Cuomo Proposes Public Safety Plan to Restore Order and Save Our City
Key Proposals Include Increasing Police Presence by 15 Percent, Enacting Precision Policing, Cracking Down on Retail Theft, and Strategic Reforms
New Yorkers deserve to feel secure in their neighborhoods, on the streets, and in the subways. My plan brings discipline, accountability, and leadership to policing while respecting civil liberties and rebuilding trust in our communities.
Details on Governor Cuomo’s Public Safety Plan Can Be Found Here
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, a candidate for mayor of New York City, today unveiled his Public Safety Plan that aims to restore safety, order, and civility for all New Yorkers. The blueprint focuses on increasing our police presence by hiring 15 percent new officers, enforcing quality-of-life laws that have been ignored, and implementing strategic reforms to strengthen the city’s criminal justice system.
"Public safety is the foundation upon which everything else is built and yet our city is in crisis because there are not enough cops on the beat or enforcement in the streets,” Governor Cuomo said. “New Yorkers deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods, out in public, and in the subways. My plan balances toughness with discipline, while still prioritizing the trust of communities to ensure that we respect all citizens and their civil rights.”
Key Components of Governor Cuomo’s Public Safety Plan:
Hire More Police Officers – With the NYPD experiencing an all time low of attrition in 2024, Governor Cuomo’s Public Safety Plan builds off of Mayor Dinkins administration’s Safe Streets/Safe Cities initiative, which proposes adding 5,000 officers to the city’s police force. The added workforce will then be deployed to increase neighborhood patrol, allow for better rapid emergency response, deploy police officers to precision policing, and will enhance community engagement. With more police officers in the community and on the street, it will allow New York City to restore subway safety by redeploying officers, and cracking down on fare evasion.
Tackling the Mental Health Crisis – With the city battling a mental health crisis, it is critical that the city expands involuntary commitment for individuals suffering from severe mental illness, Governor Cuomo’s plan proposes key changes to ensure that those experiencing a mental health crisis will receive necessary and compassionate care. This will provide for individuals who are struggling while ensuring that our city has safe streets and subways.
Improve Court Efficiency and Restore Our Criminal Justice System – Following the COVID pandemic, the justice system suffered a backlog of tens of thousands of pending cases. Governor Cuomo’s plan addresses the tedious and antiquated court system that is leaving New Yorkers without access to a speedy trial. To address the issue the proposal includes appointing and electing more judges, streamlining court procedures, investing in court technology such as digital filing and remote hearing capabilities, and increasing resources for prosecutors to clear case backlogs. By updating our technology, we are able to centralize data that is split between the Office of Court Administration, independent elected District Attorneys, NYPD, and will be able to identify individuals who are cycling through the court system, allowing us to identify if an individual is eligible for bail due to their status.
Leverage Technology to Make the City Safer – New York City must harness advanced technology to enhance crime prevention, law enforcement efficiency, and public safety. Expanding surveillance tools like license plate readers (LPRs) and drones can improve crime tracking and real-time situational awareness, while automated body camera activation enhances police accountability. Optimizing the 911 system with AI-driven call management and real-time video tools can streamline emergency response allowing for better community engagement. The plan's proposal of a strategic IT roadmap will modernize NYPD operations, breaking down data silos and providing actionable insights for decision-makers, fostering a safer, more responsive city.
Governor Cuomo's Public Safety Plan builds on his proven track record as governor, where he enacted the nation’s strongest gun laws, expanded DNA databases to solve violent crimes, and led major public safety initiatives, including funding 500 new MTA officers to enhance transit security.
Throughout his career in public service, Governor Cuomo has been a champion for working New Yorkers. He raised wages for millions of workers, passed the strongest gun violence prevention and paid family leave laws in the nation, advanced the most substantial infrastructure program in a generation, including the Second Avenue Subway, the Moynihan Train Hall, the new Kosciuszko Bridge and the new JFK and LaGuardia airports and codified Roe vs. Wade in state law years before the Supreme Court overturned it, all while cutting taxes and reining in spending.
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