Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Tisch Expand Quality of Life Teams Across All of Staten Island Following Successful Pilot Launch

August 18, 2025

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxandWBaRZ4

Since Inception, Q-Teams Have Responded to Over 41,000 Quality-of-Life Calls

Pilot Commands Reduced Non-Emergency Response Times by Average of 50 Minutes 

Announcement Builds on Administration’s “End the Culture of Anything Goes” Campaign,

Highlighting Mayor Adams’ Efforts to Change Culture, Laws, and Investments
That Improve Quality of Life and Prevent Public Disorder on City Streets

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced the expansion of the NYPD’s Quality of Life Division “Q-Teams” across the entire borough of Staten Island. The expansion of Q-Teams across Staten Island doubles down on the NYPD’s focus on tackling the daily issues that impact New Yorkers’ sense of safety and well-being, including cracking down on illegal mopeds, towing abandoned and derelict vehicles, cleaning up encampments, addressing outdoor drug use, and responding to noise complaints.

Starting this past April, the NYPD launched Q-Teams in six pilot commands, and, to date, these teams have improved non-emergency response times by an average of 50 minutes citywide, while towing 710 vehicles and seizing 322 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. Following the success of the pilot program, the NYPD expanded Q-Teams to every precinct in Manhattan on July 14, every precinct in the Bronx on July 21, every precinct in Brooklyn on July 28, and every precinct in Queens on August 11. To date, Q-Teams have responded to more than 41,000 911 and 311 calls. The NYPD will continue to expand these efforts to all housing commands later this month.

Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign which highlights the work the administration has done to date to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed, while simultaneously making the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing — all in an effort to make lasting impacts in lives and communities. Mayor Adams is bringing the same energy and approach that proved to be successful in carving a new path to help people with severe mental illness to address other health crises, like drug addiction, playing out on city streets, and recently laid out plans to realize that vision by connecting those suffering with treatment.

“New York is a five-borough city, and I am a five-borough mayor,” said Mayor Adams. “Every inch of our city matters, and Staten Island is the gateway to our city’s success and prosperity. With this final boroughwide expansion of the NYPD’s Quality of Life Division, Staten Island will see safer, cleaner neighborhoods thanks to localized, precinct-based teams working hand-in-hand with the community. Since launching in April, we’ve expanded these specialized teams to Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens — answering more than 41,000 calls for service and cutting average response times by about 50 minutes — and today, we are expanding to Staten Island. We are ending the culture of ‘anything goes,’ and with housing communities next on the horizon, we will keep ensuring every New York City remains the safest big city in America and the best place to raise a family.”

“Every day, New Yorkers tell us about the conditions that make their neighborhoods feel less safe: the abandoned cars, the illegal mopeds, the encampments, and the noise,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Q-Teams are responding to those concerns quickly and consistently. Since its inception, Q-Teams have handled over 41,000 calls citywide. Across the six pilot commands, teams have improved non-emergency response times by an average of 50 minutes citywide, while towing 710 vehicles and seizing 322 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. With today’s expansion across Staten Island, we’ve expanded this dedicated team to all five boroughs, and made quality of life a core part of what the NYPD does every single day.”

Program Results

On April 14, the NYPD launched Q-Teams across six pilot commands: the 13th, 40th, 60th, 75th, and 101st precincts, along with Police Service Area 1. Since the launch and through August 14, Q-Teams have responded directly to communities and made significant improvements to New Yorkers’ quality-of-life concerns.

Six Pilot Commands:

• Responded to 18,031 911 and 311 calls.  
• Towed 710 abandoned and derelict vehicles.  
• Seized 322 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. 

Manhattan Q-Teams:

• Responded to 6,384 911 and 311 calls.  
• Towed 114 abandoned and derelict vehicles.  
• Seized 135 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. 

Bronx Q-Teams:

• Responded to 6,900 911 and 311 calls.  
• Towed 71 abandoned and derelict vehicles.  
• Seized 83 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. 

Brooklyn Q-Teams:

• Responded to 7,473 911 and 311 calls.  
• Towed 282 abandoned and derelict vehicles.  
• Seized 99 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds. 

Queens Q-Teams:

• Responded to 2,283 911 and 311 calls.  
• Towed 106 abandoned and derelict vehicles.  
• Seized 8 illegal e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds.

In addition to Q-Team operations, the following NYPD units also contributed to addressing quality-of-life concerns in the pilot commands, as well as in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens through August 14, with the results below:

• Vehicle Response Team: Towed 5,894 abandoned or derelict vehicles. 
• Smoke Shop Task Force: Executed 1,144 inspections and padlocked 211 smoke shops. 
• Encampment Team: Resolved 1,650 homeless conditions.  

Q-Teams are comprised of officers from across the NYPD who undergo specialized training on how to address non-emergency, quality-of-life concerns, including noise complaints, illegal vending, outdoor drug use, unregistered vehicles, encampments, and reckless e-bike and scooter riding. Each team receives additional instruction in discretionary responses to specific conditions as an alternative to using enforcement tools.

The NYPD holds monthly Q-Stat meetings — modeled after the NYPD’s main crime data tracker, “CompStat” — to analyze precinct and public service data related to 311 calls and requests. This process helps examine operation outcomes, identify neighborhoods that are most susceptible to recurring quality-of-life issues, and hold precincts accountable. New York City’s 311 system, NYC311, is a non-emergency service that allows New Yorkers to report non-emergency issues, request city services, and discover information about government programs.

“Public safety is achieved through many approaches and cannot be accomplished by enforcement actions alone,” said Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. “While law enforcement remains a critical component, it is only one piece of the larger puzzle. True public safety also involves addressing the root causes of crime and the everyday issues that affect the quality of life in our neighborhoods. That is why initiatives like the mayor’s creation of Quality of Life Teams are so important. By focusing on concerns such as disorder, community maintenance, and the underlying challenges that can give rise to crime, these teams will help create safer, cleaner, and stronger communities. Their work will not only complement the efforts of our police but will also bring needed resources and attention to issues that matter deeply to Staten Islanders. I applaud this initiative and welcome the Quality of Life Teams to Staten Island. Their presence represents an investment in prevention, problem-solving, and partnership with the community — an investment that will pay dividends in making our borough a better place to live, work, and raise a family.  This initiative will go a long way in keeping Staten Island the safest borough in New York City.”

“Our number one priority has been to improve the quality of life for Staten Islanders. That's why we support the initiative of the Mayor and NYPD to focus on these issues. The NYPD continues to be an effective partner in getting illegal mopeds taken off our streets, taking action against illegally parked commercial vehicles, and addressing other quality of life concerns,” said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. “We thank Mayor Adams for expanding these focused Q-Teams to Staten Island to continue this good work, and we will continue to do what's best for our neighbors and the residents of this great community.”

“The expansion of Q-Teams across Staten Island gives us real hope in addressing the quality-of-life issues that affect our communities every day,” said New York City Councilmember Kamillah Hanks. “Tackling challenges like abandoned cars, illegal mopeds, and public disorder is essential to keeping our neighborhoods safe, clean, and welcoming. I look forward to seeing this effort make a positive difference for Staten Islanders.”

“Quality of Life teams are designed to focus on de-escalation and send the right professionals to address community issues. I strongly support expanding these programs and look forward to reviewing the data from their implementation,” said New York City Councilmember Yusef Salaam. “Improving emergency response times, while reducing over-policing, is a key reform. Launching Q teams in Staten Island will help bridge gaps in our current system.”

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