Crime is the lowest it's been in three decades.
Unlike his predecessor, William J. Bratton, who sought the media spotlight, Safir's loyalty to the mayor was complete. In the shooting incidents, neither victim was armed. Giuliani declined to discuss a successor, concentrating instead on praising Safir for his 25 years in law enforcement. During Safir's four years at police headquarters, homicides declined from 2,245 in 1990 to 671 last year. The U.S. Civil Rights Commission earlier this year in a critical report said it appeared some anti-crime units engaged in racial profiling.