Res. No. 514
Resolution calling on the Mayor and Police Commissioner to continue to devote resources and personnel to combating the number of murders in Brooklyn.
By Council Members James, Boyland, Gonzalez, Jennings, Recchia, Seabrook and Jackson
Whereas, According to Police Department data for the first six months of 2004, Brooklyn leads all the boroughs in the number of murders, 107, compared to 41 in Manhattan, 45 in Queens and 65 in the Bronx; and
Whereas, Although the number of murders in Brooklyn for the first half of 2004 is less than in 2003, as acknowledged by Mayor Bloomberg, “Brooklyn remains the higher crime, higher murder rate borough;” and
Whereas, Recently released police statistics mirror this sad fact; although murder is down in Patrol Borough Brooklyn South compared to 2003, the murder rate has increased by 12% in Patrol Borough Brooklyn North, from 65 murders in 2003 to 73 in 2004; and
Whereas, That Brooklyn has borne the brunt of this recent spike in homicides was reflected by events over the weekend of July 9 through July 11th, when of the 11 people murdered in the five boroughs, eight were killed in Brooklyn; and
Whereas, Both the Mayor and Police Commissioner have acknowledged this problem; in recent weeks the most dangerous precincts in the city, including the 67th, 70th, 71st, 73rd, 75th, 77th, 79th, 81st, 83rd and 90th in Brooklyn, have been flooded with additional police officers; and
Whereas, This infusion of police officers, according to the commissioner, will concentrate on making gun and drug arrests, enforcing warrants, and targeting known problem locations, such as illegal clubs, similar to Operation Neon Light in Time Square two years ago; and
Whereas, Such efforts, though vitally important, also require constant vigilance, as demonstrated by the shooting of a man in the East New York section of Brooklyn, who was killed in the 75th precinct on July 24, only a day after police increased patrols in that neighborhood; and
Whereas, The efforts of the New York City Police Department in combating this rise in murders is to be commended; however, resources and personnel must continue to focus on this issue, despite the attention that must also be paid to counter-terrorism efforts; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the city of New York calls on the Mayor and Police Commissioner to continue to devote resources and personnel to combating the number of murders in Brooklyn.
TB
LS#1441
8/3/04