• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • The power of teamwork
      Stay awake and alert on the job
      The worst rank in law enforcement
      Firearms maintenance
      Why fries need salt
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • NYC traffic enforcement agents demand body-worn cameras for...
        Law enforcement agencies across the country sound the alarm on...
        Good Samaritans come to California Highway Patrol officer’s aid...
        Biden awards Medal of Valor to nine first responders, including slain...
        Florida off-duty deputy rescues baby dolphin
    • Labor
      • Golden, Colorado, police to implement four-day workweek with 40 hours...
        Worcester police officers to receive annual stipend for new body worn...
        Southern California police agencies continue to face staffing...
        Phoenix City Council approves new police union contract with pay...
        Los Angeles County sheriff requests funding for recruitment, equipment
    • Tech
      • California sheriff’s department pays $1.1 million to cyber...
        Bay Area businesses embrace AI surveillance protection amid crime...
        California family tracks down and recovers stolen e-bike using Apple...
        Indianapolis law enforcement team up with legislators to fight...
        Peeling the onion
    • Training
      • Understanding privacy coins
        Unlock your potential
        Crisis intervention team training
        What’s the best way to train law enforcement leaders?
        Ohio police officer and father of autistic son launches autism...
    • Policy
      • Maryland passes bill prohibiting police stops based solely on smell...
        Tampa Bay police departments clarify approach to Florida immigration...
        DHS implements new body-worn camera policy to enhance transparency...
        Michigan lawmakers propose state fund for public safety and violent...
        House passes bill to deport immigrants who assault law enforcement...
    • Health/Wellness
      • Las Vegas Metro Police Department prioritizes mental health support...
        New Jersey's mental health initiative shows promise in reducing use...
        Massachusetts police agencies receive grant to support mental health...
        Peacekeeper Initiative offers support and healing for retired police...
        Serenity in the saddle
    • Community
      • Religious group unites with law enforcement to boost security at...
        Washington nonprofit connects law enforcement and community through...
        A catastrophic threat
        A symbol of hope
        A legacy never forgotten
    • Offbeat
      • Off-duty deputy nabs wanted fugitive in North Carolina grocery store
        Homeless man crashes stolen police car after failed robbery attempt
        Epic fail of a classic excuse: Colorado driver blames his dog for...
        Cowboy rescues runaway cow on busy Michigan highway
        “You gotta be quicker than that”: Wanted suspect taunts Ohio...
    • We Remember
      • Grand Forks unveils Northern Valley Law Enforcement Memorial to honor...
        Honoring Fallen Heroes
        “Our hearts are broken once again”: Off-duty Chicago police...
        Choosing to serve
        A legacy of “service and sacrifice”: NYPD detective dies after...
  • On the Job
    • NYC traffic enforcement agents demand body-worn cameras for...
      Law enforcement agencies across the country sound the alarm on...
      Good Samaritans come to California Highway Patrol officer’s aid...
      Biden awards Medal of Valor to nine first responders, including slain...
      Florida off-duty deputy rescues baby dolphin
  • Labor
    • Golden, Colorado, police to implement four-day workweek with 40 hours...
      Worcester police officers to receive annual stipend for new body worn...
      Southern California police agencies continue to face staffing...
      Phoenix City Council approves new police union contract with pay...
      Los Angeles County sheriff requests funding for recruitment, equipment
  • Tech
    • California sheriff’s department pays $1.1 million to cyber...
      Bay Area businesses embrace AI surveillance protection amid crime...
      California family tracks down and recovers stolen e-bike using Apple...
      Indianapolis law enforcement team up with legislators to fight...
      Peeling the onion
  • Training
    • Understanding privacy coins
      Unlock your potential
      Crisis intervention team training
      What’s the best way to train law enforcement leaders?
      Ohio police officer and father of autistic son launches autism...
  • Policy
    • Maryland passes bill prohibiting police stops based solely on smell...
      Tampa Bay police departments clarify approach to Florida immigration...
      DHS implements new body-worn camera policy to enhance transparency...
      Michigan lawmakers propose state fund for public safety and violent...
      House passes bill to deport immigrants who assault law enforcement...
  • Health/Wellness
    • Las Vegas Metro Police Department prioritizes mental health support...
      New Jersey's mental health initiative shows promise in reducing use...
      Massachusetts police agencies receive grant to support mental health...
      Peacekeeper Initiative offers support and healing for retired police...
      Serenity in the saddle
  • Community
    • Religious group unites with law enforcement to boost security at...
      Washington nonprofit connects law enforcement and community through...
      A catastrophic threat
      A symbol of hope
      A legacy never forgotten
  • Offbeat
    • Off-duty deputy nabs wanted fugitive in North Carolina grocery store
      Homeless man crashes stolen police car after failed robbery attempt
      Epic fail of a classic excuse: Colorado driver blames his dog for...
      Cowboy rescues runaway cow on busy Michigan highway
      “You gotta be quicker than that”: Wanted suspect taunts Ohio...
  • We Remember
    • Grand Forks unveils Northern Valley Law Enforcement Memorial to honor...
      Honoring Fallen Heroes
      “Our hearts are broken once again”: Off-duty Chicago police...
      Choosing to serve
      A legacy of “service and sacrifice”: NYPD detective dies after...
  • Between the Lines
    • The unspoken truth behind the recruitment and retention crisis
      The police reform goal: use of force without options
      The imprisonment of law enforcement technology
      Persecution of the LEO is classic schadenfreude
      The rule of law is worthless without order
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

Community

“More young kids are getting shot”: NYPD confronts surge in teen shootings and school violence

APB Team Published April 21, 2023 @ 4:00 pm PDT

iStock.com/Brycia James

Teen shootings and gun violence in schools in New York City are on the rise despite efforts by the NYPD to reduce the number of incidents.

In January, the department launched a new safety initiative that included stationing police officers in areas frequented by youths, such schools. The department also established connections with school officials and closely tracked youth events with a history of trouble.

Despite these measures, in the first two months of 2023, 21 juveniles were shot, according to NYPD data obtained by the New York Post.

For comparison, there were 17 shootings in the same period in 2022 and 10 in 2021.

Experts and advocates have suggested that more needs to be done to reduce teen shootings in the city. Some have recommended increasing the number of school safety officers, while others have called for the resurrection of more aggressive plainclothes anti-crime units that previously aimed to get guns off the streets.

The NYPD has already sent police to cover schools, including four youth coordination officers per precinct, which is about 300 additional cops citywide. The department is currently focusing on addressing violence at 75 to 80 schools with the highest rates of gun and other violence, according to police data.

The number of juveniles shot in New York City, however, has continued to surge; children wounded by gunfire in 2022 was 149, compared to 138 in 2021 and 125 in 2020.

These numbers are significantly higher than the pre-pandemic levels, which recorded only 63 juveniles shot in 2018 and 64 in 2019.

In addition, police say teen shootings are rising despite a fall in overall shootings across the city.

The NYPD has since blamed New York’s “Raise the Age” law for the bloodshed. The law, passed in 2017, requires 16- and 17-year-olds charged with nonviolent felonies to be tried as juveniles. It also grants judges the authority to send violent crime cases to family court.

“More young kids are getting shot,” an NYPD spokesperson said. “More young kids are shooters. And what’s the reason? The consequences are minimal for some of the kids that need to be taken off the street.”

Parent advocate Mona Davids, head of the NYC School Safety Coalition, recently called for greater police officer presence at schools and for the state to address its soft bail reform laws.

“That’s why these kids are wilding out, because there are no consequences,” she said. “They know that because the gang leaders and the other gang members tell them this — they know the current laws protect the criminals.”

Davids says that juvenile violence won’t stop until more cops are dedicated to schools and the laws are changed.

According to the NYPD, the number of city school resource officers has plummeted nearly 25% from pre-pandemic levels despite the rise in violence around schools.

Union officials said school safety officers have been reduced from 5,000 a year ago to about 3,500 at their current level.

One veteran safety agent claimed the safety division has been hampered by personnel cuts, allowing the situation to get “completely out of control.”

“This problem could be fixed by two things: Getting more school safety agents and paying them what they’re worth,” the 20-year veteran explained.

Michael Alcazar, a retired NYPD detective and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, said it might be time to bring back plainclothes anti-crime units, which were disbanded in 2020 because police officials said the officers were involved in a disproportionate number of complaints and shooting incidents.

Mayor Eric Adams brought back the undercover units in January, but they now have to wear body cameras and police uniforms.

However, Alcazar thinks that this is not enough. “They’re going to have to bring back plainclothes police officers — I think it’s an invaluable tool when done correctly,” he said. “Having essentially uniformed police officers playing the role of anti-crime is not as effective. The bad guys, the criminals, know what to look for.”

Categories: Community Tags: teen shootings, school violence, plainclothes officers, NYPD, gun violence, school shooting, Eric Adams, bail reform, juvenile crime, school resource officers

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • Maryland passes bill prohibiting police stops based solely on smell of cannabis
  • Golden, Colorado, police to implement four-day workweek with 40 hours of pay for 32 hours of work
  • Worcester police officers to receive annual stipend for new body worn camera policy
  • Tampa Bay police departments clarify approach to Florida immigration law
  • Las Vegas Metro Police Department prioritizes mental health support for officers
  • Off-duty deputy nabs wanted fugitive in North Carolina grocery store
  • NYC traffic enforcement agents demand body-worn cameras for protection against daily abuse
  • New Jersey’s mental health initiative shows promise in reducing use of force and racial disparities
  • Law enforcement agencies across the country sound the alarm on flesh-eating “zombie drug” hitting the streets
  • Homeless man crashes stolen police car after failed robbery attempt

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The power of teamwork

The power of teamwork

July 23, 2021

Stay awake and alert on the job

Stay awake and alert on the job

July 20, 2021

The worst rank in law enforcement

The worst rank in law enforcement

July 19, 2021

Firearms maintenance

Firearms maintenance

July 04, 2021

Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Options | Notice at Collection | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.