Crime has plummeted 65% in Washington Sq. Park for the reason that NYPD kicked off a 24/7 crackdown on the Greenwich Village landmark concentrating on sellers, junkies and scofflaws, new knowledge confirmed.
Cops responded to 16 reported crimes on the problem-plagued park from Nov. 1 by Wednesday, in comparison with 46 throughout the identical interval a yr earlier, in line with the NYPD knowledge solely offered to The Submit.
Main crimes like assaults and theft fell even additional — 89% — with solely two reported for the reason that NYPD flooded the zone, in comparison with 19 throughout the identical interval in 2024.
There have been no main crimes reported on the park since Nov. 19.
Grand larcenies noticed the largest drop: 92%.
Christine Economos, who lives a half-block away from the park and is president of NYPD’s Sixth Precinct Neighborhood Council, praised cops for “cleansing up” the beleaguered area.
“I don’t see any drug exercise there in any respect,” she informed The Submit Friday. “The homeless folks have additionally left, and it’s the previous park once more.”
“You’ll be able to stroll by,” added Economos, who moved to the Village within the Nineteen Seventies when the park was nonetheless recognized a spot the place hippies smoked weed quite than junkies taking pictures up in public.
“I imply, folks can convey their children to the playgrounds . . . It’s completely modified. A 100% turnaround.”
Town’s 911 operators from Nov. 1 by Wednesday additionally noticed a 62% drop in calls concerning the park, from 37 to 14, whereas 311 calls concerning the park declined 11%, from 36 to 32.
After the feds in late October busted a large drug-dealing ring that was overtly working on the park, the NYPD assigned 68 cops — predominantly from the Sixth Precinct — to patrol the park around-the-clock.
Along with the rank-and-file officers, 9 supervisors have been assigned to the operation, together with a lieutenant and three sergeants for every of the morning and afternoon shifts, and a sergeant for the night time shift.
The Submit has frequently reported on the worsening circumstances on the park over the previous few years because the mixed impact of criminal-friendly laws and the worsening opioid disaster turned the area right into a wicked drug den, with addicts overtly taking pictures up and sellers overtly plying their commerce in broad daylight.
Mayor Eric Adams, whose time period expires on the finish of December, known as the park crackdown the most recent instance of how dedicated his administration has been to boosting public security the previous 4 years
“When New Yorkers complained about crime and high quality of life within the neighborhood, we knew we needed to act shortly,” the retired NYPD captain informed The Submit Friday.
“Since launching 24/7 patrols on this space, general crime has dropped a whopping 65 %, displaying that extra police actually does have an exponential impression on making our metropolis safer.”
“Till our final day in workplace, we are going to proceed to again New York’s Most interesting as we make our metropolis safer and enhance high quality of life throughout all 5 boroughs,” added Adams.
