Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 9:30 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Public Safety
The Committee on Public Safety held its FY2027 preliminary budget hearing covering the NYPD ($6.7B), five District Attorneys, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the CCRB, and MOCJ ($8.3B total). NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch testified on record-low shootings in 2025, the Bronx patrol borough split (adding ~200 officers), overtime reduction of $144M, hate crime response, and a new applicant hiring panel. Council members pressed on headcount vs. 2001 levels, Bronx crime upticks in 2026, school safety agent and 911 operator vacancies, and sanctuary city compliance. The five DAs requested funding for discovery, hate crimes prosecution, community justice centers, and alternatives to incarceration. CCRB requested a $36M budget increase to eliminate its case-closing policy. Public testimony focused on public defender underfunding ($100M request), reentry services restoration ($24.6M), and non-police mental health crisis response.
0:10 Works now. Good morning an
0:10 dwelcome to today's New York
0:11 City Council hearing on the
0:13 committee on public safety at
0:14 this time, please silence all
0:16 that try to devices and no 1
0:19 approach today's
0:20 . No approach the dais chair.
0:21 You begin. Thank you. Good
0:28 morning, everyone. I am
0:30 Council Member Oswald Feliz,
0:31 of the committee on public
0:33 safety. Welcome to the
0:35 preliminary budget hearing for
0:36 fiscal year 20 27. Thes
0:39 ehearings as we know can go on
0:41 for 10 hours, if not more so
0:42 make sure to have your coffee.
0:44 Ready, everybody. It'll be a
0:45 long hearing that I looked
0:46 very forward to before I
0:47 provide my opening statement
0:48 .I'll pass it on to our very
0:50 own speaker Julie Menin her
0:52 opening.
0:52 Statement. Thank you so much
0:54 chair and good morning,
0:56 commissioner. We're delighted
0:57 to see you and we appreciate
0:58 you and your whole leadership
1:00 team being here today and I
1:01 want to thank chair Feliz for
1:03 his leadership and this very
1:06 important hearing. We're her
1:07 etoday to discuss the nypd
1:09 point $7 billion preliminary
1:12 budget for fiscal year 20 27,
1:15 which supports 48874 and
1:18 personnel
1:19 . Beyond getting a clearer
1:20 picture of what resources are
1:22 needed and available for the
1:24 department's day to day
1:25 operating needs we'd like t
1:26 ohear about some of the
1:29 administration's recent budget
1:30 changes to the department.
1:33 In this preliminary plan,
1:34 the administration removed
1:35 funding that would have added
1:38 5000 uniformed officers to the
1:39 nypd's head count over the
1:41 next four years. And although
1:43 the department budget and head
1:44 count have remained stable,
1:45 the council wants t
1:47 ounderstand how you balance
1:49 your existing resources with
1:52 the nypd's responsibilities of
1:53 keeping New yorkers safe as it
1:56 stands the department's hea
1:57 dcount of roughly 35000
1:59 officers is far fewer than its
2:01 head count was on September 1
2:04 12001 yet the City has grown
2:07 considerably over the past 2
2:10 5years. Another issue we're
2:10 interested in learning about
2:12 more is about how the
2:12 department is working to
2:14 protect New yorkers from
2:16 religious and hate motivated
2:18 incidents at a time of
2:19 increased hate crimes and
2:21 recent threats to houses of
2:25 worship the nypd plays a vital
2:26 role in responding to hate
2:28 crimes and protecting every
2:30 community across our City
2:32 would also like to get a
2:33 better understanding of a
2:35 recent change in how the
2:36 department keeps track of
2:38 incidents of hate as we know
2:40 the department's ability to
2:42 respond proactively to the
2:42 city's needs instead of
2:46 reactively is determined in
2:46 large part by its budget, that
2:48 is why myself cheerful leaves
2:50 in our colleagues on the
2:51 public safety committee have a
2:52 range of issues and questions
2:54 that we would like to get
2:55 clarity on today again. Thank
2:57 you for being here and for
2:58 your commitment to our City
3:00 into its safety. I now want to
3:01 pass it back to chair felice.
3:05 Thank you, speaker man in.
3:08 Thank you so much for your
3:08 ing statement today will
3:10 discuss the different
3:11 budgetary priorities for the
3:12 police department, our
3:14 district attorneys. The
3:15 special narcotics prosecutor,
3:16 the civilian complaint review
3:17 board at the mayor's office
3:20 for criminal justice to
3:21 understand how the
3:23 administration's proposal for
3:24 four agencies that a key role
3:25 on the issue of safety are
3:26 achieving that mission, we'll
3:30 also hear from the public and
3:31 of course as well as the
3:33 public would like to welcome
3:34 the leadership of these
3:35 agencies who play a crucial
3:36 role in keeping our
3:37 communities to save
3:40 . The fiscal 20 27 preliminary
3:42 budget plan includes $8.3
3:46 billion supporting 54644
3:48 positions across all agencies
3:52 .there are many important
3:52 budget action in this plan
3:53 through your testimony, we
3:55 hope to better understand them
3:56 and the impact they have on
3:57 the issue of public safety as
4:00 we consider these things will
4:02 also be looking at existing
4:04 initiatives and evaluating
4:05 their contributions to the
4:06 progress that we have made.
4:10 Now a few points on the
4:10 agencies that will be
4:12 testifying today. First, our
4:14 very own nypd.
4:15 We're thankful for the work
4:17 and sacrifices that police
4:18 officers make for the City
4:19 every single day to keep New
4:24 yorkers safe public safety I
4:24 sa shared responsibility, we
4:25 achieve it with good schools,
4:27 good jobs and opportunities
4:27 and our communities. Police
4:30 officers played an important
4:31 role in this issue, they help
4:32 ensure that residents can
4:34 engage in these activities
4:36 school work opportunity
4:37 without having to worry about
4:38 their safe that we're thankful
4:39 for the sacrifices that they
4:40 make every single day their
4:44 dedication and commitment t
4:45 othe City does not go unnoticed
4:46 , including when they risk
4:47 their lives to remove guns
4:49 from our streets, including in
4:49 the community that I represent
4:51 in the.
4:52 Bronx or as we saw three
4:53 weeks ago when police officers
4:55 ran towards an ignited device
4:56 that was thrown to harm others
4:58 at a peaceful protest. They
5:01 risked their own lives without
5:03 dfor that. Now on today, I look
5:09 forward to hearing and
5:11 learning about many topics,
5:13 including nypd count
5:14 recruitment and retention
5:16 strategies over time spending
5:19 habits, savings initiatives
5:21 response time capital project
5:23 and more encoding many of
5:26 policy issues that I'll be
5:27 asking about based on the data
5:28 that I've reviewed, it seems
5:29 like we've made some progress
5:30 on some of these topics
5:32 ,including overtime progress
5:33 that we look forward to
5:34 hearing about but progress
5:35 that we look forward t
5:36 oworking to take even further
5:40 .additionally, we've made
5:41 progress on the issue of crime
5:42 20 25 was the safest year on
5:44 many issues, including on the
5:45 issue of gun violence with the
5:47 lowest shootings in recorded
5:50 history. We've made progress,
5:51 but that progress is not
5:52 reaching every community w
5:54 ewant to learn why it's
5:57 especially now reaching our
5:58 most vulnerable communities,
5:59 for example, this year in New
6:00 York City has seen
6:02 approximately 42 murders and
6:03 almost half of those murders
6:04 have been in the bronx,
6:06 specifically 42 citywide and
6:08 19 of those have been in the
6:10 bronx. The same is true for
6:13 shootings.
6:14 New York City has seen
6:14 approximately 113 shootings
6:15 and approximately half of
6:17 those or specifically 48 hav
6:18 ealso been in the
6:19 . Bronx. We look forward t
6:21 odiscussing this and learnin
6:22 gabout steps that we're taking
6:24 to ensure that the safety
6:25 related progress that we're
6:26 making reaches every community
6:30 we also look forward to
6:31 discussing additional areas
6:32 that seemed to nina attention,
6:33 including the hiring and
6:35 retaining of school safety
6:37 agents and I want operators
6:40 . Now on a ccrb mark the
6:42 chutes, phonies and the
6:43 narcotics prosecutor who will
6:44 testify today. I'm eager to
6:46 hear how the ccrb has carried
6:47 out its mission with a
6:49 restricted budget and the
6:50 budget requests submitted by
6:53 the board. Additionally, I'm
6:54 excited to learn about the
6:55 priorities of our days and the
6:57 special narcotics prosecutor
6:59 while addressing offers this
7:01 parodies alternative to
7:04 incarceration policies
7:04 , discovery funding added
7:05 decisions that are vital t
7:07 olowering and incarcerated
7:11 population. And finally I look
7:12 forward to discussing how mark
7:13 . Jane, is this is supporting
7:13 alternatives to incarceration
7:17 and reentry services at every
7:18 level of the criminal justice
7:20 system in their efforts to
7:22 increase public safety and
7:24 achieve this city's required
7:26 goal of closing rikers island,
7:30 there are many important
7:31 budget actions in this plan
7:31 and we look forward and hope
7:33 to better understand them and
7:34 the impact that they have on
7:35 public safety. I look forward
7:37 to a productive conversations
7:39 today and on the days ahead. I
7:43 also want to thank our public
7:44 safety committee staff for
7:45 their hard work, our financial
7:48 analysts owen kotowski and
7:51 lives king, our policy analyst
7:54 child benjamin committee
7:55 counsels jeremy white men and
7:55 josh kingsley and I also want
7:56 to thank my own stuff, my
7:58 chief of staff is and my
8:01 legislative director for all
8:02 the work that they've put in
8:03 preparing this hearing. I also
8:06 want to thank members from
8:07 your team commissioner,
8:08 including your chief and your
8:11 community affairs deputy
8:12 commissioner. All the faster
8:13 we've been extremely helpful
8:14 as well as everybody else or
8:16 others who have been very
8:16 helpful with ensuring that
8:18 we're being as productive as
8:19 possible on all the issues
8:20 that we work on together.
8:24 I'd also like to recognize
8:24 council members who have
8:27 joined today council members
8:32 hank's car, shulman and
8:34 carnations and Felder.
8:37 Ah and Council Member long
8:43 as well.
8:43 And without said. Oh, like
8:45 to welcome commissioner
8:46 .attention and her team will
8:46 hear from first, I'll now pass
8:48 it back to the committee
8:49 counsel for a few procedural
8:57 items.
8:57 And we'll be hearing from
8:59 the police commissioner
9:06 jessica tisch
9:07 , ryan, michael herbert, alex
9:13 kron, tanya kinsella and
9:16 michael lip petrie. Mmm, mmm.
9:21 Mmm. Can you all just raise
9:22 your right hand and just
9:22 repeat after me. I affirm t
9:23 otell the truth, the whole
9:24 truth and nothing but the
9:25 truth and to answer honestly,
9:27 the Council Member questions
9:28 for what you do, you go ahead
9:30 and say you're testimony.
9:30 Thank you so much.
9:38 Good morning speaker manager
9:39 , police and members of the
9:40 City Council committee on
9:41 public safety. I am jessica
9:43 tisch, of the New York City
9:44 police department. I am joined
9:45 at the table today by our
9:47 chief of department mike petry
9:49 , our first deputy
9:50 commissioner tanya kinsella,
9:51 our deputy commissioner of
9:52 management and budget Chris
9:54 street, christine ryan, ou
9:54 rdeputy commissioner of legal
9:57 matters, michael gerber and
9:58 deputy commissioner strategic
9:59 initiatives. Alex crone. I am
10:01 also joined here today by the
10:02 full executive staff of the
10:03 New York City police
10:05 department so that we answer
10:07 your questions as
10:09 transparently and as
10:09 comprehensively as possible.
10:12 Thank you for the opportunity
10:13 to testify this morning on the
10:15 nypd fiscal year 20 27
10:18 preliminary budget and t
10:19 oshare with you. The remarkable
10:20 work of the men and women of
10:21 the New York City police
10:23 department throughout my 1
10:24 8years in government. I have
10:26 always enjoyed a strong and
10:28 collaborative working
10:29 relationship with the council
10:30 and I expect that to continu
10:32 eat our last budget hearings I
10:34 laid out my vision for this
10:37 department. I spoke about the
10:38 immediate need to restore the
10:39 public's trust through strong
10:41 ethical leadership, I
10:42 announced sweeping changes t
10:44 othe nypd's organizational
10:45 structure I presented plans
10:46 for New operational units and
10:48 department wide initiatives
10:50 created to meet the demands of
10:52 modern policing and respond to
10:53 the needs of real New yorkers
10:55 and I detailed the dynamic,
10:57 data driven strategy to fight
10:58 crime and to reduce violence
11:00 in our neighborhoods and on
11:03 our subways in 20 25. Tha
11:03 tstrategy and the cops who
11:05 executed it so brilliantly
11:08 made public safety history
11:09 ,and we did not just break
11:10 records. We shattered them
11:12 last year in New York City had
11:14 the fewest shooting incidents
11:15 ever recorded with 66 fewer
11:17 shootings than the previous
11:18 low set in 20 18 with just 3
11:22 5shooting citywide in we set a
11:23 record for the fewest
11:25 shootings in a single month
11:28 ever the number of people shot
11:29 in New York City also fell to
11:30 a historic low last year,
11:32 beating the record set in 2
11:34 018 by more than 40 victims
11:36 ,every City borough, including
11:39 the bronx saw double digit
11:41 percent reductions in gun
11:43 violence in 20 25, and this
11:47 success has carried over into
11:49 20 26 for the first two month
11:50 sthis year, the nypd has
11:52 delivered the fewest shooting
11:53 incident she was shooting
11:55 victims and murders over that
11:58 time period in recorded
12:01 history. These historic
12:02 reductions drove an overall
12:03 decline of nearly 6% in majo
12:05 decreases in every borough led
12:12 by the bronx, which is at an
12:15 11% crime decreased this year
12:19 so far included in that
12:20 overall crime decline was a
12:24 20% reduction in citywide
12:25 burglaries, retail theft fell
12:27 14% citywide last year wit
12:28 hmore than half of all
12:32 shoplifting complaints
12:32 ,resulting in an arrest, the
12:33 highest rate since 20 19 in
12:36 retail theft has continued its
12:38 steep decline in 20 26 falling
12:41 by more than 20% year to dat
12:45 ethis progress extended into
12:46 our transit system in 20 25
12:48 ,which is the safest year on
12:50 our subways since 2009,
12:53 excluding the pandemic years
12:54 ,and I am pleased to repor
12:56 tthat right now in calendar
12:58 year 20 26. We are on pace
13:01 with those record 20 2
13:05 5numbers and 20 26 has been the
13:06 safest start to any year on
13:09 record in our public housing
13:12 developments with shooting
13:13 incidents shooting victims,
13:15 murders and robberies, falling
13:16 to all time lows. Much of this
13:19 is the result of a crime
13:20 fighting plan that I detailed
13:21 at this hearing last year, our
13:23 violence reduction zones. This
13:25 idea is simple. Don't just get
13:26 tough on crime gets smart,
13:28 find out where and when are
13:29 cops are needed most and put
13:33 them there it is precision
13:34 policing in the modern age
13:36 using powerful analytics t
13:37 odevelop a focused and a data
13:39 driven strategy that are cops
13:42 can execute the resulting plan