In a speech this morning at the Association for a Better New York, Republican mayoral nominee Joe Lhota outlined a bold plan to prevent what he perceives as a (very) recent rise in crime.

"Over the last few weeks," he explains, "we have seen some shocking headlines." (Joe more than anyone!) "Headlines that recall a New York of the past. Shootings are up double digits. Rape is up 17 percent over the last month." (Were crime statistics up month-over-month when cops were raping women in their apartments and on the street?)

And what about that biker rampage?

"Just last week, an entire nation was stunned as a man who just trying to celebrate his wedding anniversary was brutally beaten by a biker gang in front of his family—right here on the West Side Highway.

"Bill de Blasio suggested that, as Mayor he would have dispatched the NYPD to sit down and have coffee with the biker gangs. How naïve and reckless can you be?"

How naïve can de Blasio be? Given that at least one NYPD officer reportedly helped beat the man while as many as five other NYPD cops stood by without helping, surely they're already having coffee together?

[Image via AP]