Brooklyn now has quality-of-life officers from the NYPD: ‘It’s effective’

NYPD Expands Quality of Life Team Across Brooklyn

The NYPD has recently broadened its special quality of life unit to include all of Brooklyn, a move city officials celebrated as a success in addressing various “daily issues.” This announcement was made on Monday.

Since launching the initial “Q Team” in six police districts back in April, the unit has managed over 23,400 calls related to issues such as illegal mopeds, homelessness, drug-related disturbances, and noise complaints, according to Mayor Eric Adams and Officer Jessica Tish.

“This really represents a significant shift in our community service approach, and it’s proving effective,” Tish remarked.

The extended coverage will complement the team’s operations in Manhattan and the Bronx. Officials also noted that Queens is set to be included by August 11, with Staten Island following by August 18.

Data shows the initiative has notably improved non-emergency response times by an average of 47 minutes. Additionally, the special team has towed 640 vehicles deemed “destroyed” and confiscated 299 illegal e-bikes and scooters, according to the department.

“We understand that many people feel unsafe, which is why this quality of life initiative, the Q Team, is being rolled out citywide,” Adams stated.

He expressed confidence in the Brooklyn expansion, asserting that efforts to improve community safety must continue. This expansion was marked as completed last week.

Tish pointed out that the NYPD has traditionally focused sharply on crime, yet there has been a sharp increase in complaints about non-emergency issues over the past few years. From 2018 to 2024, panhandling complaints surged nearly 2,800%, calls about homeless encampments jumped over 500%, noise grievances nearly doubled, and illegal parking complaints rose by more than 200%.

“When we introduced the Living Quality Division earlier this year, our goal was straightforward but ambitious: to create a team dedicated to addressing local challenges that complicate everyday life for New Yorkers,” she explained.