NYPD Blames Occupy Wall Street For Rise in Shootings

Cops say their too busy with protestors to fight real crime

Shootings are on the rise in Brookyln, Queens and the South Bronx and the cops aren't coming to see what happened. But they'll have you know that it's not because they don't care. It's because they are too busy warding off those nonviolent Occupy Wall Street protestors with their innocent picket signs and water bottles.

“The city is going crazy with demonstrations and protests, and I’m lucky if I can get four cars out there,” said Deputy Inspector Ted Berntsen to the New York Post.

Since the protests began last month the NYPD is saying that to control the large crowds they have to deploy members of their borough task forces, who are usually responsible for patrolling public housing, rough neighborhoods and rowdy nightclubs. Since those agents are busy on Wall Street, they are not always available, if at all, to respond to calls about violence and shooting. Guess it's a case of the mice coming out to play when the cats are away.

On the other hand, people actually may be safer than they think with less police around. They shoot innocent people too, you know? Meanwhile, the FBI is reporting that violent crime is down.