Chair Feliz on NYPD headcount and crime reduction potential
Feliz asks whether increased headcount could help bring down felony assault numbers. Gerber says in a vacuum more officers would help, but acknowledges budgetary constraints and emphasizes current success with existing staffing.
Final question.
Does the NYPD believe that an increased headcount can play a role in helping bring specific numbers down?
For example, the felony assaults, which are obviously concerning.
So, again, I just want to go back to what I said before.
You know, if you're asking us, if you ask any police department, if you're asking us in a vacuum, you know, as between more cops and fewer cops, do we want more cops?
Sure, of course.
But we're not here in a vacuum.
We do understand the budgetary constraints.
And, you know, we are having tremendous, tremendous success with the resources that we have.
You've heard that from the inspector from the beginning of this hearing.
In terms of murders and shootings and shooting victims being at historic lows, and we've been able to accomplish that with the number of cops that we have now.
Right, but would additional police officers allow us to be able to give some focus to the felony assaults?
Again, if in a vacuum,
We don't live in a vacuum.
But if we were, if you have more cops, can you deploy those officers?
Of course.
Of course that's true.
But again, we do understand the budgetary restraints here.
All right, sounds good.