Mayor Bill de Blasio and the State Courts yesterday unveiled a new initiative to intensify the NYPD’s ability to investigate shootings, gangs and illegal guns, and provide the resources necessary for judges to resolve illegal gun cases in six months or less.
Dubbed “Project Fast Track,” the announcement represents the first time in New York City history that the Mayor, law enforcement, and the court system have announced a unified plan to concentrate resources on the few street crews and gangs that drive the City’s remaining violent crime.
“New Yorkers in every neighborhood in this city are united in their desire for safe streets,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “To the few individuals responsible for New York City’s remaining gun violence, our message is clear: you will be found and you will be quickly prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
NYPD Commissioner William Bratton said the initiative will also include the NYPD’s new Gun Violence Suppression Division, and together with Project Fast Track, the goal is to identify, investigate, arrest and successfully prosecute people with illegal guns.
“Precision policing – efforts like our violence reduction task forces, gang takedowns, and our Summer All Out – has seen results. But precision policing has to be accompanied by precision prosecution. And that’s what we hope today’s announcement will achieve,” said Bratton.
The move comes as shooting incidents in the city have decreased 78 percent over the last 20 years, but there remains isolated shooting spikes in a few neighborhoods, making Project Fast Track necessary.
“In the face of illegal guns flooding many communities throughout Brooklyn, Project Fast Track is a meaningful and welcome step. I commend the Mayor and our District Attorney for their leadership…and [I] look forward to working together to ensure its success,” said Central Brooklyn Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.
In addition to heavier laws and increased investigation, appropriately sentencing defendants in illegal gun cases is a major priority for “Project Fast Track.” Currently, there are 203 defendants detained in City jails whose illegal gun case has been pending for longer than six months. For these cases, the average length of detention is 358.6 days. Resolving these cases within six months could safely reduce the average daily population in City jails by approximately 98 inmates.
“We love each other and our neighborhoods too much to allow a few bad actors with guns to continually shock our consciences and break our hearts. We must never return to the bad old days of rampant stop and frisk, but yes, let’s deal with legitimate cases fairly, quickly and transparently to give victims’ families closure and give New Yorkers’ greater safety and more hope for a peaceful future,” said Bedford-Stuyvesant City Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.
Sunset Park/Red Hook City Council Member Carlos Menchaca said the anti-gun-violence initiative is a timely commitment on behalf of the City as communities like Red Hook continues to suffer from sporadic gun violence.
“Coupled with federal executive action, the Mayor’s plan presents our communities the opportunity to once and for all take real control of gun violence, and to curb the number of deaths and injuries we see. I’m proud to stand proudly to denounce the use of guns on our streets,” said Menchaca.
Coney Island City Councilman Mark Treyger as someone who is very committed to ensuring we live in safe and prosperous communities, he knows firsthand that an all hands on deck approach is needed to deal with gun violence that plagues too many cities across the nation.
“As we wait for federal leaders to act, we have to make sure we are doing everything possible at the local level to get illegal guns off the streets and hold criminals accountable…There’s no question that more needs to be done, but every step in the right direction is a step worth taking,” said Treyger.
