REMARKS
Public Advocate Williams proposes solutions and emphasizes community engagement in subway surfing prevention
0:19:47
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64 sec
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams proposes additional solutions to combat subway surfing, emphasizing the need for community engagement and infrastructure investments. He calls for a multifaceted approach involving various city agencies and youth input.
- Williams suggests making infrastructure investments to physically deter subway surfing, such as open gangway trains.
- He emphasizes the importance of engaging community members and young people directly for feedback and tailored interventions.
- The Public Advocate calls for expanded resources for youth, including mental health treatment and engaging after-school programs, and stresses the importance of peer-to-peer messaging in schools.
Jumaane Williams
0:19:47
So, it is clear we must try additional ways to combat subway surfing.
0:19:51
We can make infrastructure investments that will make it physically harder to get on top of trains, like the open gangway trains commonly running on the sea line.
0:19:58
We must engage people at the community level and young people get their feedback as well who know the needs of their neighborhoods best and can recommend interventions specific to their communities.
0:20:09
I do want to say, whenever we have a problem like this and we can't figure it out, it often unfairly goes to the NYPD.
0:20:16
So I'm glad to see that there are many agencies here today trying to work with everyone to figure this out and hopefully the agencies that deal directly with young people are speaking directly with young people to try to get their information.
0:20:27
Sometimes kids also need to hear from their peers.
0:20:30
Schools are already engaging students in peer to peer messaging about the danger of subway surfing, which should be happening in every school with students old enough to ride the subway by themselves.
0:20:38
We must continue to expand resources for youth, including mental health treatment and safe, engaging after school programs.
0:20:44
I wanna congratulate the council for holding a hearing on this important topic today.
0:20:48
Please add my aim my name to all the rezels.
0:20:50
Thank you.
