NEW YORK (VINnews) — In light of the rising anti-Semitic attacks across New York City as of late, Senator Simcha Felder penned a letter to incoming NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea. In it he called attention to the safety concerns, and requested he bring back the Hasidic Cop Decoy program, as well as generally increase the amount of officers assigned to the 66th precinct.

The letter can be read in full below:

Commissioner Dermot Shea
New York Police Department
One Police Plaza
New York, NY 10038

Dear Commissioner Shea,

I wish to congratulate you on your appointment as Commissioner of the New York Police Department and wish you the best of luck in this important position.

As you begin your work in this high profile role, I would like to bring to your attention concerns I have about public safety in my district and possible solutions I am requesting to address those concerns.

The recent rise of anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York City has been well documented. According to NYPD statistics and your own public comments, this year alone, anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York City are up 63% as compared to 2018.

Given this increase in anti-Semitism across New York City, I am requesting that you reinstate the Hasidic Cop Decoy program. In the past, the NYPD ran this program and I believe at one point it was very successful at combating anti-Semitic hate crimes.

In addition, I am requesting a permanent increase in the number of police officers assigned to the 66th police precinct in Brooklyn. Over the last several years, there has been an exponential increase in population in the neighborhoods which the 66th police precinct covers. The number of officers allocated to this precinct has been insufficient for a long time and has only gotten worse since these neighborhoods have seen extraordinary growth. By increasing the number of officers assigned to the 66th precinct, the NYPD can ensure that the police force is the appropriate size to serve these neighborhoods.

Please contact me at my office (718) 253-2015. Thank you for your attention to this request and I look forward to your expedited response.

Sincerely,

Simcha Felder
Senator, 17th Senate District