacoma citizens we can take back our streets from the druggies and gang pukes. It has worked for me in my area I rely on our code inspector and liaison officer. we have closed down 4 drug houses.

The problem with people is not that they set their goals to high and miss - but that they set their goals too low and hit them. Thanks for being bold. Eric - Don't listen to the nay-sayers.

$100.00 says he won't make it. Starting now he has until 6-21-09.