NYPD to Launch New Quality of Life Division

Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced that the New York Police Department will be forming a new Quality of Life Division. The new division will unite officers from various existing community-oriented roles, including neighborhood coordination officers, youth coordination officers, and traffic safety officers into a citywide effort to address quality-of-life concerns. The Quality of Life Division will roll out in phases, beginning with pilots in five precincts and one housing Police Service Area, before expanding to other commands.

NYC Council Passes and Introduces Legislation     

Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council passed a bill requiring a citywide bathroom strategy, and a bill requiring the Parks Department to develop criteria for prioritization of tree maintenance. Legislation was also passed adding new provisions to the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act. The Council also introduced legislation requiring the City to conduct an infrastructure risk study in flood risk areas, along with a bill expanding the categories of businesses that can be subject to commercial organic waste disposal rules.  You can find all of the legislation that was passed and introduced here.

City Council Budget Negotiation Team

Two members of the New York City Council, Selvena Brooks-Powers and Lynn Schulman, have been removed from the Budget Negotiation Team. Both Brooks-Powers and Schulman recently endorsed Andrew Cuomo for Mayor over Speaker Adams. The Budget Negotiation Team, which is appointed by the Speaker, is responsible for deliberating the budget on behalf of the City Council with the Mayor’s team. Mayor Adams’ new First Deputy Mayor, Randy Mastro, stated that, “the Speaker has misused her city position for her own personal interest.”