Former-mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, said Thursday, December 3, in Brazil, that the city of Rio de Janeiro can become one of the safest in the world. The man responsible for the "zero tolerance" policy, which dramatically cut criminality in New York, gave a pep talk to Rio's municipal policemen telling them that the World Cup and the Olympics are important events to help the effort to bring urban improvement to the area.
Alongside Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, Giuliani praised the public security policies just started to rescue communities that are being controlled by drug traffickers and underscored that's necessary to bring schools, social services and activities for the children to these places.
Mayor of New York between 1994 and 2002, Giuliani used the theory of the "broken window." According to this concept, if a broken window is not repaired, the chances are that the other windows will be wrecked. Based in this idea, all offenses, regardless of their seriousness, started to be stamped down in New York, leading to a dramatic reduction in the criminality rates.
"You need to concentrate in large and small problems. I believe in the theory of the broken window, of zero tolerance. You have to pay attention to big and small things. And you also have to make the community safer, cleaner, healthier, plus educating the children," said Giuliani, after visiting a municipal school in the Complexo to Alemão favela (shantytown).
The former-mayor declined to comment on his political future and seemed optimistic with the way public policies are being conducted in Rio. "I think they are making progress," he said. This is work that takes a long time, he went on recalling that it took him six, seven years before he was able to really change New York city. "It wasn't done in a day, a year or two years."
Commenting on Rio being chosen to host the 2016 Olympics, Giuliani admitted that he was disappointed when he found out that the US had been defeated, but at the same time happy that Brazil would have its chance to present the games. He believes that endeavor will bring lots of energy to the city as well as plenty of resources.
During his visit to Rio, Giuliani also met Rio de Janeiro state's governor Sérgio Cabral, with whom he discussed security matters to be implemented in preparation for the World Cup and the Olympics.
After the encounter, Cabral announced that he intends to hire Giuliani as an adviser to reinforce security on both events.
ABr
