Could Cuomo’s new COVID restrictions cause an increase in violent crime?



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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that bars, restaurants, gyms and other businesses that operate with state liquor licenses must close at 10 p.m. in order to contain a second wave of coronavirus.

The new measures – which allow curbside pickup for restaurants and limit indoor gatherings to 10 people – will take effect on Friday.

“In New York, we follow science. We do it more rigorously than I believe than any state in the country and I believe we use more science than any state in the country and this is mostly data from test, ”Cuomo, a Democrat, said in a statement.

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“If you look at where the cases are coming from, if you do the contact tracing, you will see that they come from three main areas: establishments where alcohol is served, gyms and gatherings at the interior of private homes, “he added. .

The restrictions come as New York City continues to face an increase in violent crime that began over the summer in the same way as in other cities. Like many communities, the pandemic has devastated local economies while changing the way police officers on the streets do their jobs amid social distancing and distrust of law enforcement.

Conditions have led some police officers to choose to be less proactive, said Alfred Titus Jr., an assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former homicide detective with the New York Police Department.

“They tend to stay away from people and interact less with the public,” he said. “Sadly, this is part of the new COVID world we live in.”

Over the summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea blamed the upsurge in COVID-19 shootings, which forced the criminal justice system to let criminals return to the streets amid court closures and backlogs.

This is in addition to the elimination of the cash bond and the nationwide protests that raged over the summer over police brutality which saw frequent clashes between police and protesters.

“Ultimately, our criminal justice system must regain its full strength,” De Blasio said in August. “Our courts must not only reopen, but also reopen as completely and as quickly as possible.”

The city’s criminal courts have taken over for essential operations.

As of Saturday, the city had recorded 399 murders – nearly 100 more than last year – and 1,331 shootings, up from 685 in 2019, according to police figures.

“It’s almost like a perfect storm,” Titus said. “We had bail reform, then police funding cut [movement], which reduced the number of officers on the streets and the overtime that could be done, and now we have COVID-19. “

The NYPD and the Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents grassroots officers, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

To enforce the COVID-19 warrants, De Blasio assigned those duties to the New York City Sheriff’s Department, a shadowy agency overseen by the city’s finance department. The deputies are responsible for fighting against large gatherings.

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Cuomo said on Wednesday that other law enforcement agencies in the city should step in.

“I need the NYPD to do this in New York. 150 sheriffs is not enough. It is just not enough to do all the COVID security: airports, borders, trains, buses, bars, restaurants,” a- he declared. “So I need local enforcement to do this because the rules are only as good as individual discipline and government enforcement.”

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