New York’s Most interesting’s typically spotty responses to 311 calls might be tracked below a brand new NYPD “quality of life” crackdown, police Commissioner Jessica Tisch mentioned Tuesday.
Many high quality of life complaints to 311 have doubled lately, however the NYPD doesn’t observe how these instances are dealt with in the identical method because the Compstat system does for main crimes, Tisch informed Metropolis Council members throughout a price range listening to.
She mentioned a brand new “Q-Stat” won’t solely be used to measure high quality of life complaints, but additionally maintain police accountable for responding to them.
“We’re not doing that right now with quality of life issues,” she mentioned.
“High quality of life complaints must be measured and there needs to be accountability in our precincts and our instructions for addressing that in the identical method there was for the previous 30 years with Compstat, accountability for coping with and addressing crime situations in instructions.
Tisch’s testimony gave extra particulars about her soon-to-be-unveiled High quality of Life division inside the NYPD, which she mentioned will handle “out-of-control scooters and ebikes, aggressive panhandling, unruly street vending, public urination, open-air drug use.”
The NYPD acquired 1.5 million complaints via 311 within the final 12 months alone, knowledge reveals.
Tisch famous New Yorkers’ pleas for assist throughout the previous six years jumped 202% for unlawful parking, 119% for noise and 557% for homeless encampments.
She mentioned panhandling complaints throughout that point additionally jumped practically 2,800%.
“New Yorkers are clearly demanding that something be done,” she mentioned.
However as New Yorkers have demanded motion, they’ve additionally complained about NYPD cops’ inaction on 311 complaints.
Researchers have discovered cops routinely closed parking complaints inside minutes, suggesting they didn’t truly reply to them, Streetsblog reported.
Certainly one of New York’s Most interesting even personally retaliated in opposition to a frequent 311 caller, together with by imitating a former lover and taking part in recordings of dolphins. The cop acquired a $500 high quality and misplaced 60 days of go away value roughly $25,000.
Tisch’s transfer to convey accountability to the NYPD’s 311 responses matches in a wider push by Mayor Eric Adams to handle high quality of life considerations.
The Adams administration lately has tried to handle high quality of life points in sure areas — such because the prostitute-riddled Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and “The Hub” drug haven within the Bronx — via its Neighborhood Hyperlink program.
And refocusing the NYPD on high quality of life points is arguably a return to the controversial “broken windows” policing, though Tisch has been cautious to notice the division won’t undertake a “zero tolerance” method.
One pilot program targeted on high quality of life in Brooklyn and Queens subways lately rounded up 5 profession criminals with a staggering 590 busts between them.
Tisch mentioned the vast majority of the High quality of Life division’s anticipated workforce might be extra domestically targeted, below the direct management and supervision of precinct commanders.
“This model is also driven by the fundamental belief that the cops who work in the commands, day-in and day-out, they know the issues best,” Tisch mentioned.
“So, in your precinct, if the major issue is parking-related then we would give those key teams more training on the law around parking. But, in a number of precincts, the issue may not be parking. They may train officers on key teams in those precincts about the types of jobs they would encounter.”
