Mayor Adams offers ‘blueprint to end gun violence’ in New York City

According to the blueprint, “Immediately, the NYPD will provide more resources and support to Public Safety teams in precincts across the five boroughs.”

News 12 Staff

Jan 24, 2022, 11:37 AM

Updated 994 days ago

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Mayor Eric Adams outlined on Monday multiple ways New York City can combat the scourge of gun violence.
His plans include increased policing in targeted areas as well as long-term solutions, such as the NYPD working with state police to implement spot checks for weapons at entry points into the state.
According to the blueprint, “Immediately, the NYPD will provide more resources and support to Public Safety teams in precincts across the five boroughs.”
“The Department expects to launch these teams in the next three weeks with a special focus on the 30 precincts where 80% of violence occurs and has already identified several hundred candidates for these teams.”
Adams emphasized his focus on removing guns from city streets, but also introducing more law enforcement and mental health professionals in the transit and subway system.  
“Statistically, New York City is still the safest big city in America. But we are not going to be satisfied with statistics. This isn’t about other cities. This is about New York City," he said.
Since the beginning of the year, Adams says 350 guns have been taken off of the city’s streets. Last year, 6,000 were confiscated. The mayor says he knows that more guns are heading into the state through the “iron pipeline” each day “by car, by bus and by train.”
Adams also said that there will be an anti-gun violence coordinator in every city agency and a reexamination of bail reform and “Raise the Age” – which the mayor says have been exploited by gang members.
Adams says he wants those who pose an immediate threat to the public to be detained.
According to the mayor’s blueprint: “New York is the only state in the country that does not allow a judge to detain a defendant who poses a threat to the community. Forty-nine other states, as well as the federal government, allow judges to consider a defendant’s dangerousness. New York must also meet this common-sense standard.”
The mayor is also asking for stiffer penalties for gun traffickers, expedited gun cases in the courts, and for Congress to pass universal background checks for gun purchases.
His remarks come after the shooting that killed NYPD Officer Jason Rivera and gravely wounded Officer Wilbert Mora.