Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Announces Steps to Keep New Yorkers Safe as New Concealed Carry Regulations Go Into Effect

August 31, 2022

Governor Kathy Hochul: … In addition to our public safety campaign, you'll be seeing announcements everywhere, but also identifying specific locations, such as parks and others where the guns are not allowed. And an important part of that was Times Square. And again, I want to applaud the city for working so closely with us, but also taking on the responsibility of identifying the parameters, getting the message out there. And again, that's what a real partner does. We support each other. And with that, I'd like to bring up the mayor of the City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams. Thank you.

Mayor Eric Adams: Really want to thank the governor for taking a surreal moment with a real response. I never thought from the days of watching cowboy movies as a child leave your gun at the door would become a reality in the State of New York. And it was a challenging time when we saw the Bruen decision handed down. I remember speaking with the governor and she immediately moved into action and stated that we were not going to wait until this terrible, terrible Supreme Court decision created a state of havoc in our city. And I cannot thank you enough, governor, for the leadership that you show, because as this decision was pending, I stated it over and over again, it was keeping me up at night. I know the reality of having 475,000 people in Times Square in any given time. In any given time, that decision stated to them that they can carry a firearm.

Mayor Adams: And to those with this insidious belief that you could have public safety with quick draw, who can draw their firearm the fastest, that is just not a reality. And the commissioner and I, we are committed not only to continue the success of removing over 4,700 guns off our streets that were illegally carried, but to pivot and shift as we face this new reality. And we could not have brought together a better team of people who are committed to the prerequisite, to our city's and state’s prosperity, and that's public safety and justice.

Mayor Adams: And I want to thank our speaker, Speaker Adams, for her role as we now move to the implementations on many parts of the law in the city area. We need her more than ever now. Her steady hand in leadership is going to allow us to continue to pivot here in the City of New York, where 8.8 million people are dependent on our response to this decision that was handed down by the Supreme Court.

Mayor Adams: And the numbers are horrific, that the governor just stated. Those states that have lived with the open carry decision or mindset are far above our state when it comes down to per 100,000 people or the victims of deaths around guns. We've gotten it right. The Supreme Court, instead of overturning what we have been doing, they should have duplicated what we have been doing, and we would've saved lives in the process. And the state lawmakers who immediately responded to this terrible decision, we want to say thank you.

Mayor Adams: The Bruen case already took gun violence that is already a threat to our safety and freedom and they aggravated how we respond to it every day. The New York City Police Department, the state police, and the city superintendent, thank you for being here. The response of these agencies, we will collaborate to make sure we continue to pursue our combined goal of keeping our city safe. Supreme Court has taken dead aim at the safety of New Yorkers. They've placed us in the line of fire and we must respond accordingly. The radical decision that they made endangers us all. But here in New York, a place known for freedom, openness, and diversity, we will defend ourselves.

Mayor Adams: New eligibility requirements for concealed carry is going to play an important role in the restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons in sensitive locations, will go into effect tomorrow, September 1st. And today, we are here to talk about the city's outreach campaign, not only through PSAs, but what we are going to do on the ground to educate the public. We want them to know about the new laws and what they mean for New Yorkers. The city is posting signage around Times Square, informing people that the area is a gun-free zone. Think about that. We have to actually say that in our city. We have to actually say we're a gun-free zone. And then, licensed gun carriers and others may not enter with a gun, unless otherwise specifically authorized by law.

Mayor Adams: You can see from this map here, the dots are indicators where the signs are going to be located. Strategically placed entry points, so that people will know when they enter the area, they're entering a gun-free zone. And the circles are reflections of that. The signs will also include posters, like this one you see here. Times Square, gun-free zone. You cannot tell me this is not a feeling of being surreal in our city. We're posting these signs, gun-free zones. And other messaging options, including mobile electronic signs at entry points to Times Square.

Mayor Adams: As a mayor and a former police officer that actually patrolled some of those communities, I want every New Yorker and those visiting our city to be aware of these laws and to respect them. The Supreme Court's decision have opened an additional river, feeding the sea of gun violence. But we're going to continue to use our laws to damn the rivers over and over again. We're fighting the flood of illegal weapons coming into New York City and prosecuting those who sell them illegally using the power of our legal system to challenge the online retailers who illegally sold and are continuing to sell ghost guns to customers in New York. We're going after them. And working closely with state and federal authorities to prosecute gun crimes, close loopholes and shut down the iron pipeline. We will not allow the men and women of the New York City Police Department to be subjected to further danger making their already difficult jobs even more harrowing. And this is something the commissioner and I are committed to and will stay focused on.

Mayor Adams: And we will not allow a city of tolerance and freedom to become an armed camp of fear and distrust. We will do all that we can to keep New York the safest big city in America, and a beacon of freedom for the world. And working with the City Council and the leadership there, we will continue to make it a priority for New York City, and it will continue to be our number one pursuit. And again, I want to thank our partners here, both in uniform and out of uniform, our lawmakers, and lawyers and attorneys who looked over this law and looked over the decision from the Supreme Court to have a responsible and expeditious response to meet this day of September 1st so that we could ensure that this city would continue its pursuit to be a safe city in America. I want to bring on our partner in this pursuit, the City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.

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Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Police Department: Good morning. Thank you, Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams, the City Council, our local state and federal partners who we work with every step of the way. I want to assure all New Yorkers that your NYPD is prepared for this change. Since the Supreme Court decision in June, the department has been educating our officers about the decision, the new state law and recent changes to our own licensing rules. New York City has always had gun free zones, such as New York City parks, this new law expands the number of gun free zones. The new laws and our rules properly balance the licensees rights with keeping the public safe, which is what we do. The NYPD is the firearm licenser for New York City, and we take this responsibility very seriously.

Commissioner Sewell: As part of our new laws and rules, eligibility requirements must be met by applicants who are seeking a permit. As a licensor, we have a responsibility to intake applications, review those applications thoroughly and investigate the applicants. Equally important, however, is that a Police Department, as we are, we ensure that all relevant gun laws and rules are complied with, including those that will now take effect. Where there are suspected violations of the law, the NYPD will respond, investigate and take the necessary action. While the landscape may be changing when it comes to legal firearm possession in New York City, our goal is always to ensure public safety and responsible gun ownership as part of this public safety calculus.

Commissioner Sewell: Lastly, I want to be clear about the impact of the Supreme Court's decision. Unlicensed firearm possession remains illegal in New York City. The department's approach to detecting, interdicting and apprehending those who commit these crimes and possess firearms illegally remains unchanged. And this administration and this department have been intensely focused on this issue. As the mayor stated, we have seized over 4,700 firearms so far this year, and our firearm arrests are up. We are seeing a 10% decline in shootings and homicides so far this year. The administration and the department have committed substantial city resources to combat gun violence. This decision does not impact our ability to affect arrests, assist communities and fight those who commit gun violence. We remain focused on the safety of the citizens of New York City, this law does not change that focus. Thank you. I would like to introduce our partner, First Deputy Superintendent Nigrelli.

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