Mayor Eric Adams’ Community Op-ed: Keeping New York City Safe for Everyone

Making New York City a safer and more affordable city has always been the mission of our administration. Every day, we fight to ensure that New Yorkers can pursue their dreams without fear for their safety and with a better quality of life. I am proud to say that New York remains the safest big city in America, and we are continuing to get safer each day.

As a result of our administration’s successful public safety strategy, our streets and our subways are safer. New York City has seen eight straight months of overall crime reduction across the five boroughs, realizing a significant 6.4 percent decrease in crime citywide for the month of August compared to the same time last year. Overall crime continues to trend downward and is down year to date as well. Additionally, last month, we had the fewest shootings of any August since the NYPD started tracking crime through CompStat in 1994.Homicides are down double digits for the year and for last month. Car theft is also down double digits. And burglaries are down, too.

 

Our public transit system is the lifeblood of our city, so keeping New Yorkers safe on the subway is key to ensuring that New York remains the safest big city in America. That is why we surged more than 1,000 additional officers in the subway system in February and introduced additional technology, including cameras and data driven officer deployment. As a result, overall transit crime has been down for seven cumulative months, and robberies are at the lowest point in recorded history. These numbers don’t lie, our safety strategy is on track and working.

Also Read:  Bronx: Baby2Baby partners local hospitals to deliver essential Maternal Health kits

We know that community input is critical to improving public safety and that every community has its own unique needs. That is why we are bringing partners from across the city together to find innovative approaches to reducing crime and improving quality of life. Issues like illegal vending, retail theft, substance use, the mental health crisis, scaffolding, and unlicensed cannabis shops have no place on our streets. And our administration refuses to tolerate an atmosphere where anything goes.

That is why we launched our “Community Link” initiative, which works with multiple agencies, as well as community partners, to make our city safer and more livable for all. We have Community Links established across the city, including on 14th Street on the Lower East Side, 125th Street in Harlem, Central Park near 110th Street, and around Washington Square Park — all areas in which we have seen unacceptable quality-of-life issues take hold. This approach works hand-in-hand with the community to bring tailored city services right to their doorsteps.

 

Just last week, I was happy to convene members of the NYPD, the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and others to launch “Operation Front Door,” a targeted operation focusing on quality-of-life issues in and around Times Square, the front door to the world. In one night, we seized 36 illegally operating pedicabs, issued 45 summonses, and shut down six food trucks for various health and safety violations.

 

Times Square is the welcome mat to our city, a place where the hospitality, entertainment, tourism and business industries meet. Millions of tourists continue to visit Times Square and are often targeted by illegal vendors and pedicabs. The unsafe and unregulated practices of illegal vendors and pedicabs not only put tourists’ safety at risk but undermine legitimate business trying to make a living. With Operation Front Door, we are taking decisive action to keep Times Square safe for New Yorkers, tourists, and businesses.

We came into office with the clear goal of making our city safer, more affordable, and more livable for all New Yorkers. We are making improvements that New Yorkers feel every day. And ensuring that New York remains the safest big city in America.

Related Posts

Community Op-Ed: The Adams Administration’s Report Card: A City Government That Works for All New Yorkers

I am proud to be a New Yorker, and as your mayor, I am even prouder to announce that our city is getting cleaner, safer, and more affordable every day.…

Continue reading
Community Op-Ed: Bridging the Digital Divide: Providing 350,000 Students with FREE Chromebooks

In today’s digital world, access to reliable technology and high-speed internet is a necessity. Unfortunately, far too many New York City students don’t have this access, which, in turn, creates…

Continue reading

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You Missed

Community Op-Ed: Seasons change, but our priorities remain the same: Building record amounts of housing to make New York City more affordable

Community Op-Ed: Seasons change, but our priorities remain the same: Building record amounts of housing to make New York City more affordable

Bronx Residents Blast Councilmembers Over Bainbridge and Just Home Votes, Accuse Betrayal as Councilwoman Defends Position

Bronx Residents Blast Councilmembers Over Bainbridge and Just Home Votes, Accuse Betrayal as Councilwoman Defends Position

Community Op-Ed: The Adams Administration’s Report Card: A City Government That Works for All New Yorkers

Community Op-Ed: The Adams Administration’s Report Card: A City Government That Works for All New Yorkers

Gates Foundation Pledges $912 Million to Global Fund

Gates Foundation Pledges $912 Million to Global Fund

Mayor Adams Announces Automatic Rebates for Homeowners Buying NYC Bins

Mayor Adams Announces Automatic Rebates for Homeowners Buying NYC Bins

Mayor Adams Expands Trash Containerization to Brooklyn Community District 2

Mayor Adams Expands Trash Containerization to Brooklyn Community District 2