PA Williams on cyclist summonses and Bronx North shooting increase
Williams raises concerns about criminal summonses for cyclists disproportionately affecting people of color, praises the Mamdani administration's plan to end criminal enforcement for e-bike riders, and notes rising shootings in Bronx North despite overall Bronx crime decline.
Criminal summonses for cyclists were especially harmful, with 91% of those receiving them were people of more color.
I am glad that the Mondani administration has announced a plan to end criminal enforcement against e-bikes, riders, and cyclists for low-level traffic offenses.
I want to make sure that doesn't mean there shouldn't be any accountability for infractions.
Additionally, Politico reported that the Office of Community Safety met with Bronx elected officials about rising murders and shootings in the Bronx North.
A new patrol command, which encompasses half of the borough, compared to the same time last year, the Northern Command has seen a nearly 20% increase in shootings and a 6% rise in murders.
However, these crime rates are falling in Bronx South.
Crime in the borough as a whole is trending downward.
This underscores the way we report crimes matters, crime rates matters, and can sometimes obfuscate neighbors that need more attention than this department can provide.
We must ensure that we are not sweeping people into the criminal legal system when they clearly need our direct connection to services and support for stabilization.