Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls in Live to 1010 WINS' "The PM Rush"

September 19, 2024

Larry Mullins: And getting back to our earlier story about that cannabis bust up in the Bronx today, officials say the city's crackdown has netted close to $70 million in illegal pot and shut down more than 1,000 illegal pot shops. It's part of the mayor's Padlock to Protect program, and Mayor Adams is joining me live now to talk about it. Good evening, His Honor. How are you, sir?

Mayor Eric Adams: Quite well. How are you doing?

Mullins: Doing okay. Doing okay. I'll get right to it. I know you're busy. We're trying to get it done, too. Is this thing really working, mayor? Because we're hearing some legal shop owners who say there's still a lot of work to be done.

Mayor Adams: Yes, and they are correct, particularly when you look at that the bad guys had a jump start on us. It was not until we were able to go to Albany and get the support of people like Jenifer Rajkumar, the assemblywoman, the speaker of the Assembly, and the majority leader, who modified the law and gave the sheriff and the police real power and closed over 1,100 shops already. You just stated the number, close to $70 million in illegal cannabis off our streets. We're making inroads. The bad guys are smart, but we're smarter, and we're consistent.

Mullins: Okay. Also, tell us more about this new interagency task force set up to get rid of ghost cars. That was a surprise to me. I didn't know we were doing that. How big is that problem?

Mayor Adams: It's a huge problem that really throughout the years, for many years, it has been ignored. The paper plates that have been ordered online, those who cover their plates, those who don't have plates at all. This is really a quality of life issue. You get in an accident with someone, they don't have insurance, they don't have proper registration, and it's being used for criminal behavior.

Everything from shootings to assaults, and we're zeroing on it with the Department of Sanitation, New York City Police Department, and other members where, historically, you only get them when they come through the toll bridge. No, we're going to seek them on the streets, and we're hitting those areas that are dealing with crime issues.

Mullins: Okay. Mayor, you heard the news today. There are so many stories. I don't even remember a time that I did as many stories with kids with guns showing up in schools, getting shot, and that sort of thing. What do you make of all of this? Where are we headed with all of this, and are there going to be any changes with regard to keeping guns out of the hands of kids, particularly as they show up on campus like we had today and another one yesterday?

Mayor Adams: No, so true. This is why we have been consistent in our belief that we have to remove dangerous guns off our streets. Over 19,000 were removed since the administration started, and we have to go after not only those who are bringing illegal guns into our city, but those repeated offenders and those who are selling guns, because a gun on a school grounds or near a school grounds really sends shockwaves through us all, and we're going to remain persistent. I started an anti-gun unit when I first got into office. They've done an amazing job of seeking out these illegal guns and getting them out of the hands of our children and being proactive at the same time. Even when you look at the West Indian Day weekend from J'Ouvert to the actual parade, we removed 25 guns off the street, 10 along the parade route. They were all loaded, and many of them were looking to settle long-time beefs with individuals, so it's about being proactive and reactive at the same time.

Mullins: One final note, we had that chaos over the weekend at the police shooting at the subway station in Brooklyn. I know there were some innocent people that were caught in the chaos. Any updates on the victims' conditions and the next steps to protect the NYPD, but the public as well?

Mayor Adams: A real painful moment. No police officer enjoys, or no police officer feels good when a round hits an innocent person, if it's from a police gun, or like in Queens where you had that hard-working Haitian gentleman who was shot in a crossfire by a person that had a gun. It doesn't console anyone, no matter where it comes from. Those police officers were not dealing with just someone who was a fare evader, as one stated, this person was dangerous, arrested over 20 times, had a knife lunging towards the police officers. They took the right action after showing a high level of discipline of trying to talk him down from harming any other passenger. An unfortunate situation, and it hurts our heart, but those officers did and took the necessary action to save those passengers that were on the train.

Mullins: Mayor, do you have an update for us on the victims' conditions?

Mayor Adams: From what we're getting, the police officer, of course, survived the shooting. Even the perpetrator, he survived the shooting, and we're hearing that the victim who was shot in the head, that he, right now, is still in critical condition, but he's still with us. And you had a young lady that was shot, as well, in the thigh area. That is non-life threatening injuries for her, as well.

Mullins: Mayor Eric Adams, always a pleasure, sir. Always welcome here. Thanks for stopping by. 

Mayor Adams: Take care.

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