Amid an uptick in gun violence and widespread rumors of a work slowdown among New York City Police Department officers, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams is requesting information from NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea about the number of police enforcement actions dating back across three years and across all precincts.
In a letter to the Commissioner, the Public Advocate says of a potential slowdown that "This rumor continues to grow stronger as the death toll continues to rise. It is my sincere hope that you can demonstrate with certainty that no such slowdown exists within any individual precincts, and within the NYPD as a whole." He goes on to say that "New Yorkers need to know that during an emergency their law enforcement officers will show up and act in the best interests of the communities they serve."
The full letter is available below and can be downloaded here.
Dear Commissioner Shea: New York City continues to suffer from a horrific rise in shootings across every borough, with the vast majority of victims being black and brown New Yorkers. As shootings and violence have continued for months unabated, rumors have circulated that the New York Police Department (NYPD) is taking part in a deliberate slowdown. This rumor continues to grow stronger as the death toll continues to rise. It is my sincere hope that you can demonstrate with certainty that no such slowdown exists within any individual precincts, and within the NYPD as a whole. Just as community trust in our police can degrade from over-enforcement, it can also degrade from underenforcement. New Yorkers need to know that during an emergency their law enforcement officers will show up and act in the best interests of the communities they serve. Please provide comparative data quantifying all arrests and charges, including non-violent offenses, taking place from March through August, for the past three years. Please disaggregate this data by individual precincts.
I hope you will understand the urgency of this request, and I look forward to receiving your response on this matter. Please contact First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov with any questions. Thank you. Sincerely, Jumaane D. Williams Public Advocate for the City of New York