Many Fear Crime-Ridden Summer After Deadly Memorial Day Weekend Violence

A recent spate of murders in the city combined with a shrinking police force has some officials and residents fearing bloody months ahead.

And the summer hasn’t even started yet.

“I think it’s only going to get worse with more violence and shootings,” said Alyssa Bryan of Brownsville, Brooklyn. “I have a bad feeling about it. Look at what happened already.”

Eight people were shot to death across the city between 12:01 a.m. Friday and Monday night, including a mom in the Bronx and a father of two in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has warned for some time that the reduction in the number of officers – from 41,000 in 2001 to 35,400 this year – would eventually have an impact on crime.

That warning stands a good chance of coming true beginning in July, when a Police Academy class typically hits the street, according to City Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens). Budget cuts forced the postponement of the class.

“We’re not going to have new police officers the rest of the year,” said Vallone, who heads the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. “Right now, it’s clear to the population we do not have the beat cops and bike cops we used to have. And if it’s clear to the population, it’s clear to the bad guys, as well.”

But Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, the NYPD’s top spokesman, said the spate of murders over the weekend is likely an aberration.

“We see crime peaks and valleys throughout the year that tend to flatten over time,” he said.

Police records show murders were down 1% through Sunday, according to the latest NYPD data available. Police reported a much sharper decline through Feb. 23 – a drop of 25%. That means the number of murders have risen at an alarming rate in March, April and May compared with the same period last year.

Eugene O’Donnell, a professor of police science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the NYPD’s shrinking patrol force is worrisome. “We have no reason to believe there can’t be slippage back to the bad old days,” he said.