The decline suggests that officers are unsure whether the political support remains for street stops, long a focal point of Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly's crime-fighting strategy.
But surely that's the point of policing?
Agents from the I.S.I. were present at crucial points of the police investigation, including during the gathering of evidence at the crime scene and the forensic examination of Ms. Bhutto's vehicle, "playing a role that the police were reluctant to reveal to the commission," the report said, referring to the United Nations panel.
At that point, scores of police rushed into the area and formed a line three officers deep.
For Badr, which has made a point of installing police commanders in several key provinces, such government involvement would mean the Supreme Council would lose sole control over police and related security force jobs.
"The point of our police reforms is not to save money, not to change things for the sake of it, but to fight crime," he said.
As the majestic, swooping, airborne arm of John Law moved forebodingly from one chained activist to the next, the protesters below started chanting things like, "Let them sleep, safe and sound/ get those pigs back on the ground!" Numerous "pigs might fly" zingers were lulzed out by the hostile audience, and protesters would make a point of noting police ID numbers aloud.
The police, of course, claim they are the victims, pointing to killings of police.
The mayor's opponents also point to accusations of police corruption.
She also pointed to shootings of police officers in Dallas, Baton Rouge and Philadelphia, and said those families deserved prayers too.
