(CBS News) – Police began a major effort Monday to combat a spike in violent crime in New York City.
For the first time in nearly two decades, the latest crime statistics show shootings in the city are up for the second straight year.
“As we expect, when the warm weather comes, we see an increase in certain crimes,” Chief of Department James O’Neill said earlier this month. “We’re struggling with homicides and shootings.”
To help change that, the department is launching its “Summer All Out” program a full month ahead of schedule.
Under the program, 330 police officers will leave administrative duties to patrol 10 precincts where shootings and murders are up.
Areas targeted include the 81st precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the 44th precinct in the Bronx, the 73rd precinct in Brownsville, the 52nd precinct in the Bronx and the 67th precinct in East Flatbush.
In addition to certain precincts, the program also targets high crime housing complexes. Participating officers will patrol during peak crime shifts of 4 a.m. to midnight and midnight to 8 a.m.
The launch comes amid a nearly 19.5 percent spike in murders from this time last year.
“We have the right approach for turning the tide and in that, we will get a lot of guns away from the bad guys,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
CBS2’s Diane Macedo asked people in East New York, Brooklyn what they thought of the initiative.
“More cops make it more safe,” one man said.
“I think it’s great to have more officers out because there’s a lot of things going on now,” said another woman.
“I think it’s really helpful because lately I’ve really noticed a lot of crimes and a lot of incidents happening,” said East New York resident Nathaniel Talavera.
But some residents say the city needs to do more.
“They need to put more stop-and-frisk because there a lot of young people running around with guns in their hands and stuff like that,” one woman said. “They really, really need to bring it back.”
“You removed stop-and-frisk and it has not worked,” said Natasha Christopher, whose 14-year-old son Akeal died in a shooting. “There are more children dying, there are parents burying their children when it shouldn’t be happening.”
Others disagree.
“They stopped and frisked me and it didn’t make me feel any type of way, like ‘oh let me think twice before I do something,’” said Rahshawn Gilmore of East New York. “It was just like, ‘Why are you trying to incriminate me?’ I live in this neighborhood for more than 17 years and it’s like somebody new just approaching me out of nowhere.”
Last year, the number of shooting victims dropped 26 percent in targeted areas.
Police have emphasized that crime overall, including property crime and assault, is down six percent so far this year.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/06/08/nypds-summer-all-out/
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