L.L. 1991/011

Enactment date: 2/7/1991

Int. No. 583

By the Speaker (Council Member Vallone) and Council Members Berman, Eisland and Dryfoos (by the request of the Mayor); also Council Members Castaneira-Colon, Crispino, Lisa, Maloney, Michels, O'Donovan, Povman, Robles, Ward, Williams, Wooten, Alter, Horwitz and Cerullo

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the City of New York in relation to the accounting for revenues and expenditures associated with the safe streets - safe city omnibus criminal justice program

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section one. Declaration of legislative findings. The council hereby finds and declares that the rise in crimes against persons and property in New York city, compounded by an increased randomness of violence, has created a public safety emergency that requires an extraordinary governmental response.

In recognition of this emergency, the council and the mayor have formulated and agreed to fund an ambitious, but necessary, initiative known as the safe streets - safe city omnibus criminal justice program.

The program addresses the needs of the criminal justice system, first and foremost through the addition of over 8,000 police officers to the streets of the city. This will be accomplished through a reorganization of the police department that will enable the men and women of the combined police forces to police the streets of the city. Workload sharing with other city departments and the civilianization of the department will add 2,924 officers to patrol strength. Over the next six years, it is the intent of this program to hire an additional 2,873 officers to bring the number of uniformed positions in the New York city police department to 31,351. Additionally, funds will be provided to the New York city transit authority police department to civilianize the department and add officers so that by 1994 there will be a police officer on every train in this city between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Finally, the force of the New York city housing authority police department with the addition of 208 officers will rise to its all-time high.

The safe streets - safe city program will do much more. While more police officers will be hired, other needs of the criminal justice system will be addressed, including: enhancing prosecution capabilities, expanding jail capacity, improving probation services, and increasing funding for legal aid and alternatives to incarceration.

The program also addresses the need for initiatives that will prevent crime and protect those most vulnerable to crime. The council finds that the expansion of school security and after school programs in schools and libraries will provide protection and alternatives for young people. The expansion of employment training programs and senior citizen services are also integral components of a comprehensive solution to crime on our streets.

It is the declared intent of the council that the funds dedicated to the safe streets - safe city omnibus criminal justice program be used for the purposes outlined in section 5-603 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by section two of this local law. To ensure that this goal is realized, the council, through this legislation, is requiring an accounting of revenues and expenditures associated with this program and a public reporting as to the status of the implementation of the safe streets - safe city program.

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[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

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Section 3. This local law shall take effect immediately.