NYPD's new Neighborhood Safety Teams begin patrols in NYC's most crime-ridden areas
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The NYPD begins a new anti-gun violence initiative on Monday.
The department is deploying teams of officers to areas where gun crimes are on the rise.
The Neighborhood Safety Teams will target the highest crime neighborhoods where 80% of the city's gun crime occurs.
The Neighborhood Safety Teams are tasked with taking guns off the street and are a key part of Mayor Eric Adam's crime-fighting plan.
The first wave is made up of 168 officers with around 300 more to be added after they've completed a week-long training.
"We actually had to take a look at the mistakes of the past and what we needed to change," said Keechant Sewell, NYPD Commissioner. "The officers are being trained in the constitution, in community interaction, car stops, use of force."
"They are extensively trained in minimal force techniques. They receive advanced tactics, car stop, de-escalation is central to all of it," said Kenneth Corey, NYPD Chief of Department. "Communication skills is a big part of it, courtroom testimony training, and as the commissioner indicated, constitutional policing."
The safety teams will be different from the previous anti-gun units because they will be wearing special jackets that clearly identify them.
There was an incident just last week in one of the targeted precincts, the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica.
It's one of the precincts that will be targeted.
In that case, officers jumped out of an unmarked car with clear NYPD lettering on it, the officer was struck and another officer ended up firing their weapon at the suspect.
Still, there is a promise that the Neighborhood Safety Teams will be much different from those of the past.
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