Shea takes big gamble by
dissolving NYPD Anti-Crime Units
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea hold a media availability at City Hall on Friday, May
29, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Offi ce
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR JUNE 19-25, 2020 13
op-ed editorial
BY COUNCILMAN
MARK GJONAJ
Last week I, with the great
help of New York City Council
Majority Leader Laurie
Cumbo, hosted a virtual
“Unity Town Hall.” Following
on the heels of the tragic
death of George Floyd and
the ensuing debate about law
enforcement practices, and
reinvigorated concern for
historical and present racism
in our communities, we
held a town hall to allow for
lawmakers, law enforcement,
community leaders and residents
to air their concerns
and engage discussion. The
result was immensely productive.
All who had something
to say received the opportunity
to say it.
Present at this town hall
discussion were panelists
from all parties of interest
in our community: representatives
and leaders from
the City Council, the Bronx
Chamber of Commerce, Community
Boards, the NYPD
and others. Agreement was
had, as was disagreement.
Much of the agreements to
be had were on NYPD reform
policies and there was consensus
amongst panelists,
in particular, that defunding
the NYPD is likely an
ill-advised policy. Improving
transparency, better screening
methods to remove racist
offi cers and improved training
were the most frequently
fl oated policy recommendations.
Disagreement was
civil and in further dialogue,
led to various insights and
even compromise.
For sweeping national
concerns that nonetheless
manifest themselves locally,
it is important that we engage
each other. Our unique
experiences and perspectives
allow us to learn from each
other and develop innovative
solutions. It is essential
that we allow ourselves to be
as honest and as inclusive as
possible in these discussion.
For further information
about this town hall and upcoming
informational and
interactive town halls, I encourage
you to email my offi
ce at mgjonaj@council.nyc.
gov or call at 718-931-1721. As
always, comments about the
state of affairs in our district,
especially as it relates to the
topic of this most recent town
hall, are highly encouraged
and will be happily fi elded by
my offi ce’s dedicated constituent
services team.
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BY SCHNEPS STAFF
Facing numerous calls for
reform over the past weeks,
Police Commissioner Dermot
Shea announced on June 15 a
rather startling development:
the immediate dissolution of
the NYPD’s Anti-Crime Units.
For decades, the units —
comprised of plain-clothed offi -
cers trained to spot gun-toting
criminals — have made thousands
of arrests of armed suspects
seeking to rob, maim or
kill individuals. At the same
time, however, these units
have also been in the thick of
numerous instances of police
brutality and police-involved
shootings.
Shea acknowledged that
the units had inappropriately
stopped people in some communities,
and that there were
“a disproportionate number of
complaints and shootings as
they (the unit offi cers) are doing
what we ask of them.”
The commissioner said the
dissolution decision came not
in judgment of the offi cers who
served the units, but rather to
modernize and reform how the
NYPD does its job. The offi cers
remain on the force now, with
new assignments.
Yet, in making this decision,
Shea and the NYPD are
taking a mighty gamble.
For this to work, the NYPD
will need to employ more modern
policing tactics — more
“brains and guile,” less “brute
force,” as the commissioner
said. They will need to work
with local prosecutors to build
stronger evidence for criminal
cases.
And they will need the
community’s trust — something
that’s diffi cult to fi nd
right now given the unrest
over the George Floyd killing
in Minneapolis, and myriad
other incidents of police brutality
in New York and across
America.
The changes happen not
only as the cries for reform
grow louder, but also at a time
where New York City is seeing
a troubling spike in shootings
and murders. There were
three more shootings, one of
which was deadly, across New
York mere hours after Shea’s
announcement Monday.
Whether the demise of Anti-
Crime Units will make our
city safer, and the NYPD more
trustful in the public’s eyes, remains
anyone’s guess. What it
underscores, however, is the
need for the city to get moving
on a united approach toward
overhauling the NYPD.
Shea stressed that the
NYPD has reformed its policies
in the past from within.
But the current situation requires
more than just internal
reform. If the NYPD wants the
public’s trust back, it must involve
the public on transforming
the NYPD to better serve
the city.
That’s not just a gubernatorial
mandate; that’s been a
long-ignored cry from New
Yorkers.
Gjonaj participates
in Unity Town Hall
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