Enhancing community safety

The city also recorded 115 shootings last month, up 16.2 percent from the 99 shootings it logged in March 2021. Crimes motivated by victims' perceived sexual orientations rose to 10 compared to the three reported in March last year. Regardless, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the department would “continue to provide fair, effective and responsive policing that best reflects the needs of the communities we serve. But the NYPD needs the steadfast commitment of all its partners, pulling in the same direction, to realize our goal of public safety for every New Yorker."

For more than 70 years, the city’s leading partner in helping to reduce crime has been its auxiliary police, the nation’s largest such program. However, after attendance at basic training, unlike full-time regular police officers, there is no follow-up training provided by a regular field training police officer. Yet, the extra time spent is vital to ensure that the volunteers serving in auxiliary officer positions are not only well qualified but are also motivated to continue in the position.