Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Appears Live On PIX 11's "PIX 11 Morning News"

January 6, 2023

Hazel Sanchez: It’s 8:35 right now, and Mayor Eric Adams is marking his first year in office with a drop in gun violence across the city. Shootings are down 17 percent from last year across the city, and the number of homicides have also dropped to the lowest in three years.

Dan Mannarino: Public safety, criminal justice reform was the topic of conversation last night when Mayor Adams, Attorney General Tish James, and other top leaders met behind closed doors at the National Action Network in Harlem.

(Video plays.)

Reverend Al Sharpton: We are not going to agree on everything, but if we can just sit in the room and have a conversation and say the areas that we can agree on, we need to fight. One of the areas is public safety and criminal justice reform. It's not one all together. It's both, and.

(Video ends.)

Mannarino: There you go. So, Mayor Adams joining us now to discuss these latest numbers and that very meeting last night. Good morning to you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you for making time for us this morning. Happy New Year.

Mayor Eric Adams: Good to see you both. Happy New Year's to you.

Mannarino: So, let's get into this, right? There's been a double digit drop in gun violence in particular in each of the boroughs. Would you say, I guess it's a result of what you're seeing play out in terms of precision policing strategy? What are you attributing those specific numbers to?

Mayor Adams: A clear plan that was laid out by Police Commissioner Sewell. I cannot thank her enough for how focused and how disciplined she has been. Even with all the noise, she has remained steadfast and showed a level of professionalism of building up the morale. Police officers are working. The numbers of felony arrests, closing cases, guns off our street, it's clearly an indicator that we have an all hands on deck moment. We have more to do. The first half of the year was extremely rough as we dealt with the over-proliferation of guns. But, the second half of the year, we're trending in the right direction. We want to continue that.

Sanchez: You're talking about guns, according to the NYPD, 30 percent of all the gun violence in the city is coming from the Bronx. Are you going to be sending more resources to that area?

Mayor Adams: Well, Bronx also showed a substantial decrease. 30 percent decrease in the Bronx. We have some great partners there with Vanessa Gibson who's the current borough president of the Bronx and the great police law enforcement partnership with some of our crisis management team. There were some real issues there, and we want to really focus in on the Bronx as we deal with some of the feeders of crime in the Bronx and throughout the city.

Mannarino: I want to talk about transit crime, because that's also a very big issue. We're seeing the numbers tick up, which is great. It means people are going back to work, and the city is coming back, right? The city is back, as you like to say. But, there's a 30 percent increase in bus and subway crime. Subway cameras, we know that some… that they're there on the platforms, but it doesn't seem to really be a deterrent. So, how are you going to be changing at all your strategy within the subway system?

Mayor Adams: I like that, Dan. That's a great question. This is the second phase of our technology, and how do we use it better? There's some amazing technology out there using artificial intelligence that can see a particular location and determine if something inappropriate is action —is taking place. We're looking at all of this new technology. We want to get it right. That's why the first year, we have been meeting with a series of people and technology companies. We have a great deal of cameras throughout our system. Now, we need to overlay them with new software so that they can be smarter in helping us be proactive to prevent crime. But, we also had to do some things that were important: removing the encampments on our system, mental health, illness that we were facing with some of those who use our system. So, there's a combination of things we must do, but I'm happy to see ridership is up. 3.9 million people are using the system, and we're going to continue to make it a safe place to commute.

Sanchez: Yeah, I do take the train every day going home from work, and I have noticed a lot more officers on the platforms. Are you going to continue that if the numbers go down in the subway system?

Mayor Adams: Well, we're not looking to have the numbers go down. We are going to maintain a level of proper deployment of our police personnel, because I don't want you only to see them. I want them to be moving around the system engaging with you. We have partnered with the transit system. They are making notifications when there's a police officer on the platform or on the train. We need to use our tools better to make sure that New Yorkers feel comfortable and safe on their subway system.

Mannarino: I do want to pivot now to another big issue, because we're tight on time with you this morning, and we're expecting more migrants to arrive in New York City, right? This time from Colorado. You've been outspoken about this. As you say, the issue is about to bankrupt the city. So, I guess, Mr. Mayor, is there a point where you're going to actually have to start turning people away?

Mayor Adams: We are looking at every area of how we're going to examine this issue. Dan, it is just unfair, what is happening to El Paso, Houston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York. The local municipalities should not be carrying the full weight of a national issue. It's time for the national government to step up and state, "We have to deal with this border issue and the crisis that it is causing in our local municipalities." New York City is coming through — the pandemic, we're still hurting. I am not going to make a decision to deny New Yorkers their basic services because the national government is failing us on this issue. We think the recent initiative is important, but we have to do far much more. I want to thank Senator Schumer, Congressman Jeffries for what they have done to start getting some of the financial resources we need. But we need much more.

Sanchez: Yeah, but what if we don't get that money? What if we don't get the federal funds? Where will you cut in the city?

Mayor Adams: Well, think about it for a moment. We haven't been getting it. We've been on our own. New York City, we have been on our own, and we've had to make shifts in our budgets. This can be anywhere from a billion to a billion point five. This is substantial money, and every day, my team is meeting, and we're looking to see how are we going to move around the dollars and what services we're going to have to change. This will have an impact on New York City if this issue is not resolved.

Mannarino: Right, and so I guess we're looking for the very specific question of how will it impact? I know it affects city government and how you make cuts there. The individual New Yorker, how will it affect them? And, when do you anticipate having to make a cut?

Mayor Adams: We're already making adjustments. Let me be clear, when you say, "Where is it going to impact?" Think about every service we have. Every service that our city agencies are carrying out right now will be impacted if we don't get this situation under control. So, one can't point to one service. Every service that we are receiving from city government will be negatively impacted by what has happened with this national crisis.

Sanchez: Well, you'll be delivering your state of the city address in just a few weeks. So, aside from addressing crime, migrants, what other issues are at the top of your agenda for this coming year?

Mayor Adams: Well, we're going to roll them out. That's why we do the state of the city. We're going to roll each one of them out. We're excited about 2023 and some of the things we have in the pipeline. I look forward to delivering that message to the city of New York.

Mannarino: Mr. Mayor, lastly, because we're out of time with you, are you any closer to this important position of rat czar, any closer to hiring someone for it? Curtis Sliwa was looking to do this job. I know you said you'd welcome him to help clean up, but any closer to hiring an actual person for this position?

Sanchez: Are you going to deal with cats instead?

Mayor Adams: Well, first of all, anyone that lives in a studio apartment with 17 cats, that says a lot. We know this is serious work. Although I will clown around with Curtis, this is a serious job. I hate rats and I know New Yorkers do as well. We're happy to hear that we have around 90 applicants who filed for the job. We're going to pick the best person, and the number one criteria, they must hate rats as much as I do, another New Yorker.

Mannarino: So, you're close to hiring someone?

Mayor Adams: Yes, we are.

Mannarino: Any final contenders, we know the name?

Mayor Adams: We have a few, but also right now, Dan, we have several initiatives that we are testing products right now throughout the city and some promising results. So, we're looking forward to really… finally tackling this problem. As Commissioner Tisch states, "Rats do not run New York."

Mannarino: That's right, as long as it's not that thing you had once in Brooklyn with the thing with the rats floating on the top of it.

Sanchez: Oh, yeah, let's pass on that. All right, Mayor Adam, thanks again for being with us, and happy New Year to you.

Mayor Adams: Thank you, take care.