Israel Police: Less violent crime here, but New Yorkers appreciate their cops more

Israel's police are much less appreciated than their New York City counterparts, even though Israel's violent crime rate is one-sixth of the Big Apple's, according to a recent report in the Israel Police magazine Mar'ot Hamishtara.

The article states that while 87 percent of interviewees in New York City said law enforcement was doing "a good job," the figure was only 30 percent in one Israeli survey. In another survey, the satisfaction rate with the police was only 14 percent.

Israel has half the number of rapes per capita than the United States, and one-third the number of thefts, according to the report's writer, Superintendent Anat Yakir-Bloom, of the intelligence wing of the investigations and operations department.

The countries have the same number of break-ins per capita, while vehicle theft is more common in Israel.

Comparing crime rates and the public's feelings for the police is one way to measure personal security and quality of life.

In every category of violent crime selected for comparison between Israel and New York City, including murder, rape, robbery and assault, New York had six times more crimes per capita than Israel.

In addition to the 87-percent satisfaction rate with the work of New York's finest, the survey, conducted last December, also noted that between 80 and 94 percent said they received good service from the police.

In Israel, however, a survey by the Center for the Study of Crime, Law and Society at the University of Haifa in February showed that only 14 percent of respondents had faith in the police, while a similar survey by the Public Security Ministry showed a confidence rate of 30 percent.