The enforcement started with the police and sheriff's departments shutting down an open-air illegal cannabis operation set up on Sherman Avenue.
The crackdown comes as the city is expanding its "Every Block Counts" program. The goal is to not only increase police presence, but also to address quality-of-life complaints. The neighborhoods are identified by crime data, followed by a site inspection.
"The lights are broken, the cross walks are in disarray, there's graffiti all over that that block, abandoned vehicles, quality-of-life calls. We take all of that data and then we put into our list, and then we sit down with the block CEO of that block," said Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry.
Latroy Neazer is the block CEO in Inwood, a community volunteer who will act as a liaison with various city agencies.
"For sure I know, with my ambition and what I want to see from my community because I live in the community, I want to see the community do better, so I'm going to make the initiative to get out and make it work," Neazer said.
The initiative started as a pilot program last year, focusing on 10 blocks in the Bronx and Brooklyn. The city says major crime in those locations is down 22%, with a 33% drop in shootings, and the mayor says he's well aware of some residents' concern that the problems will just shift to nearby locations.
"When you have someone whose dealing with... either severe mental health illness or homelessness, they will go to another location where I can meet them there, offer them the services, and that's how you build trust," Adams said.
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