NEW YORK-Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois and the Office of Community Safety today announced the expansion of New York City's Crisis Management System (CMS) to Bushwick, Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood.
The expansion will strengthen the City's work of credible messengers - trusted community member who work to mediate conflicts before they become violence - while connecting New Yorkers to jobs, mental health services, mentorship, education and other resources. The three neighborhoods, known as catchment areas, were selected based on crime data, unmet service needs and other indicators. Each full CMS catchment receives $1.6 million in City funding.
The expansion reflects the Mamdani administration's evidence-based, whole-of-government approach to public safety: preventing violence before it happens by investing in the people and community organizations that know their neighborhoods best.
"Public safety is strongest when it begins with prevention and when communities have the resources to resolve conflict, support young people and keep their neighbors safe," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani. "By expanding the Crisis Management System in Bushwick, Harlem and Washington Heights/Inwood, we are investing in trusted local organizations and credible messengers who know their communities and have earned their trust. That is how we build a safer New York City: by pairing accountability with opportunity and making sure every neighborhood has the resources to keep its people safe."
"Every New Yorker deserves to be safe in their neighborhood, and that safety is strongest when it is built with - not imposed on - communities," said Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois. "This expansion gives trusted local partners the resources they need to reach people before a crisis, interrupt violence and respond to community needs with care, credibility and urgency."
Developed through investments from the City Council and the administration more than a decade ago, the CMS is a network of community-based organizations working to prevent and reduce gun violence in neighborhoods most affected by it. CMS combines immediate conflict prevention with sustained support to help New Yorkers build safer futures.
CMS partners deploy trained outreach workers and violence interrupters, often known as credible messengers, who have deep roots in their communities and are able to build trust with people at greatest risk of becoming involved in violence. Teams identify and de-escalate disputes before they turn violent, support residents after violent incidents and help prevent retaliation. They also connect participants to job training, employment, education, mental health care, legal assistance and other services.
CMS currently operates across 46 neighborhood service areas.
"Community safety requires sustained investment in the people and organizations best positioned to prevent harm and support healing," said Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey, Commissioner of the Office of Community Safety. "By strengthening credible-messenger outreach and access to clinical support, we are helping community partners address conflict, connect New Yorkers to care and deliver more comprehensive violence-prevention services."
"Violence prevention is most effective when it is led by people who understand a neighborhood's strengths, challenges and relationships firsthand," said Clifford Larochel, Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety in the Mayor's Office of Community Safety. "This investment will help credible messengers deepen their presence and connect more New Yorkers to support before a crisis escalates."
"Public safety is about trust, which must be built in close partnership with our communities," said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. "This investment empowers trusted organizations with existing roots in our neighborhoods to continue their lifesaving work of prevention, mediation and outreach. As one of the people who helped bring the Crisis Management System to our city years ago, I'm eager to reach more New Yorkers with a proven solution to violence that puts community at its center."
"Across Brooklyn we've seen that the people who live in our neighborhoods are the ones best positioned to mediate conflict, support families and connect neighbors to opportunity. It's great to see the City investing in this approach and recognizing that public safety must be built with communities, not imposed on them," said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. "I'm grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Deputy Mayor Francois for expanding the Crisis Management System to Bushwick, and excited to see The Wick Against Violence expand their outreach in the neighborhood."
"Violence interrupters are an essential component of crime reduction and my office's partnership with them is part of the reason gun violence in Brooklyn is decreasing faster than the record-breaking numbers citywide. I'm very familiar with the great work Wick Against Violence is already doing in Bushwick and I know the importance of having credible messengers from the community, especially in this predominantly Latino neighborhood. CMS sites are effective and expanding them is the correct approach, so I commend Mayor Mamdani for his investment in community-led public safety," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
"I applaud the Mamdani administration for expanding this important public safety initiative. Credible messengers are a proven way to interrupt and prevent violence and have been a key pillar of my office's strategy to drive down shootings. The Crisis Management System is illustrative of the comprehensive approach we need to create lasting safety in all our communities, and I look forward to seeing the progress of the program in these new precincts," said District Attorney Bragg.
"The Wick Against Violence has already had such a valuable impact in our community, and I'm so glad to see the city expanding its operations and programming as part of the Crisis Management System. This means more people in Bushwick that are at risk of gun violence will be able to access the support they need from the messengers and organizations they trust," said State Senator Julia Salazar.
"Expanding New York City's Crisis Management System into Bushwick is a key step toward building safer communities through prevention, intervention and support. We know that community-based violence interrupters and trusted messengers can really make a difference in preventing shootings. As we welcome The Wick and Southside United Los Sures to this effort, we need to provide them the resources, timely funding and support they need to succeed. Investing in our communities and addressing the root causes of violence are essential to creating a safer Bushwick and a safer New York City," said Assemblywoman Maritza Davila.
"Mayor Mamdani's investment in Bushwick Houses through community-based program 'The Wick Against Violence' is a testament to a deeply thoughtful and comprehensive approach to improving public safety" said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, who represents the development. "'The Wick', along with partners like Woodhull Hospital H&H, the Bushwick Houses Tenants Association and Southside United HDFC, have made remarkable strides in empowering our youth, employing local residents and reducing crime. Since its MAP designation close to ten years ago, our district has witnessed the improvements made when we invest in public housing and our community. I applaud the administration's decision to increase their investment into my district and look forward to continued success of 'The Wick Against Violence."
"Public safety is not just relying on police response to solve deeply systemic issues - it's about preventing violence before it even happens," said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, representing Washington Heights & Inwood. "Investing in Grow Up Grow Out is an investment in the safety and future of Washington Heights and Inwood. By expanding trusted street outreach, mentorship, and violence intervention, we are empowering community leaders who know our young people and understand their challenges. We applaud the expansion of the credible messengers program, relying on organizations who have built the community trust to be able to intervene before conflict turns into tragedy."
"Lasting safety starts with prevention. Expanding the Crisis Management System into Harlem puts more credible messengers in our neighborhoods to resolve conflicts before they escalate, support families after a crisis and connect young people to mentorship, jobs, education and mental health care. Living Redemption is already doing this work, and this investment will help them reach more people. Thank you to Mayor Mamdani and Deputy Mayor Francois for this commitment," said Council Member Yusef Salaam.
Bushwick
In Bushwick, the City will expand The Wick Against Violence, operated by Southside United, to strengthen neighborhood outreach and support residents at risk of gun violence. The investment builds on Southside United's existing work at Woodhull Hospital and programming at Bushwick Houses, giving the organization additional resources to deepen neighborhood outreach and provide sustained support to residents at risk of gun violence.
Harlem
The new investment will expand Living Redemption's neighborhood outreach and conflict-mediation work, while connecting more young people and families with trusted mentors and pathways to employment, education and other support.
Washington Heights/Inwood
In Washington Heights/Inwood, the City will establish a new CMS street-outreach team through Grow Up Grow Out Jr., operated by United Way, bringing CMS outreach services to an area the network has not previously covered. Trained neighborhood workers will provide street outreach, conflict mediation and ongoing support to residents at risk of becoming involved in violence.
