Fear factor 2: D.C. Residents fear thugs more than cops

Take the D.C. public school system. Chancellor Michelle Rhee has begun to take control over the schools with the subtle use of fear. For the first time in decades, bureaucrats who could not define their jobs and teachers who came to school tipsy faced early dismissal. Very early — as in, you’re fired.

Rhee objected to my use of the word fear. She calls it “accountability.” I prefer to take that bureaucratic term to its logical conclusion: Rhee sets standards, if people don’t measure up, they face consequences. She fires a few people, word gets out that she means business, negligent employees suddenly fear for their jobs — education starts to improve.

In part, because people fear Rhee will fire them.

Mayor Adrian Fenty talks accountability, too. Social workers have to visit people in their care. If they fail, Fenty fires them. Their boss, Sharlynn Bobo, took the fall. People fear Fenty. The government begins to work better. Fear greases the wheels.

But on the city’s most violent streets, where residents literally fear for their lives when they step from their doors, fear is a management tool used by criminals, rather than by the police.

Why are jurors reluctant to convict hardened criminals? Why do witnesses to crimes refuse to “snitch?” Why do some neighborhoods seem to accept crime?

Because street justice is administered by thugs, not by police officers. Let’s say you see your neighbor, a known drug dealer, plug another neighbor. And let’s say you walk up to a detective and finger your neighbor. Or you drop the dime by way of an anonymous tip line. Word most likely will get back to your neighbor. The shooter or an associate will take you out. You cannot expect the police to protect you.

Street cops tell me the subtle balance of power in D.C. between cops and thugs shifted to the bad guys when former Police Chief Charles Ramsey invited in the feds to set up a disciplinary system that effectively punishes cops for using force.

On the streets, citizens fear the thugs; in the police department, street cops fear they will come under investigation if they step out of their scout cars and confront a suspect.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier challenged me to back up my assertions with facts. According to the police union, D.C. police received 674 complaints from citizens last year, found against the cops 80 percent of the time, and meted out discipline in 538 cases.

More facts: According to internal MPD reports, sexual assaults are up 11 percent this year compared with last, burglaries are up 8 percent, theft from vehicle is up 10 percent for a whopping 4,774 rip-offs from cars. Homicide (101) and robbery (2,306) are up a bit.

Neither the chief nor I can quantify fear, but cops tell me that if fear was back on their side, and her department backed them up, crime would go down.

Worth a try.