NYPD Commissioner Shea Says Crime will only be Stopped by Increased Arrests, not the Vaccine

By Yehudit Garmaise

    The NYPD reports a surge in gun violence that the department has not seen in 14 years.

    Shootings have increased by nearly 96% in the first eleven months of this year. November saw 115 shootings, which is a 112% increase from last November.

   The police also reported 28 murders last month, which is a 38% increase in homicides in New York City.

   Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told NY1 that the NYPD has been making a “staggering number of arrests,” but “four days later, those individuals are back on the street committing more gun violence.”

   What is causing this undeniable surge in crime?

  Mayor Bill de Blasio has consistently blamed the increase in crime directly on the pandemic and the loss of income, jobs, stability, temporary closure of schools and houses of worship.

   Just last week, the mayor said he thought the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine will somehow stop not just the pandemic, but the increase in crime in New York City, as well.

   But Shea said, “COVID is not going to be the end-all-be-all,” in terms of ending gun violence.

   Shea proposed that some New Yorkers reconsider their positions to stop jailing so many criminals. Some New Yorkers have the position that no criminals should be jailed at all. 

   “Until we come to that realization as a society — is this what we want?” Shea asked. “It’s good to have philosophical discussions about ‘end mass incarceration’ and ‘end incarceration’ but you don’t want to do it by turning the innocent public into jails in their own apartments and houses.”

    Shea has been consistent in his position that criminals should stay behind bars. For instance, the police commissioner criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo when he released prisoners onto the streets to avoid contracting COVID-19 in jail.

   “When you release all of these criminals onto the streets, what do you think is going to happen?” said Shea as the NYPD reported increasing spikes in rape, car thefts, and burglaries.

   In terms of package theft, which has also increased, Shea warned New Yorkers to take in their packages right away or to work together with neighbors to alternate taking in each other’s packages.

   "Try to be there when those packages arrive. Neighbors looking out for each other,” said Shea, who said that the NYPD is making many arrests of so-called “porch pirates:” people who steal packages. “If you're in a building with a super, try to have it behind locked doors. All of these things help.”