Caban questions cost of low-level arrests vs. summonses

What is the total annual cost to taxpayers of processing low-level arrests?

Through the criminal legal system compared to issuing summonses or utilizing diversion programs, while pointing out that maybe one way to reduce overtime is to stop dragging people through the system for taking up two seats on the subway.

We can get you information about the budget for our Criminal Justice Bureau, which is where we would spend money on processing arrests.

Is that fair, Chris?

Can you do that?

Yeah, so specifically the ask would be the cost to taxpayers of processing low-level arrests compared to the cost if those were through issuing summonses or utilizing some other diversion program.

So thank you.

Councilmember, I would say if you are...

If we're talking about...

Talking about low-level offenses, the vast majority of the time, if we make an arrest for something that is otherwise summonsable, it will be for one of two reasons.

Either we cannot properly identify the person making

them ineligible for summons because then the summons means nothing or there is another warrant that is outstanding that they haven't responded to for

some other crime.

I will say that the

unidentifiable is about 6.6% of those.

So the vast majority of the time, it is that person is wanted on an open warrant for some other crime.

So vast majority, can you give a percentage to that?

How many of those are, if we're talking vast majority is well over 50%, which I,

I don't know that that's accurate.

Alex can tell you.

So in transit, when we do have to make an arrest, again, as the commissioner stated, it's 6.6% of the time.

That's because we were not able to properly identify.

The remainder of all the arrests are either because the person has a warrant and we have a legal obligation to bring them back to court, or they're being arrested for a higher level offense in addition to that low level offense.

You're saying that those are the only two other reasons?

Correct.

Okay, can I follow up on this?

Unidentifiable, wanted on a warrant, and third, being...

If you are being arrested for a higher level crime.

In addition to the lower level crime.

Okay, one more follow-up and then we've got to move on.

Well, it's not one.

I have a line of questions.

Just responding to that.

Council member, we can sit together as long as you want and go through any questions that you have on this.

Sure.

I know we have to, but I actually think that there's a lot of value in not just doing it sitting in a meeting, but doing it in an open hearing with the public so that they know how their money is being spent and what outcomes they're getting or not getting and what we should be able to expect.

I have, I'm...

I will pass it off to you, but I have a second round just specifically on that.

Thank you.

Okay.

Councilmember Wong, followed by Councilmember Areola.

Okay.

Thank you, Chair.

And thank you to the Commissioner and the men and women of the NYPD for testifying today.

Before my questions, I want to recognize some excellent work by the NYPD.

Last week, my office with Councilmember Areola's office and community members became aware of social media posts promoting a planned takeover at the Atlas Mall.

We immediately shared that information with the NYPD.

Queen's Borough Chief Russell Green and Captain Rios took the intelligence seriously and acted quickly, deploying a significant police presence around the mall.

For a few hours, the Atlas Mall looked very well secure.

That deterrence worked and the takeover never materialized.

When organizers began directing participants towards Middle Village Playground in my district, my office again alerted the NYPD.

Officers responded quickly and prevented any disruption before it could occur.

And because of proactive policing, nothing happened.

That's exactly what residents expect and deserve.

I also want to thank Inspector Wong at the 110th Precinct for his work addressing quality of life concerns, including issues surrounding the Amadeus nightclub, illegal car meetups,

loud music, and other persistent neighborhood complaints.

I also want to thank Captain Fennessey of the 112th Precinct for addressing recent anti-Semitic vandalism affecting the communities in my district and Councilmember Shulman's district.

I appreciate the work these commanders are doing to keep our neighborhoods safe, address quality of life concerns before they become larger problems, and maintain confidence in public safety.

With that, I have a few questions.

Is there a department policy against publicly disclosing prison by prison staffing levels?

And if so, what is the rationale?

Because my constituents regularly ask about these figures and they look and look and there's nowhere to be published.

So the way the city council set up the law, we have various disclosure obligations, various wide range of staffing data that we are required to disclose, except to the extent

that it will endanger public safety or endanger our officers.

And so, as you know, we provide a very wide range of data regarding staffing and deployment.

However, as it gets more and more granular, more and more specific, we do get more and more concerned about the safety aspect of this.

If bad actors know precisely how we have staffed at a very granular level, that allows them to make strategic or tactical decisions that can be incredibly dangerous for the public or for our officers.

So that's the balance that we're constantly striking.

I do want to emphasize that the city council set up the law in this way.

That is maximum transparency consistent with public safety and the safety of the officers.

Which is why we tend, when we talk publicly about staffing numbers or report public and staffing numbers, to do it on the borough level.

But when you have asked in the past and other your colleagues have asked in the past about your staffing numbers, about concerns about staffing, we are very transparent with you in those discussions, take the feedback and then assign officers accordingly.

Okay, thank you.