THE Attorney General has just told me that 80 of America's largest cities have actually reduced the number of serious crimes during the first quarter of 1972. Chicago was among those leaders, and I want to extend to you and to all members of your department my heartiest congratulations for this great achievement.
The first quarter statistics also show that the overall increase in crime across the nation was down to 1%--by far the lowest rate in more than a decade. At long last we are pushing back the criminal forces, and now that we are on the one-yard line, I am determined that 1972 be the year we score a victory against the crime rate in America.
With the unstinting efforts of law enforcement officials at all levels of government, this can be the year in which crime stops going up and starts going down. On behalf of all Federal authorities, let me assure you that we feel privileged to work with you in this cause and stand ready to assist you to the greatest extent possible.
Once again, congratulations and continued best wishes.
RICHARD NIXON
[James B. Conlisk, Jr., Superintendent, Chicago Police Department, Chicago, Ill. 60605]
Note: The text of the telegram was made available to the press at San Clemente, Calif.
Similar telegrams were addressed to the chiefs of police in the following 79 cities:
Akron, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio
Albany, N.Y. Columbus, Ohio
Allentown, Pa Corpus Christi, Tex.
Amarillo, Tex. Dallas, Tex.
Atlanta, Ga. Dearborn, Mich.
Baltimore, Md. Des Moines, Iowa
Birmingham, Ala. Detroit, Mich.
Boston, Mass. Elizabeth, N.J.
Bridgeport, Conn Evansville, Ind.
Clambridge, Mass. Flint, Mich.
Charlotte, N.C. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Ft. wayne, Ind Oakland, Calif.
Ft. Worth, Tex. Oklahoma City,
Hartford, Conn. Okla.
Hialeah, Fla. Parma, Ohio
Hollywood, Fla. Peoria Ill.
Honolulu, Hawaii Pittsburgh, Pa.
Huntington Beach, Portsmouth, Va.
Calif Providence, R.I.
Huntsville, Ala Raleigh, N.C.
Indianapolis, Ind. Richmond, Va.
Jacksonville, Fla. Rochester, N.Y.
Kansas City, Mo. Sacramento, Calif.
Knoxville, Tenn. St. Louis, Mo.
Lexington, Ky. Salt Lake City,
Little Rock, Ark. Utah
Los Angeles, Calif. San Francisco, Calif.
Louisville, Ky. Savannah, Ga.
Lubbock, Tex. Scranton, Pa.
Macon, Ga. Seattle, Wash.
Miami, Fla. Springfield, Mo.
Milwaukee, Wis. Stamford, Conn.
Mobile, Ala. Syracuse, N.Y.
Montgomery, Ala. Tacoma, Wash.
Nashville, Tenn. Topeka, Kans.
Newark, N.J. Torrance, Calif.
New Haven, Conn. Warren, Mich.
New Orleans, La. Washington, D.C.
Newport News, Va. Worcester, Mass.
New York, N.Y. Yonkers, N.Y.
Norfolk, Va. Youngstown, Ohio
Richard Nixon, Telegram About the Reduction of Serious Crime. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/254638