Clarence Page

In the following viewpoint, Clarence Page maintains that the high-profile police brutality case involving Abner Louima has brought to light the systematic abuse within the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He asserts that the NYPD’s “tough-on-crime” policies—where police arrest people for minor crimes like subway turnstile jumping— have resulted in out-of-control police officers who target innocent people. The NYPD needs to work with the community it serves, not against it, he argues, in order for crime rates and police brutality cases to decline. Page is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Page, what are the basic tenets of the “broken windows” approach to preventive policing?
2. How much did civilian complaints against police use of excessive...