In a live appearance on PIX11’s Morning News at 7 AM on September 3, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch discussed new NYPD data showing overall crime in New York City down nearly 7% year-over-year, with transit crime dropping more than 22%. While shootings citywide remain at historic lows, recent high-profile incidents in the Bronx have raised concerns, which officials attribute largely to gang violence and recidivism. Mayor Adams emphasized that New York remains the safest big city in America, while Commissioner Tisch outlined increased police presence, historic gang takedowns, and expanded school safety measures ahead of the new school year.
Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears Live on PIX11’s “PIX11 Morning News at 7 AM”
September 3, 2025
Hazel Sanchez: The numbers are in, and they show crime is down across New York City. The NYPD releasing its August data, which shows that major crimes are down nearly 7 percent from this time last year.
Dan Mannarino: Transit crime also dropped more than 22 percent year to year. Same for robberies, same for assaults and grand larceny. And while the numbers really tell one story, we’re seeing another, especially in the Bronx, where shootings are actually on the rise. Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, they are joining us now from City Hall this morning with a more detailed look at these numbers. So good to see both of you. Good morning.
Mayor Eric Adams: Good to speak with you, Dan, as well.
Mannarino: Let me begin with this, Mr. Mayor. Help us make sense of the numbers, right? How the data can show that shootings are at historic lows across the city, but it also shows there’s a 4 percent increase in the number of shooting incidents compared to last year. So how do you kind of explain that one?
Mayor Adams: And you’re talking about in the month of August, as you stated, overall crime is down, as well as shootings [being] down for the year. Look, we have some high profile cases. And when you peel them back, you will see that we’re dealing with two elements that we have communicated throughout the entire year, particularly throughout the time I’ve been in office, recidivism and gangs.
So when you start dismantling gang databases, when you start allowing a revolving door criminal justice system, this is the result. So we’ve been doing our job in the criminal justice system, but clearly those two components are hurting our public safety movement.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: And I would just add that shooting incidents and shooting victims for the first eight months of the year, citywide, are at record lows right now. We’ve continued that each month. In the month of August, shooting incidents citywide were up ever so slightly.
But importantly, in the borough of the Bronx, where we’ve had a number of high profile shootings, shooting incidents for the month of August are actually down 20 percent. So this August was actually safer than last August, even in the borough of the Bronx.
Sanchez: But what happened in the Bronx just the last couple of days and then after Monday’s parade, how does the data actually account for that too?
Police Commissioner Tisch: Well, the numbers are what they are. Yes, we have had a number of high profile incidents in the Bronx, particularly over the past several weeks. But one thing that you should know is that we have deployed over a thousand additional officers to walk foot posts in the Bronx, on the streets and at the times where we know that the shootings occur. And my expectation is that those officers are going to quell some of the violence that we’ve seen over the past two weeks.
Mannarino: What are you attributing the rise or the numbers that we’re seeing in the Bronx? Are you attributing it to gang violence? What are you attributing it to?
Police Commissioner Tisch: A lot of it, Dan, is gang violence. And the mayor has been very clear with us. He wants us to go after gangs and guns. And we have done that in a big and frankly historic way this summer and this year. We have more gang takedowns this year than we have ever had in NYPD history.
More guns off the street over the past three and a half years under the mayor than ever in history. So those two ingredients, going after gangs, going after guns, in addition to having lots of cops out in foot posts, [and] precision policing in the right places, has led to the historic crime declines that we are discussing today.
Sanchez: Yeah, I mean, Mayor Adams, we’ve been here before where perception, reality, they’re two different things. But how successful do you really feel, though, that the summer violence reduction plan was?
Mayor Adams: Well, as the commissioner stated, the numbers don’t lie and you use the numbers to indicate are you moving in the right direction. Look over this weekend, the number of shootings we had. And then look at cities across America, Chicago, over 50 people shot, over 50 people shot. And so when you look at what we’re doing here, we remain the safest big city in America.
And we know these high profile shootings, Franklin Avenue, you saw fourteen people shot. You saw four people shot in the Bronx. We know this plays on the psyche of New Yorkers, but when you look at what this Police Department is doing under this commissioner, you are seeing record lows in crime.
Now we need the other parts of the criminal justice system to do their job, and that includes looking at what we did with Raise the Age, looking at what we did with bail reform and these other aspects that’s causing this revolving door. The shooters have records of shootings and records of carrying guns. This is terrible.
Mannarino: You mentioned Chicago and the president has now set his sights on Chicago and sending in the National Guard. Commissioner Tisch, I know you met recently with the Attorney General Pam Bondi and expressed to her that you don’t need the National Guard. Was she on board? Have you been assured that New York City will not get things like we’ve seen in LA and now soon to be Chicago?
Police Commissioner Tisch: So we had a very polite discussion. And as usual for me, I was very direct in saying to the attorney general that in New York City, we got this and we don’t want or need extra help. Because in fact, in my opinion, the extra bodies here are not helpful. Those people are not trained to be on the streets in New York City to deal with street crime.
So I explained that in my opinion, it would be more of a hindrance than a help. And New York City police officers are the best trained in the world and they’re the best cops in the world. Let them do their thing.
Mannarino: And the response?
Police Commissioner Tisch: We had a nice discussion. Obviously, she wasn’t in a place to make any guarantees, but I think my message was delivered loud and clear.
Sanchez: Commissioner, as we head back to school, the NYPD has hired nearly 3,000 new recruits this year. Does that number also include school safety officers?
Police Commissioner Tisch: Yes, we’ve done a huge push around hiring school safety officers and we will continue to do that. For as long as I’ve been in the Police Department, there’s always been drama around the number of school safety officers we have. And so we’ve put in place a hiring plan, hopefully to end that drama.
But importantly, starting tomorrow, the NYPD school safety plan goes into effect. And we have lots of officers, over 500 officers that are going to work corridors that kids travel to and from school at the times they’re traveling to and from school just to make sure that their pre-school and post-school commutes are nice and safe. We’ve got to keep our kids safe.
Mannarino: Absolutely. That is a priority. While we have you, I want to shift gears here and talk about you for a moment. There was a lot of news about you being in Florida yesterday, your trip to Florida. Can you talk about why you went to Florida and if you met with anybody from the Trump administration while you were there?
Mayor Adams: The goal of the trip was to get away for a day to deal with some personal issues in Florida. And at the same time, you know, I had a birthday celebrating [my] 65th–
Mannarino: Happy Birthday.
Mayor Adams: And I had some former colleagues that I was able to see. What I did on my time and how I paid for it was my dime and you know my rule. My time, my dime, my time.
Mannarino: So did you meet with anybody from the Trump administration?
Mayor Adams: I met with several political figures in Florida while I was there from various parts, including the mayor from Miami administration.
Sanchez: Okay. Well, mayor, I know how much you love polls. We’ve talked about this before, but the latest ones have you in third place. Do you think that’s going to change now that independent candidate Jim Walden dropped out?
Mayor Adams: Well, we’re going to continue to move forward and just stay focused. I keep bringing it back and sharing with everyone where the Democratic primary winner was at this distance in the race. The goal is not to be distracted. Dan, you heard me say this over and over again, stay focused, no distractions and grind.
Mannarino: Never heard that. Mr. Mayor, let me ask you, because you know what the rumors are going to say. You went to Florida. You’re now talking about meeting with political figures that you are looking for some, for an out of the race and that you’re looking for a potential future job. So are you planning to stay in this till November? Can you quell that rumor that you were absolutely saying in this or are you looking for another job?
Mayor Adams: Well, I said it over and over again, it didn’t quell it. So what is the purpose of continuing saying the same thing that is not going to quell? Listen, I’m a retired captain in the Police Department, former state senator, former borough president. I’ve never had a problem finding jobs as I transition. And that’s not what I’m looking for right now. I’m looking to continue to serve the people of the City of New York.
Mannarino: Just to be very clear, just to be very clear, because I know you’re staying in the race till November–
Mayor Adams: Dan, I said that over and over again. It didn’t satisfy you last month. It didn’t satisfy you the previous month. It’s not going to satisfy you this month–
Mannarino: Well Mr. Mayor, you know, just to be fair, I did ask you a number of times if you were running as a Democrat and you always said, “Yes, I am.” And then you went independent.
Mayor Adams: No, Dan. I’m still a Democrat, Dan. You know, let’s be clear. I’m still a Democrat. I am still a Democrat. And so, again, no matter how many times I answer the questions, you’re going to have to do your job of asking. And I’m going to do my job of answering.
Mannarino: It’s my birthday gift to you to keep asking the questions.
Sanchez: And you see a path to victory, Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Adams: I answered that three months ago. I answered it again last month and I’ll answer it again this month. Yes.
Mannarino: All right. Mayor Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Commissioner, by the way, I heard you say earlier that you were direct. You never. Good to see both of you. Thank you so much.
Mayor Adams: All right. Take care.
September 3, 2025 Manhattan, New York
Sources: NYC.gov , Midtown Tribune news
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