PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Terence Monahan, Former Chief of Department of NYPD, on Intro 991-B
2:49:24
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163 sec
Terence Monahan, former NYPD Chief of Department, testified against Intro 991-B, arguing that the bill's claims about crime and human trafficking in hotels are not based on accurate facts. He presented data to refute claims about trafficking and homicides in hotels, and expressed his opinion on the bill's potential impact on public safety.
- Monahan disputed the claim of 3,000 people being trafficked in NYC hotels, stating it's based on outdated, nationwide data
- He noted that out of 39 cited homicides in hotels since 2009, only 12 occurred since 2017, with 6 during the COVID pandemic
- While acknowledging some potentially beneficial provisions in the bill, Monahan argued that eliminating subcontracted employees would not enhance public safety
Terence Monahan
2:49:24
Good afternoon.
2:49:25
My name is Terrence Monahan.
2:49:27
For 39 years, I served the NYPD retiring in 2021 as chief of the public.
2:49:32
I then spent 9 months serving our New York City's COVID recovery task force focused on public safety issues faced by businesses including hotels.
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I dedicated my life to developing and implementing strategies to make New York the safest big city in America.
2:49:47
One thing I learned in my decades of service fax matter.
2:49:51
I'm here today because intro 991 b, which is promoted as a tool to address rampant crime in hotels, is not based on facts.
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I have been retained by some hotel owners to review the facts and refute false claims that have been made.
2:50:06
The first concerns human trafficking and forced labor.
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Supportives of intro 991 have stated that there are 3000 people being trafficked in New York City Hotels right now.
2:50:17
This is a gross misstatement of fact.
2:50:19
While the Polaris report did identify 3596 cases of trafficking survivors tied to hotels, that statistic is outdated, a nationwide number from 2007 to 2017, not one based on New York City data.
2:50:36
The Polaris report also raised concerns about the concept before slavery but included no data to indicate New York City Hotels All their subcontractors were engaging in the practice.
2:50:47
It is important to stress that there is no evidence whatsoever that subcontracted workers present a public safety issue in hotels.
2:50:56
Next, Intro 991 supporters have cited 39 homicides in hotels in recent years.
2:51:03
A review of the facts of views that these homicides actually date back to 2009 with 27 of the 39 homicides occurring prior.
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To 2017 when the city crime rate was considerably higher than it is today.
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Since 2017, there have been 12 homicides reported at hotels with 6 occurring during the height of the COVID pandemic when many hotels housed hundreds of homeless people and others in dire circumstances.
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In the 3 years prior to COVID 2017, there were 4 homicides.
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3 of those 4.
Julie Menin
2:51:34
I'm just gonna ask you to please wrap up your testimony, and then you can obviously submit the written testimony for the record.
Terence Monahan
2:51:41
In conclusion, I believe that the vast majority of hotels are extremely safe and responsible.
2:51:45
In extremely rare cases of mismanagement, a business license could provide 1 more tool for law enforcement officers to do their job.
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I acknowledge that the license is proposing the bill includes some provisions that could make for a safe industry even safer, such as eliminating short stays and requiring front desk coverage.
2:52:02
However, eliminating subcontracted employees, in my opinion, does nothing to enhance public safety.
