CNA: Nobody Gets Closer - To the People, To the Data, To the Problem

James “Chips” Stewart, Tammy Felix, and Shahin Saloom recently represented CNA on the front lines. Donning ballistic-resistant, soft body armor and embedding with two officer teams from the New York Police Department (NYPD) Housing Bureau, they went into the field to observe patrols of high-crime public housing developments to review vertical patrol procedures, a process that entails a police officer systematically checking each building, covering roof landings, stairwells, and lobbies.

Chips was present as police observed suspicious behavior, evasive answers, and false representation from an individual. Subsequently, police arrested the person for criminal trespassing. A subsequent search of the individual’s backpack revealed someone else’s prescription drugs and stolen property.

The next day, Chips accompanied a NYPD Housing Bureau patrol team pursing a suspect for assault and robbery. The individual was captured and detained pending witness identification and a review of security camera images, which later confirmed his role in an assault on a student.

Tammy and Shahin observed similar police operations and had the opportunity to attend a multi-development community meeting to learn about residents’ concerns.

The operational experience and data collected will be used to provide an analytic report on the NYPD Housing Bureau’s operational procedures and resulting impact on violent crimes in the New York City Housing Authority’s high-rise residential properties.