New Initiative Aims to Strengthen Public Confidence by Addressing Everyday Concerns Swiftly
Pilot Program to Begin in Five Precincts and One Housing Police Service Area
Divisionto Combine Police Officers from Existing Community-Based Units
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced the formation of the NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division — a citywide public safety initiative focused on enhancing trust between communities and the police while addressing everyday issues that impact New Yorkers' sense of safety and well-being.
The Quality of Life Division will unite specially-trained officers from various existing community-oriented roles — including neighborhood coordination officers, youth coordination officers, and traffic safety officers — into a citywide effort to tackle persistent quality-of-life concerns. Non-emergency 311 concerns, such as noise complaints, illegal parking, homelessness-related issues, outdoor drug use, aggressive panhandling, and other issues that affect New Yorkers’ everyday life, have risen steadily across the five boroughs over the last six years. The Quality of Life Division is the NYPD’s latest effort to respond urgently to these problems, ensuring every concerned New Yorker feels seen, heard, and — most importantly — safe.
“Since day one, this administration has been clear: We will not tolerate an atmosphere where anything goes, and today, we are taking public safety to the next level with the creation of a new NYPD Quality of Life Division," said Mayor Adams. "Issues like illegal vending, substance use, abandoned vehicles, illegal mopeds, reckless driving, and more have persisted for far too long. We will not rest until we have addressed the issues that affect the lives of everyday New Yorkers, and we will continue to make every borough, every neighborhood, and every block safer across our city. Together, we will protect public safety and make New York City the best place to raise a family.”
“Thanks to the incredible work of the women and men in blue, we’ve seen historic declines in major crimes across the city,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Now, we’re turning our attention toward the issues that New Yorkers see and feel every day — the things that don’t always make headlines but deeply impact how people live. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe, and the Quality of Life Division will take a direct approach to address these issues impacting our streets and public housing developments. I am thankful for Mayor Adams’ support as we take the necessary steps to strengthen the trust between our officers and the communities they serve.”
The Quality of Life Division will roll out in phases, beginning with a pilot program in five precincts and one housing Police Service Area: the 13th, 40th, 60th, 75th, and 101st precincts, along with Police Service Area 1. Over the next two months, the initiative will be evaluated and refined before expanding to other commands.
The Quality of Life Division will be led by Deputy Chief William Glynn. Glynn — a 21-year veteran of the NYPD who has served in various leadership roles in multiple boroughs — will take the helm of the department’s newest division to help reduce crime and improve quality of life in each of the patrol boroughs. While previously assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau, Deputy Chief Glynn oversaw the creation of Community Link, an Adams administration multi-agency response led by City Hall addressing quality-of-life issues, and was assigned to lead the joint effort to restore order to the Roosevelt Avenue corridor in Queens North. In his new position, Deputy Chief Glynn will manage analytic and administrative support, and coordinate with Quality of Life Teams — or Q-Teams — which will operate on multiple levels.
- Citywide Personnel: Personnel assigned to the Quality of Life Division will support borough and precinct efforts with certain quality-of-life issues that require specific attention, such as vehicle towing and encampments.
- Analytics and Support Unit: Responsible for monitoring data trends, including 311 complaints and operational support.
- Command-Level Q-Teams: Integrated into individual commands to improve police response to quality-of-life complaints. These teams will be led by a Quality of Life Division sergeant, reporting directly to the command’s special operations lieutenant, and operating under the direction of precinct commanding officers.
Using a model based on the NYPD’s main crime data tracker, CompStat, a new system called Q-Stat will analyze precinct and public service area data related to 311 service requests. Q-Stat meetings will be held monthly — like CompStat meetings, beginning in May — and will aim to identify neighborhoods susceptible to chronic quality-of-life conditions. They will also explore non-enforcement, discretionary solutions for Q-Teams, local leaders, and residents.
There will be no extra cost associated with the formation of the Quality of Life Division. Personnel will come from internal restructuring at the NYPD to enhance operational efficiency and better align daily with the needs of local communities, and existing funding from the NYPD’s budget will be utilized to save taxpayer dollars.
Q-Team officers will undergo additional training beyond what they received in their previous roles, including strategies and techniques on how best to address quality-of-life problems and new departmental expectations. The training module includes a detailed overview of the current structure of the division, as well as instruction on the use of the 311 system. Officers will also receive training on specific topics, such as encampments, derelict vehicles, traffic conditions, enforcement of alternative vehicles, reckless driving, and the use of sound metering devices regarding noise complaints.
New York City’s 311 system, NYC311, is a non-emergency call center and service platform that allows New Yorkers to report non-emergency issues, request services, and get helpful information about city services and programs. Currently, police officers assigned to patrol sectors are tasked with responding to a range of public-safety issues, prioritizing emergency 911 calls over NYC311 service requests. The Quality of Life Division will work alongside patrol sectors and Community Affairs Bureau personnel, allowing precincts and public service areas to directly deploy resources to specific needs within their communities, further supporting a more localized approach.
“Quality-of-life issues, when left unaddressed, can erode public confidence and fuel a sense of disorder,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “I commend Mayor Adams and Commissioner Tisch for launching this new division, which brings together officers already working closely with our communities to respond more effectively and respectfully to the concerns that matter most to New Yorkers. This thoughtful approach has the potential to strengthen public trust and promote safety in every neighborhood.”
“Community well-being and New Yorkers’ quality of life are important elements of public safety,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. “We look forward to continuing to work with the NYPD on our shared missions.”
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