Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

West Virginia Wesleyan’s Office of Extended Learning Director David D. Taylor, JD, recently spoke at Yale University to a select group of staff about law enforcement operations and community policing issues. Taylor’s lecture was about contemporary social issues, specifically the impact of the crime of robbery and its associated collision with today’s society and the law enforcement profession given the current economic climate this country is facing.

Some of the robbery-related collateral topics Taylor presented directly concerned the twelve most common police investigative shortfalls and how these could be easily corrected so that the crime of robbery could be investigated and prosecuted properly. “Today, when law enforcement investigates violent crimes such as robbery, it is imperative for the police to conduct these investigations properly and legally,” Taylor stated. “The public demands these cases be worked and that the offender be captured and prosecuted quickly – there are no margins for errors today.”

“Crime is a national problem and, since the majority of crimes occur on the local level, it is the responsibility of local government to properly address it,” said Taylor. According to Taylor, what is extraordinarily frustrating today for law enforcement agencies nationwide, is the ever increasing drop in tax revenue. For example, Prince William County, Virginia, recently had to cut its $73M operating budget by approximately 30 percent, or about $21.9M.  Taylor said, “what that means in the real world of law enforcement is that patrol cars get parked and officers are sent home on unemployment. Regrettably, this leads to a very serious question; can the government legitimately protect us from the criminal element – do they have adequate resources?”

“More than ever before, folks have to become more and more vigilant about their daily (and nightly) activities and doing whatever they have to to effectively minimize their exposure to possibly becoming a victim of crime,” Taylor added.

“Today, robbery is a multi-faceted and dynamic crime that is unfortunately gloried by history and portrayals through the major entertainment industry,” said Taylor. Over the course of the three days Taylor spent on the Yale campus, he discussed in detail the various types of robbery which dramatically impact society such as:  Visible Street, Carjacking, Home-Invasion, ATM, Taxi Cab, Convenience Store, Computer Chip, Truck High-jacking and Bank Robbery. “Losses associated with Truck High-jacking, according to some estimates, exceed $1M per day in this country” said Taylor. “The associated losses then are spread across consumers with a price increase in the cost of goods. Additionally, it can also have deadly consequences, especially when the high-jacked goods are pharmaceuticals and the soon-to-be tainted (i.e., unrefrigerated medical products) are sold on the black market and eventually consumed.

“What an exceptional crowd of participants and what an awe-inspiring experience – which also included a peek at the Yale Law School,” noted Taylor.  “The hospitality extended by Yale University throughout this event to me was first class, one that I will never forget.  Of my 13 plus years of being on the national lecture circuit, this is by far the most prestigious invitation I have ever been extended.”