Int. No. 66-A

By Council Members Cumbo, the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams), Gibson, Cabrera, Brannan, Powers, Levine, Lander, Dinowitz, Brooks-Powers, Adams, Riley, Levin, Rosenthal, Kallos, Menchaca, Louis, Moya, Koslowitz, Ampry-Samuel, Rose, D. Diaz and Feliz

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to establishing an office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. The New York city charter is amended by adding a new section 13-f to read as follows:

§ 13-f  Office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence. a. The mayor shall establish an office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence. Such office may, but need not, be established in the executive office of the mayor and may be established as a separate office within any other office of the mayor. Such office shall be headed by a director who shall be appointed by the mayor. For the purposes of this section, the term "director" means the director of the office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence.

b. The purpose of the office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence shall be to address gun violence and public safety holistically, using an approach that considers socioeconomic and public health factors and seeks to address the root causes of violence by:

1. Developing and implementing trauma-informed responses to incidents of gun violence in geographic areas designated by the mayor;

2. Creating and distributing educational materials on conflict resolution and the prevention of gun violence;

3. Analyzing socioeconomic and public health challenges that include, but are not limited to, gun violence, mental health and economic opportunity; 

4. Developing and implementing programs, initiatives and strategies that respond to the socioeconomic and public health challenges that impact public safety and the quality of life; and

5. Developing and implementing programs, initiatives and strategies that increase community empowerment and engagement.

c. The director of the office for neighborhood safety and the prevention of gun violence shall have the power and the duty to:

1. Advise and assist the mayor in planning, developing and coordinating efforts among agencies under the jurisdiction of the mayor to prevent gun violence and enhance neighborhood safety in geographic areas designated by the mayor, elected officials and other interested groups and individuals. These efforts shall be holistic and employ an approach, based on socioeconomic and public health considerations, that addresses the root causes of violence. Such efforts may include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of programs, initiatives and strategies that:

(a) have the goal of reducing and preventing violence, including but not limited to gun violence;

(b) are designed to co-create public safety with and empower communities;

(c) are designed to enhance trust within communities; and

(d) are focused on supporting and strengthening the capacity of local community-based organizations and service providers. Such support and strengthening shall include the provision of services and programs designed to assist such organizations and service providers in developing the competencies and skills that improve their ability to fulfill their missions;

2. Create and implement a crisis management system for the city’s response to incidents of gun violence in geographic areas designated by the mayor, applying the approach described in subdivision b of this section.  Such system’s responses to incidents of gun violence shall include, but are not limited to:

(a) The strategic deployment of violence interrupters to the geographic area affected by incidents of gun violence;

(b) Coordination of trauma-informed services to the geographic area affected by incidents of gun violence;

(c) Coordination of trauma-informed services to the family and close contacts of the victims of incidents of gun violence; and

(d) Such other support as the director, at the request of the mayor, may deem necessary for an appropriate response to incidents of gun violence;

3. Work with elected officials, other interested groups and individuals, and members of communities in geographic areas designated by the mayor, to identify and develop programs, initiatives and strategies to enhance neighborhood safety by increasing community empowerment and engagement;

4. At the request of the mayor, review the budget requests of all agencies for programs related to neighborhood safety, recommend budget priorities among such programs and assist the mayor in prioritizing and implementing such requests;

5. No later than April 1, 2023 and no later than each April 1 of every year thereafter, the office shall provide to the speaker of the council and post on the office’s website a report discussing gun violence prevention and neighborhood safety goals and concerns throughout the city, as well as the activities of the office during the previous calendar year, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) identification of neighborhoods or populations within the city that are particularly vulnerable to gun violence and other crimes which the office deems relevant to its mission;

(b) information and metrics related to each programmatic initiative of the office, including initiatives conducted in partnership with other offices, agencies, and community-based organizations;

(c) information and metrics relating to the strategic outcomes and impacts of the work of the office, including outcomes and impacts that are indicative of neighborhood safety. Such factors may include, but are not limited to, quality of life and public health assessments, and rates and impacts of crime, including but not limited to, crimes involving guns;

(d) assessment of the availability and efficacy of various resources and services needed to support or enhance the work of the office and related outcomes, and recommendations for the improvement of such resources and services; and

6. Perform such other duties as the mayor may assign.

d. The director shall conduct a public information and outreach campaign designed to address the prevention of gun violence and the importance of conflict resolution. Such outreach shall at a minimum include (i) identifying community outreach partners, stakeholders and opportunities; and (ii) distributing materials and resources. The department shall consult with individuals and organizations with expertise in conflict resolution and the prevention of gun violence in the development of such public information and outreach campaign.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 30 days after it becomes law; provided, however, that subdivision d of section 13-f of the New York city charter, as added by section one of this local law, shall take effect 1 year after it becomes law.

DA (2017)/MMB (2018)

LS # 6781/Int. 1470-2017

NEW LS # 1011

12/07/2021_4:07PM