Mayor Adams' Statement on City Council Bills That Will Make New York City Less Safe

December 20, 2023

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after the New York City Council voted to pass Intro. 586-A and Intro. 549-A, two bills that will make the city less safe:

“The New York City Council has taken action today that, if implemented, will unquestionably make our city less safe.

“Since day one, our administration has made public safety our top priority, and we have delivered results: Overall crime is down, shootings are down, and New Yorkers are safer than they were two years ago. The bills passed today will undermine two years of progress.

“When I was a police officer, I fought for transparency and against abusive policing tactics that targeted communities like the one where I grew up. Intro. 586-A would not advance those goals — it will slow down police response times and divert our officers from responding to emergency incidents. In every City Council district in this city, our officers will be forced to spend more time in their cars and on their phones, and less time walking the streets and engaging with New Yorkers. And as the city faces significant budget challenges, with an unprecedented $7 billion gap that must be closed next month by law, the City Council’s choice to pass this bill will mean millions of dollars in additional overtime costs that will force us to make further painful cuts.

“At the same time, our administration has achieved significant reductions in key indicators of violence in our correction system. And we have been clear: Our administration does not support solitary confinement in our jails, and New York City has not used the practice for years. But Intro. 549-A will also point us in the wrong direction. Under this bill, the Department of Correction will no longer be able to protect people in custody, or the predominantly Black and Brown union workers charged with their safety, from violent individuals. Furthermore, this bill raises serious potential conflicts with directions that the Department of Correction has received from the federal monitor.

“We are reviewing all options.”