Mayor Adams, NYPD Commissioner Caban, SBS Commissioner Kim Deploy "Upstream Tools" to Combat Gun Violence as Overall Crime Continues to Drop Citywide

November 14, 2023

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL-CLL9E4y8

SBS Mobile Unit Will Provide Onsite Screenings for Training and Jobs in 
Communities Most Impacted by Gun Violence, Delivering on Key Commitment in 
Mayor Adams’ Blueprint for Community Safety 

Overall Crime Remains Down, Including Most Violent Crimes, 
With 26 Percent Decrease in Shooting Incidents Year to Date 

Investments in Public Safety Represent Key Prong of Mayor Adams’ Strategy Driving City’s All-Time Jobs Record and Overall Economic Recovery 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban, and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim today kicked off a new tour of the SBS Mobile Unit to deliver resources and economic opportunities directly to the communities most impacted by gun violence, as overall crime continues to drop across the five boroughs. The new effort comes as part of Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Tour,” continuing to create jobs and power New York City’s economic recovery after the city set an all-time high job record, with 4.7 million total jobs, recovering the nearly 1 million jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Under Mayor Adams’ administration, overall crime is down in New York City. In 2023, year to date, the city has seen a drop in five of the seven index crime categories, including a 12 percent decline in homicides and a 26 percent decrease in shooting incidents. Transit crime also has fallen, driven by Mayor Adams’ successful deployment under the Subway Safety Plan and “Cops, Cameras, and Care.” 

“So far this year, New York City has seen an overall drop in crime, including the most violent crimes, and we’ve seen double-digit decreases in both shootings and homicides — not only saving lives but also laying the foundation for a full economic recovery and an all-time high jobs record. Today, we are continuing that momentum,” said Mayor Adams. “The SBS Mobile Unit will strengthen our civic and social infrastructure and deliver resources and economic opportunities directly to communities in need. Together, we are making the important systemic changes that will both lower crime and help people build careers, lives, and community.”  

“Addressing upstream causes of gun violence starts with jobs,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “Our focus is on ensuring resources are available in communities most impacted by gun violence. Partnerships with our trusted community-based institutions are the backbone of this work and bringing these mobile services to Brownsville is an important step to meeting our community where they live, work, and raise their families.”

“This Small Business Services Mobile Unit is another innovative way that the Adams administration is meeting people where they are and providing them with on-ramps to jobs, opportunity, and support,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “It is because of the hard work of the men and women of the NYPD and the mayor’s commitment to building bonds with communities throughout the five boroughs that New York continues to be the safest big city in America.”  

“As we continue to build a five-borough economic recovery, it is critical that we bring city services to the businesses, individuals, and communities that need them the most and meet them where they are,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “By bringing their outreach team and mobile unit to neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence and partnering with local community partners, SBS will connect hundreds, if not thousands, of New Yorkers to resources that will help improve their lives. As we’re starting to see in Brownsville and other neighborhoods around the city, these upstream strategies are also critical to driving better community safety outcomes.”

“The work of public safety starts first with providing opportunities to those most in need,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar. “This cross-agency and deputy mayor collaboration demonstrates our all-hands on deck approach to addressing the root causes of crime and creating a better, safer future for our young people. By meeting people where they are, the Adams administration is creating jobs, protecting communities, and ‘Getting Stuff Done.’”

“The men and women of the NYPD continue to work hand in hand with fellow city agencies to serve all New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs,” said NYPD Commissioner Caban. “Public safety is a shared responsibility that takes everybody, in every role of public service, doing their part. That is how we will sustain low levels of crime and further reduce violence to foster strong communities across our great city.”

“The safety of our neighborhoods is paramount to the success of our economic comeback,” said SBS Commissioner Kim. “It’s no coincidence that under this administration, we have seen double-digit drops in crime across most categories while also hitting an all-time high for the number of jobs in New York City today. SBS is proud to run the city’s Workforce1 Career Center network, which connects more than 23,000 New Yorkers to jobs each year. I’m thrilled to celebrate both of these milestones alongside Mayor Adams and Commissioner Caban, and to recognize the amazing men and women at SBS’s Workforce1 Career Centers who helped make it possible. This is not just an important stop on the ‘Working People’s Tour,’ but it’s an important stop on the road to the ‘City of Yes.’”

“In our dual roles of overseeing the Crisis Management System and serving on the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, DYCD knows firsthand the value of upstream solutions, like the SBS Mobile Unit, in reaching New Yorkers where they are — particularly in neighborhoods most affected by violence,” said New York City Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard. “DYCD is uniquely positioned to follow Mayor Adams’ vision and promote these critical resources alongside the NYPD, SBS, and our community partners as we strive for an even safer and economically vibrant New York City.”

“While we celebrate a record jobs recovery, the city has not lost sight of ongoing disparities in employment, particularly for Black and Brown New Yorkers and other communities, including people with disabilities,” said Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal. “This SBS outreach campaign is emblematic of the ways that my office is committed to helping the city tackle these longstanding inequities by working closely with our employer and workforce development partners, educational institutions, and agencies through a whole-of-government approach, focusing resources and connections on career opportunities to deepen the reach of the public workforce system in the communities that need them most.”

“In our ongoing commitment to creating a safe and flourishing community, we are proud to announce a groundbreaking initiative that addresses the root causes of gun violence by harnessing the power of career development and entrepreneurship, the Brownsville Hub Incubator,” said La’Shawn Allen-Muhammad, executive director, Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. “This initiative is built on the understanding that the path to reducing crime is not merely through law enforcement but also through the creation of opportunities that empower individuals and uplift entire neighborhoods. Local businesses, particularly those owned by community members, create safe spaces that encourage social cohesion. When individuals are invested in their neighborhoods, they are less likely to engage in criminal behavior. Supporting local entrepreneurship is key to building strong, resilient communities.” 

In October 2023, the NYPD made 361 arrests for gun possession citywide, bringing the total number of gun arrests to 3,735 from January through October in 2023. The NYPD has also seized 5,585 guns across the five boroughs through the end of October this year, bringing the total number of firearms taken off New York City streets and kept out of criminals’ hands to 12,720 under the Adams administration. Year to date, 384 fewer people have been shot in 2023 than in 2022. 

The SBS Mobile Unit’s new tour launched today in the 73rd precinct in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Year to date, the 73rd precinct has experienced a 70 percent decrease in homicides, a 45 percent decrease in shooting incidents, and a 17 percent decrease in overall crime. 

The NYPD’s continued progress in driving down crime, including violent crime, is the result of the intelligence-led, precision policing strategies that inform and advance the Adams administration’s overall public safety mission and the work of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. The task force was convened by Mayor Adams in June 2022 and is co-chaired by First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Man Up! Inc. Founder A.T. Mitchell — focusing on gun violence-reduction partnerships to multifaceted, collaborative efforts that seek to improve quality of life in every neighborhood of New York City. These significant reductions in crime are the result of the Adams administration’s approach to building trust, strengthening relationships, and leveraging partnerships in communities across the five boroughs. 

After a successful launch last year, the SBS Mobile Unit will now conduct a tour of neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence, delivering on a key commitment from Mayor Adams’ Blueprint for Community Safety. The mobile unit will deliver a suite of resources directly to New Yorkers, including free onsite screenings for trainings and jobs, resume workshops, career counseling, and access to Wi-Fi, printers, and computers. The tour will include upcoming stops in Port Morris, Mott Haven, Melrose, Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona Park, Grand Concourse, Bronx Terminal Market, Yankee Stadium, Wakefield, Woodlawn, Baychester, and Williamsbridge in the Bronx, as well as Brownsville and Ocean Hill in Brooklyn. 

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