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Friday, May 27, 2022
Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Upcoming Events, Legislative News, Grant Opportunities, & More
NYPD Announces Release of First Quarterly Report on Citywide Vehicle Encounters
Overall Stops for January through March Reflect the NYPD’s Equitable Traffic Policing and Precision Crime-Fighting Approach
The NYPD shared precinct-level data on police officers’ encounters with motorists across New York City during the first quarter of 2022, in accordance with the reporting requirements of an amendment to Local Law 45 passed last year.
The 176,753 recorded vehicle stops in the first three months of this year show the race of those vehicle operators to be roughly proportional to the city’s overall racial demographics.
Officers involved in the vehicle stops encountered conditions necessitating 4,222 arrests (2.4% of all traffic stops). The arrests reflect a level of intelligence-based enforcement that highlights the NYPD’s work on all fronts to battle serious crime and help create a safe and prosperous city for all New Yorkers. Arrests, as well as the 88 times (.05% of all traffic stops) officers were required to use some level of force in all recorded traffic encounters to date, occurred most frequently in areas of the city beset by crime upticks.
Police officers work to intervene and prevent crime in areas of the city where the predominance of citywide violence occurs. They do this by identifying the drivers of violence, interdicting vehicles with illegal, paper license plates, stopping speeders who show no regard for their neighbors, and focusing intently on seizing illegal guns, particularly in high-intensity narcotics-trafficking zones.
"We are proud to share data on traffic policing that is integral to our collective understanding of the good work NYPD officers do every day to improve our city, maintain safe roads and highways, and ensure consequences for those individuals who choose to break the law," said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. "We often say that traffic safety is public safety – we have no tolerance for even one criminal motorist. In a city made more vibrant by the free-flow of automobiles, a robust vehicle-safety strategy is a fundamental tool in assuring everyone’s right to safe travel. The transparency of this data helps serve that mission."
The data released today by the NYPD has been shared directly with the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, and the Speaker of the City Council, and has been posted publicly on the Police Department’s website. Please click https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/stats/reports-analysis/vehicle-stop-reports.page to view the report.
Governor Hochul Announces State Police, Local Law Enforcement to Crack Down on Impaired and Reckless Driving This Memorial Day Weekend
Enforcement Campaign to Run Through May 31
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State Police and local law enforcement statewide will increase patrols to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless driving throughout Memorial Day weekend. The STOP-DWI enforcement period starts at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 27, 2022, and runs through 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Memorial Day is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, and police will be out in full force to remove impaired and reckless drivers from our highways.
"Impaired driving is a reckless, dangerous choice that puts far too many people at risk of costly and possibly deadly consequences," Governor Hochul said. "As we prepare to travel and get together with friends and family for Memorial Day weekend, I urge all motorists to drive responsibly and plan for a safe ride home. Don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking so you can enjoy your weekend without endangering yourself or others."
Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols by State Police and local law enforcement agencies during this holiday weekend. Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe driving violations. These vehicles blend in with traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.
State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, "For many New Yorkers, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer travel season, which means additional traffic and increased risks on our roadways. As you prepare your holiday weekend, remember to make safety your top priority. Wear your seat belt, remain alert and above all, drive sober. If you drink or use drugs, do not get behind the wheel of any vehicle - instead, plan for a safe ride home. Troopers will be vigilant in keeping our roadways safe throughout the holiday weekend and will be targeting reckless and impaired drivers."
Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, "There will be many more motorists on the road this Memorial Day weekend as the summer travel season begins. We want everyone to reach their destinations safely, so we are urging drivers to make responsible choices to avoid senseless tragedies. Do not drive if you have been drinking or using drugs. Also, please follow the rules of the road and share the road safely with others."
According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University at Albany, 516 people died and 5,067 were injured in crashes that involved impaired drivers in New York State during 2020.
This initiative is partially funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC). The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that their "Have a Plan" mobile app can help New Yorkers find a safe way home from a celebration where they may be drinking. The free app allows users to designate a driver, call a cab or ride share, and review the consequences of impaired driving. Users can even use the app to report a drunk or drugged driver. The app is available for Apple, Android and Windows smart phones.
On Memorial Day weekend in 2021, Troopers arrested 185 people for drinking and driving, issued 9,214 total tickets, and investigated 163 personal injury crashes, which resulted in two fatalities. In addition to the New York State Police, numerous counties and agencies throughout the state also participated in last year's Memorial Day Crackdown.
Attorney General James Issues Warnings to More Than 30 Retailers to Stop Overcharging for Baby Formula
Consumer Reports Show Online Retailers and Stores Overcharging for Baby Formula amid National Shortage
AG James Encourages Consumers to Continue to Report Baby Formula Price Gouging to Her Office
New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued warnings to more than 30 online and brick-and-mortar retailers across the state to stop overcharging for baby formula after consumers reported unreasonably high prices. Due to recalls and supply chain disruptions, there has been a nationwide shortage of baby formula. New York’s price gouging statute prohibits merchants from charging excessive prices for essential goods or services during abnormal market disruptions. In cease-and-desist letters to more than 30 online retailers and stores across the state, Attorney General James ordered these businesses to immediately stop overcharging for baby formula and warned of the legal consequences of price gouging.
“It’s unconscionable that some retailers are taking advantage of the national baby formula shortage while parents are struggling to find food for their children,” said Attorney General James. “Amid this crisis, families already have enough to worry about and should not have to worry about being price gouged. We are warning all retailers that New York will not tolerate price gouging of baby formula, and I encourage anyone who sees this to continue reporting it to my office.”
Earlier this month, Attorney General James issued a consumer alert warning retailers against price gouging of baby formula and encouraging consumers to report it to her office. Since then, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has received several consumer complaints of baby formula price gouging at local retailers across the state, primarily in New York City. For example, one consumer reported that a 19.8 ounce can of Enfamil Nutramigen formula, which typically sells for $44.99, was being sold by an Erie County retailer for $59.99. Another consumer reported that a 32-ounce ready-to-feed bottle of Enfamil NeuroPro was being sold by a Bronx retailer for $17.99 when it previously sold for $11.99.
In her letters, Attorney General James makes clear that wholesalers and distributors are also prohibited from price gouging and encourages retailers to notify her office if they are being overcharged. New York’s price gouging statute is expansive and covers actors throughout the supply chain. The law also prohibits price gouging not just of consumers but also of small businesses and state and local governments.
The OAG encourages parents having difficulty finding formula to speak with their child’s doctor before attempting to water down formula or make their own, both of which can be potentially dangerous to a child. Due to the nationwide shortage, OAG advises consumers to buy only as much formula as they need and not to unnecessarily stock up. Panic buying may intensify the shortage and could encourage sellers to engage in illegal price gouging. The OAG also reminds consumers that it is not price gouging for retailers to limit the amount of formula they sell to individual consumers.
When reporting price gouging to OAG, consumers should:
- Report the specific increased prices, the dates, and places that they saw the increased prices, and the type and size of formula being sold; and,
- Provide copies of their sales receipts and photos of the advertised prices, if available.
New Yorkers should report potential concerns about price gouging to OAG by filing a complaint online or call 800-771-7755.
Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul on New York State Electric and Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric Proposal to Raise Utility Rates on New Yorkers
"It's outrageous and unacceptable that utility companies are proposing the largest rate increase in recent history for more than 1.2 million consumers in Upstate New York. The Department of Public Service is legally required to review all proposed rate increases, and I urge them to scrutinize every number and word of this proposal to protect New York families from unjustified and unfair rate increases. At a time when so many families are struggling because of global economic headwinds and nationwide inflation, I will keep fighting to get money back in the pockets of New Yorkers by accelerating middle class tax cuts, giving consumers a gas tax holiday that begins next week, and providing rent and utility relief to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers."
EDITOR'S NOTE:
We see that Governor Hochul is angry that her gas and electric rates are going up where she lives in upstate New York, but we have not heard a word from her about the very high downstate cost of electricity and gas.
It looks like this is an upstate governor, with an upstate Lieutenant Governor who knows nothing about what is going on downstate, and probably doesn't care about the downstate area of New York State, just some photo ops with downstate elected officials.