Just after the riots in Ferguson, many speculated that the city could have trouble with crime for two reasons. One, Obama through the Department of Justice, set new standards for policing that gives criminals the edge. But even worse, the other policemen and women saw how a good officer like Darren Wilson was mistreated. he shot a hoodlum that was out to do him harm. He was issued death threats on a daily basis and eventually forced to resign his job because of the target on his back.
To those who feared a sharp rise in crime were not disappointed. This is being called the Ferguson effect. The Ferguson Effect is also in full swing in Baltimore, where six officers were brought up on bogus charges. The legal bills alone are a disincentive to cause officers to disregard the type of policing necessary to keep a lid on crime. From 2014 to today, the crime rates have risen in almost every category.
From The Conservative Tribune:
In 2014, the city’s violent crime rate was 545 crimes per 100,000 residents, which was already above the national average of 362. For Ferguson, with a population of about 21,100, that works out to 115 violent crimes.
In 2015, the number of violent crimes jumped 65 percent, from 115 to 190. The number of murders committed in Ferguson rose 150 percent. The same year, Ferguson also saw a 60 percent rise in robberies, from 51 to 82, while aggravated assaults increased 46 percent, from 60 to 95.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made a valid point when he suggested that police had a right to be afraid to carry out their duties in cities where anti-police sentiment could lead to violence and more deaths.
It certainly wasn’t meant as an insult to officers but rather as a commentary on the sad state of affairs in certain cities where anti-police rhetoric is off the charts.