Download Executive Order No. 15
ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY
WHEREAS, the City of New York currently offers programs that address issues like gun violence and mental health crises, and desires to strengthen their impact with uniform governance, expanded scope, and a unified strategy; and
WHEREAS, it is a priority of this Administration to accelerate the decrease in gun violence across the City using evidence-based crime-reduction strategies that are proven to keep communities safe, to provide long-term solutions to New Yorkers who experience mental health issues, and to respond appropriately in moments of crisis; and
WHEREAS, no New Yorker should experience violence because of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and this Administration is dedicated to investing resources and designing strategies to prevent hate-based violence; and
WHEREAS, in addition to taking steps to prevent violence, this Administration is committed to helping victims, particularly those who have suffered from hate- or gender-based violence; and
WHEREAS, this Administration is committed to developing policies and implementing programs to address the problems that mental health issues create for the individuals who experience them and the families supporting them, prevent violent incidents before they take place, reduce the incidence of gun violence, and provide critical services to victims of violence by prioritizing tested and compassionate solutions that have been consistently demonstrated to improve safety; and
WHEREAS, to accomplish this goal, the City will institute a whole-of-government approach that prioritizes crisis response, and evidence-based violence prevention programs; and
WHEREAS, these programs require interagency coordination and Citywide implementation to operate as effectively as possible and to deliver the sense of safety and security that all New Yorkers deserve;
NOW, THEREFORE, by the power vested in me as Mayor of the City of New York, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Office of Community Safety. The Office of Community Safety ("OCS") is hereby established within the Office of the Mayor.
§ 2. Commissioner of Community Safety. OCS shall be headed by a Commissioner who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. The Commissioner shall report to the Deputy Mayor for Community Safety. The Commissioner is authorized to perform any function, power or duty of the Mayor pursuant to Sections 13-d, 13-f, 20-g, and 20-m of the Charter of the City of New York.
§ 3. Powers and duties. OCS shall have the authority to perform the following functions:
a. Develop Citywide community safety strategies.
b. Supervise and coordinate the work of the following offices in exercising their authority under the Charter of the City of New York ("Charter") in furtherance of community safety, including crime and violence prevention initiatives, victim assistance services, and community mental health services, and in carrying out other duties as may be assigned by the Commissioner of OCS consistent with applicable law:
(1) Office of Crime Victim Services, established pursuant to Section 13-d of the Charter.
(2) Office for Neighborhood Safety and the Prevention of Gun Violence, also known as the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, established pursuant to Section 13-f of the Charter.
(3) Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, established pursuant to Section 19 of the Charter.
(4) Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, established pursuant to Section 20-g of the Charter.
(5) Office of Community Mental Health, also known as the Office of Community Mental Health, established pursuant to Section 20-m of the Charter.
c. Collect data, reports, and briefings from City agencies necessary to advance community safety initiatives, to the extent allowed by applicable law.
d. Convene and chair ad-hoc interagency community safety committees.
e. Review community safety related programs operated by City agencies and make recommendations to the Mayor about how their effectiveness can be strengthened, including whether it would be beneficial to bring such programs under the aegis of OCS.
f. Coordinate Citywide mental health crisis response programs to the extent practicable, including but not limited to the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD). Such coordination shall include policy development and implementation of mental health crisis response programs administered by the City and review of metrics related to the delivery of such services. Notwithstanding this Section, B-HEARD shall continue to operate under the control of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and the New York City Fire Department.
g. Review budget requests by City agencies and offices related to community safety funding or other priorities identified by the Mayor or Commissioner of Community Safety and make recommendations to the First Deputy Mayor regarding funding priorities related to the work of OCS.
§ 4. Office of Crime Victim Services. Pursuant to Section 13-d of the Charter, the Office of Crime Victim Services is hereby reestablished within the Office of Community Safety. Such Office shall be headed by a Coordinator who shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Coordinator shall have the powers and the duties of the Coordinator of the Office of Crime Victim Services pursuant to Section 19 of the Charter and shall:
a. Advise and assist the Mayor and Commissioner of Community Safety in planning for increased coordination and cooperation among service providers to ensure the efficient delivery of services for crime victims;
b. Work with the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence to ensure that services for crime victims are coordinated;
c. Advise and assist the Director of the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence in developing methods to improve the coordination of systems and services for victims of intimate partner violence;
d. Publish and annually update a directory of service providers in the City, organized by service type, location of services, hours of operation, contact information, eligibility criteria for services, language access, any specific cultural competencies, and accessibility, except that, the coordinator shall not publish the location of services that could compromise the safety of the victim;
e. Compile information on the nature of services the providers have contracted with the City to provide for crime victims;
f. Prepare and submit to the Mayor and the Council an annual report of service providers which shall include: (a) the nature of assistance to crime victims provided by such service providers, and (b) an assessment of the need for increased coordination for such crime victims;
g. Make recommendations with respect to the coordination of services;
h. Provide outreach and education on the availability of services for crime victims; and
i. Perform other duties as the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, or Commissioner of Community Safety may assign.
§ 5. Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Pursuant to Section 13-f of the Charter, the Office for Neighborhood Safety and the Prevention of Gun Violence, also known as the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, is hereby reestablished within the Office of Community Safety. Such Office shall be headed by the Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention who shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Director shall have the power and duties of the Director of the Office for Neighborhood Safety and the Prevention of Gun Violence pursuant to Section 13-f of the Charter. The purpose of the Office for Neighborhood Safety and the Prevention of Gun Violence shall be to address gun violence and public safety holistically, using an approach that considers socioeconomic and public health factors and seeks to address the root causes of violence by:
a. Developing and implementing trauma-informed responses to incidents of gun violence in geographic areas designated by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, or Commissioner of Community Safety;
b. Creating and distributing educational materials on conflict resolution and the prevention of gun violence;
c. Analyzing socioeconomic and public health challenges that include, but are not limited to, gun violence, mental health and economic opportunity;
d. Developing and implementing programs, initiatives and strategies that respond to the socioeconomic and public health challenges that impact public safety and the quality of life; and
e. Developing and implementing programs, initiatives and strategies that increase community empowerment and engagement.
§ 6. Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. Pursuant to Section 19 of the Charter, the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence is hereby reestablished within the Office of Community Safety. Such Office shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Director shall have the powers and the duties of the Director of the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence pursuant to Section 19 of the Charter and shall:
a. Coordinate domestic violence services;
b. Formulate policies and programs relating to all aspects of services and protocols for victims of domestic violence;
c. Develop methods to improve the coordination of systems and services for domestic violence;
d. Develop and maintain mechanisms to improve the response of City agencies to domestic violence situations and improve coordination among such agencies; and
e. Implement public education campaigns to heighten awareness of domestic violence and its effects on society and perform such other functions as may be appropriate regarding the problems posed by domestic violence.
§ 7. Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. Pursuant to Section 20-g of the Charter, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes is hereby reestablished within the Office of Community Safety. Such Office shall be headed by a Coordinator who shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Coordinator shall have the powers and the duties of the Coordinator of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes pursuant to Section 20-g of the Charter, and shall:
a. Advise and assist the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, and Commissioner of Community Safety in planning and implementing the coordination and cooperation among agencies under the jurisdiction of the Mayor that are involved in the following: preventing hate crimes, raising awareness of hate crimes, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, and addressing the impact of hate crimes on communities;
b. Create and implement a coordinated system for the City's response to hate crimes;
c. Review the budget requests of all agencies for programs related to hate crimes and recommend to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, and Commissioner of Community Safety budget priorities among such requests;
d. Prepare and submit to the Mayor and the Council and post on the City's website by March 1 of each year an annual report of the activities of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, the prevalence of hate crimes during the previous calendar year and the availability of services to ameliorate the impact of these crimes;
e. Study the effectiveness of, and make recommendations with respect to, the expansion of safety plans for neighborhoods and institutions that are particularly vulnerable to hate crimes and the resources available for victims;
f. Serve as liaison for the City with providers of victim services, community groups and other relevant nongovernmental entities and assist in the coordination among such entities on reporting and responding to allegations of hate crimes to ensure that affected persons have access to relevant services after hate crime events;
g. Provide relevant information to the affected community, including the local community board, within 72 hours of a determination that a violent hate crime has occurred;
h. Within 24 hours of a determination that a violent hate crime has occurred, notify the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, the Commissioner of Community Safety, Speaker of the Council, Public Advocate and Council Member of the relevant district that such hate crime occurred, the date and time the incident was reported, and the date and time the incident was referred to the Hate Crimes Task Force of the New York City Police Department; and
i. Perform other duties as the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, or Commissioner of Community Safety may assign.
§ 8. Office of Community Mental Health. Pursuant to Section 20-m of the Charter, the Office of Community Mental Health, is hereby reestablished within the Office of Community Safety. Such Office shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Director shall have the powers and the duties of the Director of the Office of Community Mental Health pursuant to Section 20-m of the Charter and shall:
a. Request and receive the assistance of any other City agency or office in the Office of the Mayor the Director deems necessary to further efforts (1) to reduce substance misuse and promote access to services for substance use disorder; (2) promote access to treatment for New Yorkers with mental health needs; (3) promote equity in access to treatment; (4) reduce any racial and ethnic disparity in reported mental health emergencies in the City; and (5) reduce the incidence of mental health emergencies occurring in the City and address individual's mental health needs before they become crises.
b. Develop and support the implementation of strategies to close gaps in mental health care by monitoring the implementation of such proposals, and providing data and budgetary information of such programs on such office's website.
c. Develop interagency policies and practices to promote mental health to (1) effectively and equitably promote mental health crisis prevention, intervention and stabilization practices; (2) promote mental health screening; (3) facilitate referrals to mental health care; (4) offer training; and (5) implement other strategies to promote mental health.
d. Decrease any barriers to mental health care that may prevent access among groups identified as being under-served by such care by developing and implementing strategic partnerships with other agencies to increase access to mental health care and disseminating resources to enhance mental health literacy, promote access to mental health care, and promote equity in access to treatment.
e. Coordinate with the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene, or their designee and any other agency or office the Director deems necessary to further the duties of the Office of Community Mental Health.
f. Perform such other relevant duties as the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, or Commissioner of Community Safety may assign.
§ 9. Contracting authority. The Commissioner of Community Safety may execute agreements and other documents necessary or desirable to effectuate any of the matters referred to in this Order or any of the programs, projects, and activities of any of the entities referred to in this Order in accordance with applicable law.
§ 10. Agency cooperation. All agencies are directed to cooperate fully with OCS to fulfill the functions of the office as required by this Order and further shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon request provide OCS with all information relevant to the performance of community safety functions set forth in this Order, and collect and make available to OCS any data or other information requested by OCS for use in relation to community safety matters. OCS shall take all steps necessary and consistent with applicable law to facilitate and encourage participation by non-mayoral City agencies and other entities affiliated with the City in the initiatives set forth in this Order.
§ 11. Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. Executive Order No. 19, dated June 2, 2022, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the Commissioner of Community Safety and one community representative to be appointed by the Mayor.
(b) The Task Force shall include the Police Commissioner, the First Deputy Mayor, the Commissioner of Community Safety, the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice, and the Deputy Mayor for Operations, or their designees. The Chancellor of the Department of Education shall be invited to participate in Task Force activities.
§ 12. Prior Orders Revoked. Executive Order No. 36, dated September 7, 2018, and Executive Order No. 68, dated May 5, 2021, are hereby REVOKED.
§ 13. Effective Date. This Order shall take effect immediately.
