Mayor Eric Adams defended the administration's policy of silencing the New York Police Department's radio communications to the public, noting that he did not want criminals to get hold of information that would jeopardize the safety of New Yorkers and first responders.
Six NYPD radio channels in the Bronx went dark on Monday as part of the department’s plan to update and encrypt their communication system by the end of 2024. This brought up a transparency concerns from reporters attending the mayor's regular Tuesday press conference.
“Just as a reporter picks up on this, I think we really underestimate how much time criminals spend in outsmarting police,” said Adams. “We don't want to give them more tools. They are slick. They are determined to hurt innocent New Yorkers and I'm determined to push back on them.”
The public availability of police radio communications allowed the Daily News to obtain information about the murder of Eric Garner in Staten Island in 2014, a reporter mentioned as one reason why the public needs to be able to listen to scanners.
Not all channels will be encrypted, according to NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner, as the department will attempt to strike a balance between “having some encrypted and some open.”
“One thing to keep clear is that the citywide stations are going to remain unencrypted. So a lot of the major jobs…Are going to be unaffected by this rollout to encrypted channels,” said Weiner. “This is not an all or nothing situation. People are very able to get information in real time through other means.”
Police scanners in parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island went silent in August 2023.
Meanwhile, the mayor said he was not ready to ban cell phones in public schools.
"We're a unique animal, trust me. And if you don't do it right, you won't get it right," he said.
The administration is still looking into who will pay for cell phone pouches and other best practices.
"How could it be done? There will be some action in the upcoming school year. But the extent of a full ban, we're not there yet," Adams said.
The administration also discussed the addition of new bike lanes to the southern portion of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint. Many cyclists and residents are upset that the current redesign didn't cut the number of lanes for cars on the busy street that has clocked 229 crashes with injuries from 2015 to 2019.
“Both sides are unhappy, but there's lots to be happy about the redesign,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “It adds bike lanes that weren't there before. They will be protected bike lanes through some of our most vulnerable hours, the evening hours, and also at our most vulnerable points, which are intersections.”
Sidewalk extenders were also installed and the bike lane now extends throughout the entire street. In the past, cyclists complained that many vehicles illegally parked cars in the bike lane.
The mayor also touted a lawsuit filed by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection against Way.com for aiding and abetting illegal parking companies.
“The app allowed unlicensed and dangerous parking garages and lots to operate on city streets and exploited consumers through deceptive practices,” said Adams. “We made it clear it's not going to be tolerated and we took the appropriate action.”
The suit states the company has helped at least 46 illegal garages and parking lots for well over a year, mainly in the area surrounding John F. Kennedy International Airport. Through their listings on the site, the unlicensed garages gained market exposure and allowed innocent customers to book parking spots, giving a cut of the transaction to Way.com.
Commissioner Weiner also talked about the NYPD's first international liaison post in Bogota, Colombia, the department's first in South America. The NYPD's international liaison program helps the police understand challenges and threats from criminal organizations that may materialize in the city, she said.
Weiner also said some NYPD officers are now embedded with the Tucson Southern Border Intel Center.
