Mayor de Blasio, Borough President Adams and Council Member Ampry-Samuel Announce Plan to Redesign Four Brooklyn Precincts

August 23, 2018

$1.25 million investment will help strengthen bond between neighborhood and police by improving precinct common areas

BROOKLYN—Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel and Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison today announced plans to improve constituent waiting areas and public entry ways at the 71st, 73rd, 75th and 77th precincts in Brooklyn. The improvements to these precincts are designed to welcome community members into these spaces and provide more opportunity to build relationships with officers. The improvements will enhance the spaces for both residents and for the police officers who work at the precincts.

These upgrades are made possible by a $1 million investment in capital funding from Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and a $250,000 contribution for the 73rd precinct from Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel. The specific designs for each precinct are still in development and will vary based on the building footprint. This work will be finished in 2020.

“While crime is at a record low in New York City, there is still more work to do to ensure that every New Yorker feels comfortable in their local precinct,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These new improvements will help to make the precincts more welcoming, and I thank Borough President Adams and Council Member Ampry-Samuel for their commitment to strengthening the bond between community and police.”

Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “The public areas of all NYPD precincts should be inviting and secure places for everyone to conduct business. Today’s announcement will surely help build trust and strengthen relationships with all the people we serve. I thank Borough President Adams and Council Member Ampry-Samuel for leading the way and for sharing our vision of ensuring that all New Yorkers, in every neighborhood, continue to be important factors in our efforts to make this great city even safer.”

“Opening up our police precinct common areas opens up more than physical infrastructure; it further opens the lines of communication between New Yorkers and the men and women sworn to protect and serve them. I’m so proud that my administration has spearheaded the funding for a transformational redesign of stationhouse vestibules across Brooklyn, and I thank Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner O’Neill for their partnership as we seek to advance neighborhood policing to its next phases. Bringing community and police together makes us a safer and more just city, something I know firsthand from my days in NYPD blue,” said Borough President Eric Adams.

“We are at a time when community-police relations must be strengthened and in some cases repaired. The concept of a vibrant, welcoming space at the entrance of a precinct should provide the community with a positive experience when engaging police officers. I am proud to be the first council member to contribute to this new pilot program at the 73rd Precinct and look forward to working on the redesign of the three precincts within my district,” said Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel.

These efforts will complement the Precinct Enhancement Program, part of the Administration’s demonstrated commitment to improving NYPD facilities, funded at $9.3M annually to enhance each of the precinct stationhouses with new flooring, painting, façade repair, lighting, furniture replacement, filing services and other facility enhancements. In addition to this program, resources have been provided to NYPD for other areas of facilities improvements including preventive maintenance teams, facilities cleaning contracts, locker room renovations, HVAC and bathroom renovations. 

Through Neighborhood Policing, the NYPD is greatly increasing cop and community interaction, while simultaneously strengthening the NYPD’s crime-fighting capabilities. These precinct enhancements will further the work to build trust between the community and officers and assist the NYPD in driving crime and disorder down beyond the record-low levels that have been achieved.

"The 72nd Precinct is a working precinct where officers meet with residents all the time. Our NYPD facilities should be able to accommodate the public and be accessible to everyone. The NYPD can help demonstrate a more open environment with improved facilities,” said Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz.
Assemblywoman Latrice Walker said, “In this day and age, we continue to see how impactful neighborhood policing is in our communities. I’m truly grateful to see these steps taken to make our precincts more welcoming. I trust that the new and improved precincts will further strengthen the connection between law enforcement and our residents.”

“Today’s announcement is a major step in the right direction in making police stations more accommodating to everyday New Yorkers,” said Donovan Richards, Chairman of the Council's Public Safety Committee. “This investment will go a long way in ensuring that the public and the hard working men and women of the NYPD continue to build new bridges in modernized facilities. I would like to congratulate Mayor De Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’ Neill, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Member Ampry –Samuel for this victory for Brooklyn.”

“The new renovations are going to improve the look of the current waiting area at the 73rd precinct. I am excited! This investment is a step in the right direction towards improving police and community relationships. I would like to thank Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and City Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel for investing in the Brownsville community,” said Digna Layne, Vice President of the 73rd Precinct Council. 

"Brownsville's 73rd Precinct, and the City as a whole is the safest it has ever been; in no small part to improved police-community relations. I am thankful to the leadership of Mayor DeBlasio, Borough President Adams and Councilwoman Ampry-Samuel for investing in the 73rd to create a modernized precinct that is resident-friendly and enhances the trust between the police, Brownsville, and in particular, the NYCHA community,” said Christopher Durosimi, Tenant Association President of Glenmore Houses in Brownsville.

“I am elated! The 71st Precinct needs to be renovated. I am grateful to the Mayor and the other elected officials for participating in this to effort to make improvements to the precincts in our community. This is a long time coming,” said Carl Cohen, President of the
71st Precinct Council.

Pia Raymond, Founder and CEO Creating Legacies said: “The 71st Pct. is a historic anchor in the Crown Heights, Flatbush, Wingate and Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhoods. In addition to being the workspace for the officers protecting and serving the community through policing, the 71st Pct is a hub of community engagement.   For decades, residents have worked collectively with the NYPD to advance community policing through support of programs like the Explorers, the 71st Precinct Community Council, Clergy Council, Family Day and many others.  Creating Legacies is proud to stand with New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio, DI Francis Giordano, Det. Vincent Martinos and the host of police officers, auxiliary, youth Explorers and community to launch the design and construction improvements to the 71st Precinct station.  The improvements will yield a safer environment for increased police and community programming.  Moreover, the capital improvements will undoubtedly increase the morale of the officers who serve in the community and the residents who visit the precinct to gain and share information.”