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Council Member Williams and Deputy Commissioner Gerber debate necessity of centralized gang tracking

2:32:00

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100 sec

Council Member Jumaane Williams and Deputy Commissioner Michael Gerber engage in a debate about the necessity of a centralized gang tracking system. Williams questions the need for the database, while Gerber defends its importance for cross-precinct intelligence and oversight.

Williams questions whether officers could identify gang members before the database existed
Gerber acknowledges that local officers have knowledge but argues for the importance of centralized tracking
He emphasizes the database's role in tracking cross-precinct and cross-borough gang activity
Gerber argues that the database provides structure, rules, and oversight for gang intelligence
He expresses concern about reverting to informal, unregulated methods of tracking gang membership if the database is eliminated

Jumaane Williams

2:32:00

So officers didn't know who was in these crews or gangs before the database?

Michael Gerber

2:32:05

So so I I agree with you.

2:32:07

So I wanna be very clear.

2:32:08

I agree that cops who are local in a community, who work in that community every day, are gonna have all sorts of ideas about who's in a gang or crew.

2:32:16

No question about that.

2:32:18

But two important points.

2:32:20

One, as Chief Lepetri was saying, some of what we see in gang and crew violence cuts across precincts and cuts across boroughs.

2:32:28

And frankly, a detective in the Bronx may know in a certain area, he may know the crew very well.

2:32:35

He may not know the crews in Brooklyn well at all.

2:32:38

And the extent you have cross cutting gang rivalry issues and the like, that's a huge issue.

2:32:45

And then second, and I said this before, I really do want to come back to this.

2:32:49

I think this is really, really important.

2:32:54

Whatever limitations you may see in the database or flaws you see, at least it is.

2:32:59

There are rules.

2:33:00

It can be audited.

2:33:01

It can be there's oversight.

2:33:03

Oversight by DOI, oversight by the city council.

2:33:06

There is data that can be pulled.

2:33:08

There are rules in place.

2:33:11

In a world in which that's eliminated and there can be no substitute, it's what's going to happen is, you know, the local cop in good faith, I'm not saying bad, in good faith, saying like, well, okay, who's in this crew?

2:33:24

Well, there's no database.

2:33:25

I'm not can't check that.

2:33:27

There's no centralized system.

2:33:28

Can't check that.

2:33:29

Alright.

2:33:30

But I I still wanna try to do my job effectively.

2:33:32

Okay.

2:33:32

Well, I think I remember somebody said last year that this guy I understand.

2:33:39

I I think that's a real concern.

Jumaane Williams

2:33:40

I understand.

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Deputy Commissioner Gerber explains use of gang database in Ceasefire program

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Council Member Williams critiques law enforcement approach and advocates for alternative violence prevention strategies