Decline In NYPD Head Count A Concern For Kelly
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Despite a plunge in the city's crime numbers, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told City Council members Tuesday that a lack in funding will directly impact the department's head count and some of its initiatives. NY1's Lily Jamali filed the following report.When Ray Kelly testified before the City Council's public safety committee on Tuesday, chairman Peter Vallone Jr. warned the city could be facing what he called a perfect criminal storm. In the midst of an economic crisis, NYPD head count is dropping. But Kelly began with some good news.
"I am pleased to report that major felony crime in New York City continues to decline to new, historic lows," said Kelly.
Kelly said major crimes have dropped to about 23,000 so far this year -- about 14 percent lower than last year, with murders down 23 percent. While acknowledging the department has done well with the resources it has, Vallone said the 2008 numbers are cause for concern, even though they too showed a drop.
"They went down less than they've ever gone down in the six years I've been public safety chair. Two of the categories went up and misdemeanors went way up," said Vallone.
Kelly said head count in his department is expected to dip to around 35,500 by the end of June. By the end of next year, that figure could be even lower with fewer than 34,000 -- down from a high of 41,000 in 2001.
Kelly acknowledged the drop will affect Operation Impact, which the city has used to flood troubled neighborhoods with new officers.
"It's going to be affected. How much? We simply can't say," said Kelly.
But federal money could come to the rescue, funding projects like the Midtown Manhattan Security Initiative which Kelly introduced Tuesday. It's based on a similar effort in Lower Manhattan, where a network of license plate readers and public and private cameras feed security information to authorities.
"It's basically taking the concept of hardening Manhattan south of Canal Street and moving it up to the Midtown area as well," said Kelly.
If the department gets it, the federal money could pay for between 250 and 400 new police officers -- still a sliver compared to what Vallone says is necessary.
"Even with the federal stimulus money, we will not have anywhere near the amount of police officers we need to continue the war on crime," said Vallone.
The department is in the process of applying for the federal stimulus money. The deadline is in mid-April and the money could be in the department's hands by this summer.