This article is part 3 of “New York's Crisis,” a series examining the impact of public policy on the city's already strained housing, law enforcement, and drug services.read parts One and two.
NEW YORK CITY — A 39-year law enforcement veteran says New Yorkers live in fear of being attacked by brazen criminals on the subway and on the streets, even as city leaders boast of a decline in crime. Told.
“There's a sense of anarchy, a sense of decay, and what I like to call palpable fear,” says the retired NYPD sergeant. Pete Panuccio told Fox News. “These are things that can't be quantified, but people are feeling scared again.”
See more FOX News Digital Originals here
New York City leaders have touted a decline in crime since a historically bloody 2020, which saw the highest number of murders since 2011, among other violent crimes, the report said. New York City Police Department Data. But Panuccio blamed tolerant and progressive policies for a culture of illegality that exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted ever since, leaving residents worried as crime remains high. He said that
“People are afraid to go out into the city late at night,” Panuccio said.
A 39-year-old New York City police officer says city officials are touting recent crime declines but ignoring the large crime increases that remain since the pandemic. The “palpable fear” New Yorkers feel cannot be quantified, he added. (Fox News/Tenny Sahakian/Megan Meyers)
Mayor Eric Adams touted the reduction in crime at a Jan. 3 rally. public security addressThese include a 12% decline in homicides and a 25% decline in mass shootings from 2022 to 2023. He added that “New Yorkers are breathing easier” thanks to the administration's efforts to reduce crime.
But Panuccio said those numbers mask the truth and show crime levels before the pandemic.
“City Hall allows you to play the numbers game all day long, which I really like,” Panuccio said. “Compared to 2019, the spike in crime is alarming.”
“There's a sense of disorder, a sense of decay, and what I like to call palpable fear. Those are things that can't be quantified.”
Although crime has been on the decline since the pandemic, some crimes, such as murder, are still increasing significantly, with a 21% increase at the end of last year compared to 2019, according to statistics. New York City Police Department Data. Robberies and felonies increased by 26% and 35%, respectively, and auto thefts nearly tripled.
New York crisis: 94-year-old vet struggles to move forward after being kicked out of nursing home and replaced by immigrants
More than two-thirds of New Yorkers say crime is a serious problem in their community and are worried they will be the next victim of crime, according to a research report. Stated. Siena University Research Institute Public Opinion Poll Published in July. More than 40% feel threatened by the behavior of strangers in public.
Although crime has been on the decline since 2020, many crimes remain high compared to pre-pandemic levels. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York crisis: Mother flinches at safe injection site set up across from school: 'Our baby is there'
When it comes to crime in the city, “the numbers are garbage,” Panuccio said. “People are scared. You can't put a number on it.”
Panuccio joined the NYPD in 1981 and spent 25 years in the Detective Bureau and several years in the field of narcotics investigations. However, he became dissatisfied with New York's progressive policies and resigned on July 30, 2020, after seeing social justice protests in the city turn into riots with mass destruction and looting.
The longtime police officer told Fox News that the current culture of fear gripping the Big Apple is reminiscent of the 1980s, when crime was rampant across the city at historic highs.
“We're cleaning up the city. We've been doing it for 20 years,” Panuccio said. “Now we're back to that feeling where people feel like the streets are out of control again. People felt safe and now they're feeling scared again.”
Hundreds of looters robbed and destroyed stores across New York City after the killing of George Floyd. A former NYPD officer says a culture of lawlessness born of liberal policies has allowed violence and vandalism to continue on the largest scale he's ever seen. (Related news organizations)
One woman, Paula Gavioli, said: new york post In July, she fled the Big Apple for New Jersey to escape crime. She said she no longer feels safe without pepper spray, which she always carries in her purse.
“Everything stems from public safety in New York City. Without public safety, there would be no city.”
Another New York woman, Marjorie Mann, said she felt uneasy riding the subway or walking down the street alone.
“I feel more unsafe than ever when I'm in public,” Mann told NYP. “People seem to be looking for a fight a little more than they used to. It seems like people are angry and looking for an excuse to break it up.”
Panuccio said he felt a similar sense of fear in the 1980s, when crime was rampant, but he saw the fear subside over the next decade as city officials became tougher on crime under Republican Mayor Rudy Guiliani. He said he watched over him.
Panuccio, a 39-year veteran of the NYPD, said as long as Democrats remain in power and the culture of illegality persists, New Yorkers will remain fearful. (Fox News/Megan Myers/Tenny Sahakian)
“The biggest problem and what saved New York City in the '90s was public safety,” he said. “Everything stems from public safety in New York City. Without public safety, there would be no city.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Mr. Panuccio accused progressive politicians of condoning crime, fostering a culture of lawlessness, and promoting anti-crime policies that created fear felt by New Yorkers. He said real change won't happen until Democrats are out of power.
“New York City is a captive city captured by progressives,” Panuccio said. “So many people gave their lives to make this city a safer place. Everything was washed away.”
Adams' office responded to Fox News' request for comment, noting that crime has declined under his administration. Neither the NYPD nor the New York City Council Progressive Caucus responded to requests for comment.
