Don’t blame Covid for the increase in crime.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish spoke out on Monday against the criminal justice reforms put in place by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, attributing the current crime surge to those changes rather than the pandemic. This statement came as President Trump discussed the possibility of deploying the National Guard to New York City.
During a Citizens’ Budget Committee breakfast in Midtown, Tish suggested that the rise in criminal activity in the city correlates with the disruptions caused by Covid-19.
“When people say that, it really gets me,” Tish remarked. “The pandemic was tied to a significant change in criminal justice laws that went into effect on January 1, 2020.”
She added, “In my opinion, crime has increased due to the substantial changes in New York City’s criminal justice laws.”
Notably, these reforms raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18, and elements of these laws were pushed through by Cuomo before he stepped down.
“It’s absurd, and the outcomes are even more absurd,” she noted. “The number of child shooting victims has surged by 83% since these laws were enacted. Additionally, the number of children involved in shootings has nearly doubled in that time.”
After Mayor Eric Adams took office in 2022, crime rates in the city remained high, although recent trends show signs of decline. This summer, the city recorded significant drops in shootings, indicating some progress in major crime statistics.
Research consistently points to a correlation between the Covid pandemic and increases in crime in New York City and elsewhere in the U.S.
Tish acknowledged at the breakfast that the perception of rampant crime is hard to change but emphasized that the situation is still serious. “I want to be very clear. We’re not where we need to be,” she stated. “So, just because crime is falling doesn’t mean every category is improving.”
Tish has still called for Trump to send the National Guard to the city. Trump has previously deployed troops to other locations like Washington, DC, to respond to crime issues. However, Tish believes that the NYPD has the situation under control.
She reiterated this viewpoint, expressing concerns that the National Guard lacks the appropriate training to handle street crime and could cause more problems than solutions. “One of the big concerns I have about deploying the National Guard to New York City is the potential for disruption, which could be counterproductive,” Tish explained.
As a lifelong New Yorker, she expressed strong opposition to the militarization of the streets.
Tish suggested that a better partnership with the federal government could help address crime, especially regarding illegal firearms. “Some federal laws are really impressive,” she noted. “If there were more federal prosecutors, I could pursue more gun-related cases in the federal system.”
“Let’s focus on the right partnership with the federal government,” she continued. “The National Guard isn’t the solution to this issue.”
