New York City Police Commissioner blames a $1 billion cut to the NYPD’s budget for recent surge in crime that has seen a 166% spike in shootings from last year
- NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea said the $1b policing budget cuts has had a ‘significant impact’ on the crime surge over the summer
- The cuts, which were voted on by the NYC Council in July, resulted in policing funds being reallocated to education and social services over the next year
- Shea said the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the court system and legislative factors had also played a role in surging crime rates
- New York City saw a 166% spike in shootings in August compared to the same time last year, according to NYPD crime statistics
- Police also said murders went up 34% on-year in the first eight months of 2020
NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea says the $1 billion cut to the policing budget is partly to blame for the recent surge in crime that has seen a 140 percent spike in shootings compared to last year
NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea says the $1 billion cut to the policing budget is partly to blame for the recent surge in crime that has seen a 140 percent spike in shootings compared to last year.
Shea said the budget cuts, which were voted on by the New York City Council back in July, has had a ‘significant impact’ on the crime surge over the summer.
‘You think back, crime follows certain patterns and trends. Certainly, we see upticks if violence in the summer… To have this crazy time happen this year, certainly, and leading to a defunding, it’s really hurt,’ Shea told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Friday.
‘This defunding movement at a time when we know crime generally takes an upward trajectory in the summer has been a double-whammy.
‘Sixty percent cut in overtime is going to damage any industry. It’s certainly hitting us.
‘It’s hurt, unfortunately, the people in high-crime areas that, unfortunately, more often than not, tend to be people of color the most.’
The $1 billion budget cut resulted in policing funds being reallocated to education and social services over the next year.
New York City saw a 166 percent spike in shootings in August compared to the same time last year, according to NYPD crime statistics. In August, New York tallied 242 shootings compared with 91 in the same month the previous year
Shea said the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the court system and legislative factors had also played a role in surging crime rates.
He said the NYPD was working with federal authorities and the district attorneys of the five boroughs to crack down on the prosecution of gang members and drug dealers carrying illegal guns.
‘Both on the police side and the detective side, they are singularly focused on getting our arms around this. We are beginning to trend downwards… we have a lot of work to do,’ he said.
New York City saw a 166 percent spike in shootings in August compared to the same time last year, according to NYPD crime statistics.
In August, New York tallied 242 shootings compared with 91 in the same month the previous year.
Police also said murders went up 34 percent on-year in the first eight months of 2020.
Shea said the budget cuts, which were voted on by the New York City Council back in July, has had a ‘significant impact’ on the crime surge over the summer. Officers are pictured above in early September during BLM protests
The $1 billion budget cut, which was voted on in July, resulted in policing funds being reallocated to education and social services over the next year
It comes as Gov. Andrew Cuom called on city officials to ‘step up and lead’ in response to rising crime, calling the trend ‘wholly unacceptable’.
He signed an executive order last month that calls on cities to adopt plans for reforming their police departments by April next year in order to be eligible for state funding.
‘Step up and lead. 146 jurisdictions are doing it. Why isn’t New York City doing it?’ Cuomo said.
He specifically called out Mayor Bill de Blasio, City Council President Corey Johnson, Comptroller Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for not taking action.
‘If none of them want to lead it, I will find someone to lead it. Just tell me you don’t want to do it or you can’t do it, but this is wholly unacceptable on behalf of everyone who lives in New York City,’ Cuomo said.
‘What government does in the age of COVID is a matter between life and death.
‘The crime problem in New York City doesn’t get better on its own.’