New NYPD pilot program to tackle crimes 'that don’t always make headlines'
NYPD launches new Quality of Life Division
NYC Mayor Eric Adams, as well as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, announced on Thursday morning the NYPD's new Quality of Life Division pilot program. FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt has the story.
NEW YORK CITY - NYC Mayor Eric Adams, as well as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, announced on Thursday morning the NYPD's new Quality of Life Division pilot program, designed to address crimes "that don’t always make headlines but deeply impact how people live."
According to officials, the division will be focused on tackling persistent quality-of-life and non-emergency 311 concerns, like homelessness, panhandling, drug use, illegal parking and more.
"Issues like illegal vending, substance use, abandoned vehicles, illegal mopeds, reckless driving, and more have persisted for far too long," Adams said. "We will not rest until we have addressed the issues that affect the lives of everyday New Yorkers."
The division will unite "specially-trained officers from various existing community-oriented roles, including neighborhood coordination officers, youth coordination officers and traffic safety officers."
What's next:
Officials say the division will roll out in phases, beginning with a pilot program in the 13th, 40th, 60th, 75th, and 101st precincts, along with Police Service Area 1. Neighborhoods affected by the pilot program include parts of Midtown Manhattan, the south Bronx, Coney Island. East New York and the Rockaways.
Over the next two months, the initiative will be evaluated and refined before expanding to other commands.
What they're saying:
"Thanks to the incredible work of the women and men in blue, we’ve seen historic declines in major crimes across the city," Tisch said. "Now, we’re turning our attention toward the issues that New Yorkers see and feel every day — the things that don’t always make headlines but deeply impact how people live. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe."
Big picture view:
Though the NYPD has reported that major crimes - like murder and rape - are down, public perception over crime has caused concern for officials.
This is, in part, thanks to high-profile incidents that make national headlines, like Sunday's stabbing spree that left four young girls brutally injured, and this week's bottle attack spree in Soho.