U.S. Attorney General addresses Philadelphia’s top brass

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder received a warm welcome in Philadelphia Thursday. Holder spoke to top police brass from across the country at the Annual Police Executive Research Forum in center city.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder received a warm welcome in Philadelphia Thursday. Holder spoke to top police brass from across the country at the annual Police Executive Research Forum in center city.

Holder stressed the need to incorporate new technology, while continuing to use fundamental crime-fighting tactics.

“It doesn’t mean that you don’t get out of the police cars and talk to the young kids and break down the barriers that might exist – the fundamental stuff,” said Holder. “But it just helps to have computers and models and whatever to help modify trends and patterns so that when you’re making deployment decisions, you’re doing so in an informed way.”

One example of the positive numbers police can achieve by combining new technology and old-fashioned pavement pounding, is playing out on the streets of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Police officials say a study conducted with Temple University that shows violent crime has dropped 22% in the most dangerous parts of the city covered by foot patrols.