NYC Shootings 2020: NYPD takes community approach to try to stem rise in violence
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea on Friday unveiled an "End Gun Violence Plan" as the city tries to curb the sharp increase in shootings.
Mayor de Blasio and locals gathered in a park Friday night, the same one where a 1-year-old was shot dead last weekend.
The incident was the final straw in a series of deadly shootings that have dominated the city over the past several weeks.
"The violence has to stop," Mayor de Blasio said. "It is not acceptable and we're going to beat it back."
The plan utilizes the NYPD and community organizing to ensure New Yorkers' safety in all five boroughs.
The NYPD will shift patrol and detective resources to areas with high gun violence, organize gun buy-back events, increase coordination with Cure Violence, and reorganize the Community Affairs Bureau to provide more proactive engagement in communities that have seen increased violence.
They will provide resources such as mobile trauma units and clergy on the streets in hopes of keeping crime down.
Reverend Gerald Seabrook of the United Clergy Coalition says they welcome the additional police force to stop the crime.
"We have no intention of giving back any blocks to gang members that we have earned over the years with our sweat and blood," NYC Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
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The city is moving all available resources to the Bronx and Brooklyn where the commissioner said most of the increase in shootings have been located.
There will be additional foot patrols.
"It's all to focus on that small number of people that frankly just don't get it," he said.
The commissioner added that he is confident that the NYPD can turn the tide. He noted that there have been 13 recent arrests in shootings.
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Shea said that with community help and staying the course with community policing he sees the trend stopping.
Part of that community policing initiative is the Taj Gibson Foundation, designed to keep youngsters of the streets.
Gregory Watson of the Taj Gibson Foundation says they are focusing on renovating basketball courts in NYCHA developments, adding mentorship programs and job opportunities.
Mayor Bill de Blasio called again for the criminal justice system to be up and running, "we want the court system back as quickly and as fully as possible so we can address gun violence."
The End Gun Violence Plan released by the city is below.
Shift patrol resources to areas with high shootings:
The NYPD will increase foot patrols to proactively deter crime and enhance deployments in high violence areas to increase deterrence and closer engagement with the community.
Enhance shooting investigations:
The NYPD will shift detective and investigative resources toward areas that have experienced increases in shooting incidents.
Reorganize the Community Affairs Bureau:
Under newly appointed Chief of Community Affairs Maddrey, Community Affairs Officers will be deployed proactively to areas that have seen increased violence, focusing on areas with the highest need.
Organize gun buy-back events:
The NYPD will be organizing additional gun buy back events in communities with recent upticks in gun violence.
Work with Community Partners:
The NYPD will increase coordination with Cure Violence to better focus resources and hold multi-agency commander council meetings in communities with recent upticks in violent crime.
Omnipresence:
Officers from the Critical Response Group and Strategic Response Group will be deployed across the city. Many of the locations where they are typically assigned remain closed and do not necessitate the same level of resources.
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