“CRIME IN AMERICA, CRIME IN MEMPHIS”
BY
IRA A. LIPMAN
CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT
GUARDSMARK, INC.
ADDRESS TO
THE MEMPHIS ROTARY CLUB
THE PEABODY
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
NOVEMBER 8, 1994

THANK YOU.
IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE HAS BECOME A HOT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IN THE NATION’S PRESS, AND IT’S AN ISSUE THAT WE AT GUARDSMARK HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING FOR YEARS. BUT RECENT TRENDS INDICATE THAT IT SHOULD ALSO BE A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN TO ANYONE INVOLVED IN HELPING TO RUN A COMPANY IN AMERICA TODAY.
EACH YEAR, THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE IS THE SCENE OF ALMOST ONE MILLION VIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING SEVEN PERCENT OF ALL RAPES, EIGHT PERCENT OF ALL ROBBERIES, AND SIXTEEN PERCENT OF ALL ASSAULTS. IN THE DECADE FROM 1980 TO 1989, ALMOST 7,600 AMERICANS WERE MURDERED AT WORK. IN FACT, FOR WOMEN, HOMICIDE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF OCCUPATIONAL DEATH. AND FOR ALL WORKERS, HOMICIDE IS SECOND ONLY TO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AS A CAUSE OF DEATH ON THE JOB.
IN JANUARY OF 1993 IT HAPPENED IN FLORIDA AFTER A CLAIMS MANAGER WAS FIRED BY AN INSURANCE COMPANY. HE RETURNED TO THE OFFICE CAFETERIA IN SEARCH OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE, EXPLAINING, “THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR FIRING ME.” HE KILLED THREE SUPERVISORS AND WOUNDED TWO OTHERS.
THE FOLLOWING JULY IT HAPPENED IN SAN FRANCISCO WHEN A MAN DRESSED IN A BUSINESS SUIT AND SUSPENDERS ENTERED AN OFFICE BUILDING CARRYING THREE PISTOLS AND HUNDREDS OF ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION. HE WENT TO A LAW OFFICE WHERE HE HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN A DEPOSITION REGARDING A FAILED BUSINESS, AND BEGAN SHOOTING. HE KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE AND WOUNDED SIX OTHERS.
THIS PAST APRIL IT HAPPENED IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, WHEN A WORKER WHO HAD BEEN FIRED FROM A FIBER-OPTICS PLANT RETURNED TO KILL TWO PEOPLE AND WOUND TWO MORE BEFORE COMMITTING SUICIDE. THE PEOPLE HE SHOT INCLUDED HIS FORMER SUPERVISOR AND A WOMAN WHO HAD FILED A SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM.
IN AUGUST IT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK CITY WHEN A MAN SUFFERING FROM PARANOIA SHOT AND KILLED AN NBC STAGEHAND OUTSIDE THE STUDIO OF THE TODAY SHOW.
LAST MONTH IT HAPPENED IN PENNSYLVANIA WHEN A MAN WHO HAD BEEN FIRED YEARS AGO SHOT AND KILLED A COMPANY EXECUTIVE BEFORE COMMITTING SUICIDE.
AND IT HAPPENED TEN DAYS AGO IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHEN A MAN STOOD ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE AND FIRED AN ASSAULT RIFLE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, TRYING TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN SECURITY AND FREEDOM, MAY ONCE AGAIN REJECT PROTECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE PROPOSED. MANY COMPANIES WITH EXCELLENT SECURITY ADVISORS FACE THE SAME DILEMMA EVERY DAY. BUT AS THESE INCIDENTS SHOW, IT IS TIME TO ADOPT TIGHTER AND TOUGHER SECURITY MEASURES, BOTH IN THE WAY WE RUN OUR COMPANIES AND IN THE WAY WE RUN OUR LIVES.
THE SIMPLE TRUTH IS THAT THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE TODAY IS NOT SAFE. WE LONG AGO BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO THE IDEA THAT OUR STREETS WERE NO LONGER SAFE, AND WE BEGAN TO PLAN OUR TRIPS AND WATCH OUT FOR DANGER SIGNS. THEN WE LEARNED THAT OUR HOMES WERE NO LONGER SAFE, AND WE INSTALLED BETTER LIGHTING, ALARMS, BURGLAR BARS, PEEP HOLES, AND DEAD BOLT LOCKS.
AND NOW THE VIOLENCE THAT PERVADES OUR SOCIETY, THAT HAS TURNED OUR STREETS INTO BATTLEFIELDS AND OUR HOMES INTO PROTECTED ENCLAVES, HAS INVADED THE WORKPLACE.
CONVENIENCE STORE CLERKS HAVE LONG LIVED WITH THE FEAR THAT THE NEXT CUSTOMER WHO COMES THROUGH THE DOOR IS THE LAST CUSTOMER THEY WILL EVER SERVE. THAT SAME KIND OF FEAR IS NOW BEGINNING TO HAUNT OUR OFFICES AND FACTORIES. EMPLOYERS AND SUPERVISORS ARE INCREASINGLY AWARE THAT GIVING A BAD EVALUATION OR HANDING OUT A PINK SLIP MIGHT BE THE TRIGGER THAT STARTS AN EXPLOSIVE INCIDENT.
BUT SIMPLY PROTECTING OURSELVES IS NOT A SOLUTION. THE REAL ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE INSIDE THE GATES LIES OUTSIDE THE GATES, IN THE GENERAL SOCIETY. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IS MERELY ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF THE PERVASIVE CRIME THAT IS THREATENING TO RETURN US TO THE DAYS OF THE WILD WEST.
WHATEVER THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF ANY INDIVIDUAL INCIDENT, THERE CAN NO LONGER BE ANY DOUBT THAT THE EASE OF ACQUIRING GUNS IN OUR SOCIETY IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE. FROM 1980 TO 1989, GUNS WERE USED IN 75 PERCENT OF ALL OCCUPATIONAL HOMICIDES. ABOUT 100,000 INCIDENTS OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE EACH YEAR INVOLVE HANDGUNS. AND ACROSS THE NATION, MORE THAN 12,000 AMERICANS ARE MURDERED WITH HANDGUNS EVERY YEAR.
CLOSER TO HOME, ALMOST 27 PERCENT OF MEMPHIANS IN A RECENT SURVEY REPORTED OWNING A HANDGUN. AS OF LAST MONTH, MORE THAN 1,600 PEOPLE IN SHELBY COUNTY HAD A PERMIT TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN, AND 400 MORE HAD APPLIED. MORE THAN 1,100 OTHERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS AS COMMISSIONED SPECIAL DEPUTIES.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU AT THIS VERY MOMENT ARE SITTING NEXT TO SOMEONE WHO IS CARRYING A GUN—AND HOW SAFE THAT MAKES YOU FEEL.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY ILLEGAL GUNS THERE ARE IN THE CITY, AND NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE— GOOD AND BAD—CARRY CONCEALED WEAPONS WITHOUT A PERMIT.
IT IS SIMPLY TOO EASY TO KILL WHEN A GUN IS READY-TO-HAND IN A SHOULDER HOLSTER, IN A CLOSET OR UNDER THE BED … TOO EASY TO GET EVEN … TOO EASY TO RIGHT AN IMAGINARY WRONG.
NOTHING LASTING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE CONTROL OF VIOLENCE IN OUR SOCIETY UNTIL WE PUT AWAY THE CRIMINALS AND PUT AWAY THE GUNS.
THE CRIMINALS WHO GROW MORE THREATENING AND VIOLENT EVERY DAY THREATEN NOT ONLY OUR PRESENT, BUT ALSO OUR FUTURE. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOPE OF ATTRACTING NEW CORPORATIONS MUST SUFFER IF OUR CRIME RATES CONTINUE TO RISE.
IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, A RECENT STUDY CONCLUDED THAT “BY ANY MEASURE, CRIME SHOULD BE JUDGED A HIGH GROWTH INDUSTRY IN MEMPHIS.”
WHILE SOME CRIME RATES HAVE STABILIZED, OTHER CRIMES LIKE HOMICIDE INCREASED MORE THAN 35 PERCENT BETWEEN 1985 AND 1993. IN ONE YEAR, FROM 1992 TO 1993, HOMICIDES INCREASED 13 PERCENT WHILE AGGRAVATED ROBBERY RATES FOR JUVENILES INCREASED 65 PERCENT.
TO GET A REAL GAUGE OF CRIME IN MEMPHIS, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THE NUMBERS MOST OFTEN QUOTED COME FROM POLICE REPORTS. BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, MANY CRIMES ARE NEVER REPORTED. AND SURVEYS SHOW THAT—EXCEPT FOR HOMICIDES THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CRIMES COMMITTED MAY BE TWO-AND-ONE-HALF TIMES AS HIGH AS THE NUMBER REPORTED TO THE POLICE.
THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
WE CANNOT KNOW. BUT I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWER IS “MANY?’
WE CANNOT NOW PREVENT WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. BUT THE SOONER WE BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM IN MEMPHIS, THE BETTER OUR FUTURE WILL BE.
WE NEED A CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL, AND WE NEED IT NOW!
WHETHER YOU RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS, WORK FOR A SMALL FIRM, OR HELP MANAGE A LARGE CORPORATION, YOU ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT COOPERATION, COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING, AND TRUST ARE IN ACCOMPLISHING ANY PLAN. BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THOSE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TOURISM—FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT— FOR EDUCATION—FOR ROADS AND STREET SIGNS AND SEWERS. WE INVEST IN ATTRACTING MAJOR SPORTS FRANCHISES AND IN WONDERFUL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS. WE PLAN FOR HOW WE’LL COPE WITH TRAFFIC, AIRPORT CONGESTION, AND ZOO EXPANSION.
BUT NOT FOR CRIME.
WHAT IS OUR SITUATION NOW COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES? HOW WELL DOES OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WORK? HOW EFFICIENT ARE OUR POLICE? HOW EFFECTIVE ARE WE IN DIVERTING JUVENILES FROM CRIME? HOW HIGH ARE OUR STANDARDS OF QUALITY?
NO ONE IN MEMPHIS REALLY KNOWS, BECAUSE UP UNTIL NOW NO ONE IN AUTHORITY HAS DECIDED THAT WE NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS.
WHAT WILL OUR SITUATION BE IN THE YEAR 2000? HOW MANY POLICE WILL WE NEED? HOW SHOULD WE PREPARE OUR JUVENILE COURTS FOR THE FUTURE? WHAT FACILITIES WILL WE NEED TO BUILD?
NO ONE IN MEMPHIS KNOWS, BECAUSE UP UNTIL NOW NO ONE HAS DONE THE PLANNING. WE SIMPLY DRIFT FROM DAY TO DAY AND CRISIS TO CRISIS.
WE NEED A CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL TO TAKE ON THIS PLANNING FUNCTION, STUDY THE PROBLEMS WE FACE, PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, SET GOALS, AND SPEARHEAD THE EFFORT TO CONSTRUCT A SERIOUS AND BUSINESS-LIKE APPROACH TO CRIME.
LET ME BE CLEAR ON ONE POINT. THE PROPOSAL FOR A CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL IS NOT RELATED IN ANY WAY TO A CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD. THE REVIEW BOARD IS AN EXAMPLE OF MICRO-MANAGEMENT OF ONE PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE FOCUS OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL WOULD BE THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE BROAD-BASED AND HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL SECTORS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE POLICE, THE COURTS, CORRECTIONS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, AND PRIVATE CITIZENS.
ITS MISSION WOULD BE TO ENSURE THROUGH A BOTTOM-LINE FOCUS THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS A MODEL AMONG CITIES, WORTHY OF EMULATION; THAT WE BECOME KNOWN AS A SAFE CITY, FOR OURSELVES, OUR VISITORS AND OUR TOURISTS; AND THAT WE HAVE THE LOWEST CRIME RATES OF ALL CITIES OF A SIMILAR SIZE.
WORKING TOGETHER IN A COMMON CAUSE, MEMBERS OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL WOULD POOL THEIR IDEAS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND OUT OF STASIS BRING US SYNERGY—OUT OF THE CURRENT STRATEGIC CONFUSION, A STRATEGIC PLAN—TO BENCHMARK AGAINST OTHER COMMUNITIES, GIVE US A VISION, POINT OUT THE PATH, AND PROVIDE THE NEEDED DIRECTION.
THE COUNCIL WOULD BE MORE THAN OUR PLANNING AGENCY. HEADED BY A SPECIAL COORDINATOR, IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THE COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, AND CENTRALIZED CONTROL THAT IS CURRENTLY MISSING.
THE MAJOR DEFECT OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW—BESIDES THE LACK OF PLANNING—IS ITS PIECEMEAL APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF CRIME. EACH AGENCY HAS ITS OWN OBJECTIVES, OPERATIONS AND GOALS.
IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL IN ANY GOVERNMENT FOR EACH AGENCY TO PURSUE ITS OWN AGENDA, FOCUS ON ITS OWN AREA OF OPERATIONS, AND CONSIDER EVERY PROBLEM FROM ITS OWN PERSPECTIVE. BUT DIFFICULTIES ARISE WHEN AN AGENCY THAT IS PURSUING ITS OWN INTERESTS CREATES PROBLEMS FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
THE RESULT WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY, AND AN END TO THE CURRENTLY FRAGMENTED EFFORT THAT COSTS SO MUCH IN TIME, EFFORT, AND MONEY. IF THE CITY AND COUNTY ARE EVER TO CONSOLIDATE, HERE IS THE PLACE TO BEGIN—WHERE OUR LIVES, OUR PROPERTY, AND OUR FUTURE ARE SO CLEARLY AT STAKE.
EVERY GREAT ATTEMPT THAT HAS EVER SUCCEEDED IN FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE HAS REQUIRED A NERVE CENTER, A HEADQUARTERS FOR COORDINATING THE EFFORTS AND CHANNELING THE ENERGIES OF THE KEY PLAYERS. THAT’S WHY WE NEED A NERVE CENTER—IN THE FORM OF A COORDINATING COUNCIL—TO CONTROL CRIME HERE IN THE CITY OF MEMPHIS.
EXPERIENCE TELLS US THAT CRIME CAN BE CONTROLLED WHEN PEOPLE DEMAND IT. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN THAT THE STRONGER OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OUR COMPANIES, THE SAFER WE ARE.
IT’S LONG PAST TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CRIME SITUATION IN MEMPHIS. IT’S UP TO EACH ONE OF US—TO ALL WHO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE AT SCHOOL, THEIR FAMILIES TO BE SAFE AT HOME, THEIR PARENTS TO BE SAFE IN THEIR RETIREMENT, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO BE SAFE IN THE WORKPLACE—TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO SECURE OUR SOCIETY. WE MUST DO IT, BECAUSE THIS CITY IS OUR HOME—AND THE PRESENT SITUATION MUST NOT BECOME THE FUTURE WE LEAVE TO OUR CHILDREN,
THE EMPHASIS IS ON “WE.” TOO MANY PEOPLE THINK OF CRIME PREVENTION AS SOMEONE ELSE’S JOB, LIKE TAKING OUT THE GARBAGE. WE ALL WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT. BUT THERE IS NO ONE ELSE TO DO IT.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS DEMAND THAT ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM COME TOGETHER TO BEGIN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF CRIME IN MEMPHIS.