Retired New York Police Department Sgt. Pete Panuccio, a 39-year police veteran, told Fox News that New Yorkers are living in fear in the crime-ridden city.
He shared with Fox, “There’s a sense of disorder, a sense of decay, and what I like to call palpable fear. Those are things you can’t quantify, but people are scared again.”
New York City leaders have touted crime reductions since the historically bloody 2020, which saw the most murders since 2011 among other violent crimes, according to New York City Police Department data. But Panuccio said a culture of lawlessness, which he blamed on permissive, progressive policies, exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted ever since, leaving residents on edge as crime remains high.
“People are scared to go out on the street late at night,” Panuccio said.
On January 3rd, New York City Mayor Eric Adams bragged about crime reductions during a public safety address, calling NYC the “safest big city in America.
Crime is DOWN in the safest big city in America. Join us now at 1 Police Plaza to review 2023’s crime statistics. https://t.co/lSEsncFjZr
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2024
Adams cited a 12% drop in homicides and a 25% decrease in shootings between 2022 and 2023, adding, “New Yorkers are breathing easier” because of his administration’s efforts to reduce crime.
But Panuccio told Fox those figures hid the real story and pointed to pre-pandemic crime levels.
“You can play numbers games all day long, which city hall is very fond of,” Panuccio said. “If you compare it to 2019, the crime jump is staggering.”
“The No. 1 issue, and what saved New York City in the ’90s, was public safety. Everything emanates from public safety in New York City. If we don’t have public safety, we don’t have a city.”
Panuccio also accused progressive politicians of pushing soft-on-crime policies that have emboldened criminals and fostered a culture of lawlessness.
“New York City’s a captive city, captured by the progressives. A lot of people gave their lives to make this city a safer place. It’s all been washed away.”
