Transcript: Mayor Adams Makes Public Safety-Related Announcement With NYPD Commissioner Sewell

April 3, 2023

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/live/GmU30xn6hvc?feature=share

Deputy Mayor Philip Banks III, Public Safety: Good afternoon. I am joined here today by Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. As you all know and are aware, Donald Trump will be in New York City tonight through tomorrow. His presence is expected to draw a lot of attention for media, spectators, and protestors alike. New York City as always, will be prepared. The NYPD and our entire public safety apparatus are always prepared. We are working closely with all of our partners to ensure everyone's safety tomorrow, and we are asking for the public's help as well in maintaining a safe, orderly environment that allows New Yorkers to continue their day-to-day lives with minimal interruption and as always, neither dangerous nor criminal behavior will be tolerated. With that, I'd like to introduce the mayor of the City of New York, Mayor Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thanks. Thanks so much, Phil. This morning when the police commissioner and I spoke at our morning briefing with the other team, we were clear that tomorrow is a day that's going to draw a great deal of attention to our city. And we know there are many questions around the movement of the city, and we want to make sure that we send a very clear and loud message. As the deputy mayor stated, New York City's always ready. We know that this is a city where our NYPD and other law enforcement entities must be prepared at any given moment for anything that happened in this city. To start, I want to make it clear. The commissioner has stated over and over again, there has been no specific credible threats to our city at this time and all New Yorkers should go on with their regular activities.

That means going to work, going to school. We are going to do our job as we always do. If you usually drive, we stated to take public transportation. It is easy to get around on public transportation because we expect some disruptions and additional traffic. There's a great deal of additional traffic that may come in the city and there will be street closures near the courts and throughout the city. While there may be some rabble rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: control yourselves. New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger.

We are the safest large city in America because we respect the rule of law in New York City, and although we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, stated she's coming to town. While you are in town, be on your best behavior. As always, we will not allow violence or vandalism of any kind, and if one is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable, no matter who you are. And I want to again, thank the Police Department, the commissioner for their response and for the necessary preparation as we deal with this major historical potential event that would take place in the city. At this time, I'd like to introduce the police commissioner of the City of New York.

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for being here. As always, the NYPD is prepared to ensure that everyone is able to have their voices heard peacefully while exercising their first amendment rights. We do this work in close collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners because keeping our city safe is absolutely a collective effort. As the mayor stated, there are no credible or specific threats to New York City at this time.

New Yorkers may see an increased police presence in parts of the city and should anticipate intermittent road closures over the next two days, particularly in Manhattan. To avoid delays, I too urge everyone to use mass transit when possible. As I said, our job is to facilitate and safeguard the rights of people to express themselves and those going about their daily activities. But I will remind everyone that violence and destruction are not part of legitimate lawful expression and it will never be tolerated in our city. But people we serve know this just as they know that the NYPD will be out there today, tomorrow, and every day to make sure that they are safe. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Sure. Sure. Well, we'll take some questions.

Question: Question, Commissioner, has Marjorie Taylor Greene or anyone else for that matter… [inaudible.] And has anyone been [inaudible]?

Commissioner Sewell: So the permitting that has happened is actually done through City Hall, but I will say that anyone who protests is expected to express themselves peacefully and orderly.

Question: Arrest or has been arrested with the powder incident involving DA Bragg’s office?

Commissioner Sewell: That incident is still under investigation at this time.

Question: Commissioner or Mr. Mayor, have you noticed any movements at the Port Authority or at the airport, any influx of people that they're coming you've noticed that are… they're coming here for this event? Any estimate on that or have you not seen?

Commissioner Sewell: We value our relationship with our partners and we're in constant communication with them. So if they do see an influx of people or something out of the ordinary, they will contact us. At this time, we don't see that happening, but we will have real time information if that does occur.

Question: Does anyone have specifics? I don't know if this is a question for you, commissioner or the mayor about where... I mean you said intermittent growth [inaudible] so can we expect at a certain point, how many blocks around the courthouse would be closed. Was the FDR Drive or any of the highway movement and will that information be shared with the public?

Commissioner Sewell: So there are going to be rolling road closures as I'm sure you can understand based on the sensitivity, it's going to be moving, but we will make sure we have enough officers to facilitate transport throughout the city. There is one area close to Trump Tower that will have a road that is closed just to facilitate his transport, but beyond that, there'll be rolling road closures intermittently through the city. We're trying to have minimal amount of intrusion into city life.

Question: I wanted to ask what additional measures, is the NYPD taking, not only to protect DA Bragg but also the members of his office?

Commissioner Sewell: We take any threats or concerns of our elected officials and anyone in this city very seriously. So we have provided some assistance in that regard and we are investigating any threats that may be made to the DA or any of his staff.

Question: Will the Times Square Gun Free Zone be moved in around courthouses?

Commissioner Sewell: As you know, a number of laws were passed when we went into having sensitive zones and restricted zones. It's actually an E Felony to carry in some of those zones, even if you have a license. Some of those zones include courthouses, federal buildings, and First Amendment activities. So we're not going to move those. I think responsible gun ownership requires that you know what the laws are, where you are protesting and we expect everyone to adhere to ours.

Question: Well, going back to police presence, how many officers do you expect to be on the streets and also the Secret Service? I mean, how have they come in and basically told you what to do or, I mean, how much control are they having over security?

Commissioner Sewell: We work with the Secret Service all the time. These are our partners. I won't go into how many numbers of police officers will be on the street, but we will have enough to facilitate mobile units if we need to respond to anything. But this is a collaborative effort with our partners in the Secret Service.

Question: Commissioner, NYPD personnel days off suspended to cancel for the interim?

Commissioner Sewell: We have not needed to do that at this time. We have enough resources in place, but we can always call people in should the need occur.

Question: Shayna Jacobs. Commissioner, how many officers do you expect to be deployed around the city just for this specific detail? And also are you expecting or anticipating needing checkpoints for people on foot to get into the courthouse area and to protest outside of it?

Commissioner Sewell: Well, I won't get into specific numbers of how many we will deploy to that area. If we find the need to institute checkpoints, we will do so.

Question: Yes. You mentioned both you and the mayor about people taking public transportation. Is there a plan to increase police presence on public transportation or what type of plan is going in?

Commissioner Sewell: As you know, we've talked about since October, we've surged a number of officers into the transit system, so we expect to have a healthy complement of officers in the transit system tomorrow to facilitate travel.

Question: Jeff, with CBS News. Mayor Adams, this question is for you. Good to see you again.

Mayor Adams: Always.

Question: So, you're a former police officer yourself, I'm sure in the past you were deployed to not the same, similar incidents. Now as mayor, what concerns you the most as far as security is concerned on the eve of this arraignment?

Mayor Adams: Well, again, as you indicated, I've served in the department. I really have a lack of concern. I know how well the New York City Police Department is able to pivot and shift based on the circumstances that they are facing and we are prepared. The police commissioner gave me a briefing. She understands that this is a unique situation and the New York City Police Department is fully prepared with the coordination that Deputy Mayor Banks is doing with our other law enforcement entities. I have no concern at all around this.

Question: Is it specifically about... Sorry. One quick [inaudible]. Is it specifically about politicians? You've mentioned Marjorie Taylor Greene or the former president stirring things up?

Mayor Adams: Well, people stir stuff up all the time, but if you are prepared, you don't have to get prepared and we are prepared. And the ability to shift the resources where they are needed, I think is extremely unique to this police department. We can manage several different things at one time in this department, and that's what we're doing. The police commissioner laid out a full plan with her executive team and she's going to execute that plan based on the needs.

Question: Mayor, what do you... I'm over here. What do you make of the spectacle of this next 24 hours? The former president letting all of his supporters know when he is wheels up from Florida, when he is landing in LaGuardia, basically putting New York at center stage once again as something of an unprecedented spectacle from a legal standpoint, what do you make of all of that?

Mayor Adams: Well, I'm not in control of that. I view this entire moment that we are in right now to one day be the Museum of the City of New York, and I think this is another chapter in this experience and that this administration is going to show how we manage not only national problems, but global problems as well as the local problems. And we'll be prepared for whatever needs to be done. We built a team, we got the right team, and New York is going to see once again, the professionalism that this police commissioner has displayed and showed to her troops.

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