NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the details of her $45 million proposal to fight retail theft including a new “smash and grab” police task force, during the 600th daily meeting of the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership conference on Wednesday.
“Public safety is my top priority, and I won’t rest until every New Yorker feels safe on our streets, subways and storefronts,” Hochul said. “Over the past three years we’ve made incredible progress on driving down violent crime and fighting the scourge of gun violence. Now, we’re using those same strategies to take on the quality-of-life issues like retail theft and property crime.”
Hochul explained that she will be utilizing the tools used in the interstate task force on illegal guns in 2021, for the proposed plan to fight retail theft.
According to Hochul’s statement, from 2017 to 2023 larceny offenses rose by more than 50% in New York City.
The plan includes the launch of the Retail Theft Joint Operation with all levels of law enforcement to combat retail theft and property crimes. The joint operation would be coordinating law enforcement responses similar to the interstate task force on illegal guns.