Mayor Eric Adams.
Credit score: Ed Reed/Mayoral Pictures Workplace.
Earlier in June, the Decrease East Facet and New York Metropolis was shocked by an egregious outburst of violence when an individual with extreme psychological sickness stabbed three-people on 14th Road. Whereas general crime is down in our metropolis and situations like this are an outlier, one violent act is one too many. This incident put a highlight on unacceptable circumstances that had been brewing locally since COVID-19 and the necessity to ship a complete technique to enhance public security. Our administration took instant motion — as we at all times will — when public security is threatened.
Making New York Metropolis safer, extra reasonably priced, and extra livable for working-class New Yorkers has at all times been the mission of our administration. And a key facet of livability is addressing points of decay in public security and high quality of life. Our administration refuses to tolerate an environment the place something goes, and points like unlawful merchandising, retail theft, substance use, the psychological well being disaster, scaffolding, and unlicensed hashish retailers haven’t any place on our streets.
That’s the reason our administration has shaped the “14th Road Group Enchancment Coalition” on East 14th Road between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. And it’s why we’re actively engaged on comparable neighborhood enchancment coalitions throughout town, from Midtown West to one hundred and twenty fifth Road, on one hundred and tenth Road, and round Washington Sq. Park — all areas by which we now have seen unacceptable quality-of-life points take maintain.
These efforts are a part of our “Community Link” initiative to work with a number of companies, in addition to neighborhood companions, to make our metropolis safer and extra livable for all. Over the final 18 months, Group Hyperlink has responded to over 800 complaints and carried out over 600 operations to handle quality-of-life issues raised by the communities they serve. Our companions embrace the NYPD, Homeless Companies, Sanitation, and the Division of Well being and Psychological Hygiene, in addition to our native elected officers and neighborhood teams, as a result of we all know how vital it’s to work collectively to attain enhancements that profit neighborhoods each within the quick time period and future.
On East 14th Road, our efforts will likely be anchored by a $1 million funding in a brand new NYPD Cellular Command Middle, which is able to assist regulation enforcement keep a visual presence within the hall and have the ability to simply and instantly meet the neighborhood’s wants. The NYPD Command Middle, which was secured by way of the funds we handed in June, is provided with state-of the-art expertise and sources in order that we will reply promptly and successfully to all types of incidents — whether or not they be quality-of-life points or main crimes. That is one thing the neighborhood has been asking for, and our administration was proud to promptly ship the sources wanted to take care of public security. The Command Middle will initially be stationed within the neighborhood of 14th Road between 1st Avenue and Avenue A however may have the choice to be cellular as wanted for optimum effectivity and effectiveness.
Moreover, over the previous a number of weeks, multi-agency groups have carried out sustained walkthroughs of the neighborhood, cleansing up our streets and providing direct providers to folks in want. We’ve put in new lighting to enhance visibility and labored intently with native companies. Utilizing artistic options, we even created a WhatsApp channel in order that enterprise leaders have an open line of communication to the native police precinct to specific issues and reply to points in real-time.
Creating and sustaining protected communities includes many members, together with officers of the 9th and 13th Precincts, who’ve labored diligently to cut back crime within the space. However we should proceed to work collectively to maintain our communities protected and livable, and the 14th Road Group Enchancment Coalition will try this by combining the burden of our metropolis providers with the pressure of neighborhood members. Our administration will at all times stay vigilant in delivering public security, right here and throughout New York Metropolis.
