Chair Feliz on GLA takedown timeline and resource questions
Feliz asks why a GLA crew takedown took over a year despite daily complaints of cars on blocks without wheels. Gerber explains building strong conspiracy cases takes time, connecting incidents and participants, and that crews act quickly making investigation challenging.
Next, we'll hear from Councilor McCowan.
But briefly, I just want to say again that we appreciate the NYPD's focus on focusing on the worst crimes, murders, and shootings.
I think the focus on that has been able to bring the numbers to the lowest numbers ever.
But I guess my question on that is,
Are there any obstacles that we've seen on the issue of felony assaults and also grand larceny of auto?
Is resources an issue?
I mean, for example, you know, last year there was a recent takedown of the group, but for over a year, I remember in the Bronx and throughout the, they eventually did another part of the city,
every single day I would receive, I'm not exaggerating, every single day I would receive at least three to four new pictures of incidents of basically cars on the floor.
No wheels, no rims.
And, you know, of course, resources are not unlimited, but I'm wondering why would it take so long to hold this group accountable?
To my knowledge, they were doing it for over a year.
Is it a lack of resources?
Obviously, you can't focus on everything at the same time.
Is resources an issue?
Well, but I mean, part of it is we also want to build a strong case.
And there's always, there are trade-offs here, right?
You want to act quickly for obvious reasons, but you want to have a strong case.
You want to make sure that the case is going to hold up in court.
Doing that takes time, particularly in conspiracy cases, right?
And you're just, it's not a one-off.
You're connecting various incidents.
connecting various participants in, let's say, a GLA crew.
And then part of it is also in the nature of the crime, right?
You have situations where, you know, it's in the middle of the night.
My understanding is some of these crews are able to do this remarkably quickly, right?
And so they're, you know,
By the time someone even realizes the crime has occurred, they are long gone.
And so that presents investigative challenges.
It does.
The case we were talking about is a great case and a product of tremendous work by the Detective Bureau.
And it has had a tremendous effect in the Bronx.
But in order to have that effect, to bring the successful case, it does take time.
It does.
All right.
Next, we'll hear from Councilmember Caban, then Wong, and then Marano.