Dear New Yorkers,

Crime is down from its pandemic spike, and far below historic highs from the 80s and 90s, but New Yorkers are anxious.

Public perception of safety in our City has tanked:  Only 37% of New Yorkers rate safety in their neighborhood as excellent or good, down from 50% in 2017. And just 22% of New Yorkers feel safe riding the subway at night compared to 46% in 2017.

Of course, none of this is helped by the New York Police Department’s efforts to withhold information about its efficacy in solving crimes. As reported by Hell Gate, the NYPD has stopped reporting accurate clearance rates for crimes. In fact, until last Friday they hadn’t published any of this data since 2022. This is yet another example where better management is so needed in NYC right now.

Clearance rate numbers indicate how many reported crimes result in arrests, but the NYPD has been evasive about providing clear data on these rates. Under a 2017 law passed by the City Council, the NYPD is required to publish clearance data publicly – but the agency is dragging its feet and delaying.

Unfortunately, withholding basic information is nothing new for the NYPD – especially when it comes to surveillance technology. A recent report from the Department of Investigation's Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD (OIG-NYPD) highlights serious concerns about the NYPD's compliance with the POST Act.

The POST Act, which I co-sponsored as a City Council member, was enacted to protect our civil rights and liberties through greater transparency in the NYPD’s acquisition and deployment of new surveillance technology. However, the investigation reveals that the NYPD has not fully complied with these transparency requirements.

The public doesn't know the extent and nature of the NYPD’s surveillance practices – including for controversial technologies like Digidog, because the Department continues to group Digidog within an existing IUP, instead of issuing a separate IUP. This maneuver allows the Department to sneakily greenlight controversial technology without public notification and input.

Additionally, OIG-NYPD's report revealed that the NYPD introduced additional surveillance technologies – including K5, StarChase, IDEMIA, and others – via addenda in existing Impact and Use Policies (IUPs). However, these addenda to the IUPs are insufficient because they do not include all of the information required by the POST Act.

Transparency is critical to maintaining the balance between public safety and civil liberties. At the very least, OIG-NYPD is fulfilling its mission through the release of this report. As a City Council member, I introduced the Community Safety Act, which created the Office of the Inspector General.

But we need better management of the NYPD to keep New Yorkers safe – and just as important, instill the public trust we need to make New Yorkers feel secure in our City to ensure the City’s economic thriving.

The NYPD’s lack of transparency undermines public trust and hinders our ability to hold the department accountable for its performance. As your Comptroller, I am committed to advocating for a transparent and accountable police force.

Thanks,

Brad