Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch delivered news of a significant drop in violent crime rates in New York City during the first five months of 2025. According to Gothamist, through May, the city saw 264 shootings, a decline from what was seen by this time in previous years. The number of killings stood at 112, noted as the lowest on record when compared to similar periods in 2017 and 2014.
This news comes amidst a backdrop of public concern as crime continues to be a significant issue for city residents. A recent poll conducted by Emerson College Polling, PIX 11, and The Hill highlighted crime as the third-most-important issue among voters, trailing behind housing affordability and the economy. While these statistics may help ease some concerns, they come amid heightened campaign activity, as Adams enters the upcoming November general election as an independent candidate. Party primary elections are also approaching, scheduled for June 24, with early voting beginning on June 14.
In a statement obtained by The Post, Adams was triumphant, saying, "When I took the oath of office as mayor, I made a promise that we would make this city safer and that we would drive down crime. Today, the numbers prove that we have not just kept that promise — we have exceeded it." This comment seeks to bolster his stance on public safety, a cornerstone of his mayoral tenure.
Meanwhile, NYPD Commissioner Tisch credited the NYPD's strategy for these favorable outcomes. "Here’s how your Mayor and your NYPD cops delivered the safest January-May for gun violence in New York City: Three-plus years of relentlessly going after guns on our streets; and a data driven policing strategy that puts more cops in the right places at the right times to do what they do better than anyone else in the world," Tisch shared with The Post. With summer approaching—a season historically linked to increased violence—Tisch emphasized that the NYPD’s safety initiative is designed to maintain the current trend of declining crime rates.
Despite the positive trend, certain areas, such as the NYPD’s Queens North patrol area, have seen a concerning rise, with those crime categories at least doubling, as reported by Gothamist. Despite ongoing challenges, the latest data indicates that the city is making progress toward a level of public safety not seen in decades.
