QUESTION
Council Member Williams Asks DYCD About Safety, Awareness, and Crime Prevention Programs
1:09:51
·
3 min
Council Member Nantasha Williams inquires about the Department of Youth & Community Development's (DYCD) Safety, Awareness, and Crime Prevention programs. Deputy Commissioner Mike Bobbitt and Assistant Commissioner Jordan Wilson explain the program's community-driven approach, detailing how residents identify public safety concerns and devise intervention strategies. Examples include projects addressing poorly lit areas and trash accumulation, showcasing the program's adaptability to community-specific needs in neighborhoods like Far Rockaway and Bronx 7.
Speaker 8
1:09:51
And the question I have is what the chair was headed towards, which was about the safety and awareness and crime prevention program.
1:10:03
We know that members are recruited to engage in the process to identify an true of concern related to safety and crime and work to develop coordinated prevention and intervention strategies Can you share what the process is to identify these issues and how you recruit individuals and what does the prevention and intervention strategies entail.
Speaker 3
1:10:25
Thank you for the question.
1:10:29
The safety prevention and crime awareness program safety awareness and crime prevention program is one I'm actually pretty excited about.
1:10:36
I think in the main our NDA program focus on individuals and families and sort of access to some benefits.
1:10:43
So the fact that this program works it works through providers.
1:10:47
We're used to that, but the fact that the community rather than an individual is what's being worked on is is pretty exciting and and pretty welcome I think we're digging for a community action agency.
1:10:59
So there's currently 3 providers at work on this issue.
1:11:04
And in operating the contract and and following what's expected of them.
1:11:09
They have to pull the community.
1:11:10
They have to enlist community residents to identify what the highest priority need is going to be.
1:11:16
So we've have a bucket that says either domestic violence or interpersonal conflict.
1:11:20
May have been the highest priority need that they have to address, but the community has to put their their target on what is that they wanna do.
1:11:27
I mean, turn to assistant commissioner Jordan Wilson who could say a little bit more about what's been unfolding.
Speaker 7
1:11:36
Yes.
1:11:36
Good morning.
1:11:39
So we have 3 programs, and each program, the the scope is kind of tailored to what is happening in that specific community.
1:11:49
So the actual community residents that are a part of the program.
1:11:53
They're the ones that basically drive what project they wanna work on.
1:11:57
What is the the the biggest issue in their community related to public safety.
1:12:05
And so we have one program that focused on There was an area in their neighborhood that was not lit well and a lot of, you know, like a lot of garbage.
1:12:18
It wasn't just friendly to walk by.
1:12:21
So what they did was basically painted a mural.
1:12:26
On the wall to brighten up the space, and they also were talking with, you know, other city agencies to talk getting better lighting so that so each program basically focuses on for the year, like, what project they wanna tackle.
1:12:40
That would kinda improve safety conditions in their specific neighborhood.
Speaker 8
1:12:44
And this is through the nap, though.
1:12:45
Right?
Speaker 7
1:12:46
This is actually an actual NDA program.
1:12:49
So the neighborhood advisory board actually in these 3 neighborhoods voted that this based on the needs assessment and the public hearings, that this program was necessary for their communities.
Speaker 8
1:13:00
Oh, what communities?
Speaker 7
1:13:01
So it's far Rockaway.
1:13:04
We have Bronx 7.
Speaker 3
1:13:06
Mhmm.
Speaker 7
1:13:07
And then we also have Right.
1:13:11
Queen's.
1:13:12
Yeah.
1:13:12
Yeah.
1:13:13
So Queen's Bridge.
Speaker 8
1:13:14
Mhmm.