Adams Selling Point: Descending Crime Rates in NYC Re-Election Campaign

Amid the bustling ambience of City Hall, a political figure is hastily retracing the path back to his original profession of law enforcement. With the countdown to early voting less than three months away, Adams is marshalling his re-election campaign around the descending crime rates, persuading voters of his role in enhancing New York’s safety, a role he promises to persist with for the next four years if re-elected. ‘Comparing the data, we have experienced 100 fewer shootings this year than the same timeframe the previous year,’ he proclaimed to journalists at a briefing held just ahead of Independence Day.

‘Drawing parallels between this half of the year and the analogous period in 2021 right before our inception, there’s an extraordinary 54 percent decrease in shootings. We are witnessing concrete, impactful changes.’ The implication was clear – the statistics were proof of Adams’ superior candidacy over the Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani. ‘Consider these figures. This is a period which necessitates seasoned experience, not a time for experimentation,’ Adams stated. Prime mottos adopted by Adams were ‘Experience trumps Experiment’.

However, relying on public safety as his primary selling point may not necessarily ensure success for Adams. The crime figures, albeit showing a positive trend, are not as encouraging as the mayor would have the public perceive. More significantly, Adams has sidestepped serious and legitimate allegations of facilitating nepotism, bribery, corruption, incompetence, and sexual misconduct at the highest echelons of the NYPD.

Adams’ assertion that a decrease in shootings and homicides is undeniably beneficial is well-founded, and his celebration of half a year of continuous monthly drops in robbery, burglary, and superior theft is justified. But a perusal of the current crime data shows a worrying increase in rapes by over 21 percent for the current year and a 35 percent surge in the last two years. Felony assaults have also seen a rise, registering nearly a 6 percent increase over the past couple of years.

‘New Yorkers should embrace the preliminary positive trends in crime. It’s indisputable that things are heading towards a better direction,’ chimed in the city’s chief law enforcement officer. However, his self-congratulatory attitude seems to dismiss some glaring misjudgments on the part of the NYPD.

During the previous summer, at the West Indian American Day Parade on Labor Day, tragedy struck when a man indiscriminately opened fire on a crowd in the middle of the day, injuring four and fatally wounding a 25-year-old. Strikingly few weeks after the incident, the police erroneously identified a suspect mass public embarrassment. It was a matter of five months before the NYPD publicly apologized and withdrew their mistaken allegation. Shockingly, nearly a year has passed without any resolution to the case.

Moreover, a series of recently lodged lawsuits against Adams and the NYPD’s top brass accuse the mayor of intrusive meddling in police affairs, disregard for the department’s hierarchical structure, and covering illicit activities. The reprobation in the lawsuit is severe, beginning with, ‘Under the supervision of Defendant Adams, the New York City Police Department operates as an illicit organization in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.’

‘Coordinated unlawful conspiracy has proliferated through the superior levels of municipal governance conducted through wire and mail fraud, fraudulent honest services, obstruction of justice, and retaliation against those who blow the whistle.’ The accusations continue through numerous pages, alleging an array of illegal behavior rampant among top NYPD officials.

The potential political ramifications rest on the premise that New Yorkers might not be in search of a civic leader to rescue them from rampant crime. In recent surveys, when asked to prioritize their concerns, voters placed housing affordability at the top of the list, followed by economic issues such as jobs, inflation, and taxation. Crime only came in third place.

Mamdani, the candidate primarily focused on affordability, was victorious in the Democratic primary. However, if voters aren’t overly concerned about public safety, then the focal points of the campaign lose their impact. Despite the NYPD’s imperfections under Adams’ administration, it’s possible that the significant reduction in crime rate has allowed voters to shift their attention to matters such as rent, food prices, and other pressing issues.