OK this one, I just could not leave alone. New York police sued over residential building patrols – CNN.com. Here is my question:
If the landlord (owner) invites the police in, and thousands have asked for the free patrols, and they are only patrolling the common areas, what’s the issue?
I suspect that, as Kelly points out, the wealthy ACLU lawyers in this case have no such issues, but they should remember that thousands of New Yorkers live in buildings with no protection — no doorman, no nothing.
Their children come home from school and step over drug users and transients sleeping in the halls. The NYPD steps up to clear these folks out, and guess who comes to argue…
My colleagues at the ACLU. Wow.
What do you think?
The Philosophical Cop Police Blog 
What is their problem? Sometimes you have to wonder whose civil liberties these groups are protecting. Me, If I was living in an environment like that I would be more than happy to see to see a police officer doing the rounds. This action should be applauded not closed down. Perhaps the New York Civil Liberties Union need to come and live in the real world for awhile and then re-think the damage they could be doing.
RIP James Q. Wilson. He thought so hard and so well about balancing community rights and individual rights. And on this he would be on the side of those children. I’ll bet Jane Jacobs and he are up there nodding in approval of Commr. Kelly.