GREET IDEA, BILL Visitors to cop stations to get warm welcome
New York’s Finest can take your order now.
The NYPD is hiring restaurant-style “greeters” to welcome visitors at police precincts in the city amid long-running complaints about poor community engagement, Mayor de Blasio and department brass announced Thursday.
The civilian greeters will serve as the first point of contact at precincts and provide patrons with a friendly face and guidance after they explain the reason for their visit, said NYPD Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes.
“You know, it just brings a warmer, kind of friendlier, gentler environment,” Holmes said in an appearance on de Blasio’s morning briefing, adding that the department will make an effort to hire local residents for the new posts. “So it creates that comfort.”
Overall, the NYPD will over the coming month train and hire 180 greeters to staff public-facing police facilities in all five boroughs.
De Blasio said New Yorkers from all walks of life have long raised concern about “gruff and dismissive” service at NYPD precincts.
The greeter initiative will rectify that, he said.
“The idea that we’re bringing the community into the precinct, we’re welcoming people, we’re supporting people — that’s revolutionary, certainly compared to what I’ve seen and so many New Yorkers have seen,” the mayor said.
But some rank-and-file cops did not share de Blasio’s enthusiasm.
“It’s a waste of resources,” a veteran Queens officer told the Daily News, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Sounds nice, but it’s not necessary. You already have an officer at the security post who can answer questions.”
Bronx resident William Harris agreed. “It’s a waste of money,” the 54-year-old said. “Hiring new people, you know, they have the people. They have a lot of people. It’s a problem if a whole precinct don’t have one cop who is happy to help a person. That’s a big problem.”
At the same time, Harris recalled having a bad experience with a desk officer at the 48th Precinct in the Bronx earlier this year.
“I had to go into the precinct this year. The woman barely looked up when I started talking,”
said Harris. “I said forget it and walked out. She didn’t care.”
The greeter announcement comes on the heels of Holmes and de Blasio last week unveiling a “How Did We Do?” text message service whereby New Yorkers can provide feedback to the NYPD after precinct visits.
The focus on improving customer service comes as the NYPD is battling a surge in shootings and other crimes that began at the outset of the pandemic in 2020.
The city has seen nearly 1,200 shooting incidents so far in 2021 — more than any other year since de Blasio took office on a year-to-date basis, according to NYPD data.
Asked whether the focus on customer service will distract from crime-fighting, Holmes demurred and argued the NYPD can walk and chew gum at the same time.
“We always focus on violence. That’s the top of the list,” Holmes said. “But by no means are we just simply an occupying force. We need community relationships.”
Rebecca Smith, a recently hired precinct greeter in the Bronx, said people typically only visit police stations if they have an emergency.
“So it just gives them that reassuring to keep them at ease,” she said of her new job. “It’s not a happy thing when you’re coming into a precinct.”