New York City Housing Authority Police Department

Last updated
New York City Housing Authority Police Department
NYC Housing Police.jpg
NYC Housing Authority Police badge.jpg
Shield of the New York City Housing Authority Police Department
Agency overview
Formed1952
Dissolved1995
Superseding agency New York City Police Department
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionNew York, New York, USA
Map of New York Highlighting New York City.svg
Map of New York City Housing Authority Police Department's jurisdiction
Size1,214.4 km²
Population8,274,527
Legal jurisdictionNew York City
General nature
Specialist jurisdiction
  • Buildings and lands occupied or explicitly controlled by the institution and the institution's personnel, and public entering the buildings and precincts of the institution.
Operational structure
Police Officers2700+

The New York City Housing Authority Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1952 to 1995, which was then merged into the NYPD. The roots of this organization go back to 1934 and the creation of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia authorized the hiring of security guards to patrol the city's public housing buildings. These guards eventually were trained and became the first officers of the Housing Police, which was officially created in 1952. [1] The Housing Police, along with the New York City Transit Police, was merged into the New York City Police Department in 1995 by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and continues today as the Housing Bureau.

Contents

History

Creation of the New York City Housing Authority

In 1934, under the authority of the NYS Public Housing Law, the NYCHA was established. Housing Authority developments quickly began to sprout up around the five boroughs of New York City. It didn't take long for the city to realize that these developments, some like little cities, provided unique policing challenges. The initial response was a simple one - the formation of a security guard corps with individual guards assigned to specific developments.

As time passed, the problems of law enforcement throughout the City became more complex. Calls for service to the NYPD from housing developments increased dramatically, and it became clear that a more professional law enforcement component than the guard service was needed to deal with the complexities of policing diverse, decentralized public housing developments.

Beginning of the NYCHA Police Department

In December 1952 the NYCHA Police Service was formed to answer the above challenge.

Initially, the officers assigned to this new group were designated as "special patrolmen." This designation gave them limited peace officer powers, including the authority to effect arrests and to carry firearms while on duty. The qualifications for employment in this new group were more stringent than those required of the former guard service, and their training was more comprehensive.

Although these officers performed more effectively and efficiently than the former guard service, this arrangement also had its limitations. However, this was all to change.

In 1958, legislation was enacted making members of the Housing Authority "special patrolman" fully sworn peace officers. Subsequently in 1966, the state legislature designated the Housing Police a duly constituted Police Department. As part of that same legislation, the role of law enforcement agents became more specific. Members of police departments throughout New York State, including the NYC Police Department, NYC Transit Police Department, and the NYC Housing Police Department, were designated "police officers" with broad arrest powers. Their former category of "peace officer" was reserved for other members of the law enforcement community who were granted less authority and powers of arrest. This latter group composed of Tri-Borough bridge and tunnels officers, corrections officers, court officers, and others whose need for arrest powers was less immediate.

By this time, the Housing Police had already established a reputation as an effective, foot patrol oriented, neighborhood police force. Groups of officers were assigned to individual developments or clusters of several adjoining developments. This resulted in the officers developing an intimate knowledge of the tenants and conditions in their assigned developments. Their awareness of potential and actual criminal activity greatly enhanced their ability to suppress crime, as well as making them an excellent source of intelligence for detectives investigating past crimes.

The downside of this strategy was an inadequate amount of first line supervision. Because of the expanded span of control for sergeants (they could have as many as 40 officers assigned, working at several different housing developments) officers got little field supervision.

Development of the Police Service Area system

The Department recognized this problem and it was rectified in 1978, with the establishment of the Police Service Area concept. This concept was based on the number of calls for service, the personnel available, and the geographical area served. Considering these factors, nine (9) PSAs, covering all the public housing developments in the City of New York, were established.

The PSAs were essentially precinct type operations, with officers reporting to one of the nine locations. In addition, the Housing Police radio network was scrapped in favor of assimilation into the 911 radio network. Further, the training of all new police officers was shifted to the NYC Police Academy.

This new distribution of resources alleviated several of the deficiencies of the previous system. It also provided greater interplay between officers of the NYPD and the Housing Police. Officers now were part of a precinct-type operation, standing roll call, being seen by their supervisors on a daily basis, exchanging information with other officers within their command, and responding to radio calls transmitted via the 911 system.

The establishment of the PSAs marked the beginning of the modern era of the Housing Police Department. The Department already had Patrol Bureau, Detective Bureau, Internal Affairs Bureau, Support Service Bureau, and Personnel Services Bureau components. But after the establishment of the PSAs these Bureaus grew and became more diversified with many specialized units created to deal with special conditions and circumstances.

The Patrol Bureau, the largest of the Bureaus, created and deployed Project Stabilization Units, Narcotics Units, Anti Crime Units, Bicycle Units, and Emergency Rescue Units; the Detective Bureau deployed a Homicide/Major Case Squad, Robbery Squad, Burglary Squad, Warrant Squad, Elevator Vandalism Squad, and each PSA had a Precinct Detective Unit assigned; the Internal Affairs Bureau had a Special Investigation Unit, and the Civilian Complaint Review Unit; Support Services Bureau had the Motor Pool, responsible for the acquisition, and maintenance of all Department vehicles now numbering over 200; and the Personnel Services Bureau fielded the Police Academy Unit, the Firearms Training Unit and the Driver Training Unit, making the department the largest and most professional Housing Police Department in the world.

In the span of 43 years, the department moved from 47 sworn officers in December 1952, to a diverse Department of over 2700 sworn personnel in 1995.

On May 1, 1995, the New York City Housing Authority Police Department was merged into the New York City Police Department and now exists in spirit in the NYPD Housing Bureau.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Transit Police</span> Former law enforcement agency in New York City

The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 to 1995, and is currently part of the NYPD. The roots of this organization go back to 1936 when Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia authorized the hiring of special patrolmen for the New York City Subway. These patrolmen eventually became officers of the Transit Police. In 1949, the department was officially divorced from the New York City Police Department, but was eventually fully re-integrated in 1995 as the Transit Bureau of the New York City Police Department by New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Police Department</span> Municipal police force in the United States

The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, and the largest and one of the oldest in the United States. The NYPD headquarters is at 1 Police Plaza, located on Park Row in Lower Manhattan near City Hall. The NYPD's regulations are compiled in title 38 of the New York City Rules. The NYC Transit Police and NYC Housing Authority Police Department were fully integrated into the NYPD in 1995. Dedicated units of the NYPD include the Emergency Service Unit, K9, harbor patrol, highway patrol, air support, bomb squad, counter-terrorism, criminal intelligence, anti-organized crime, narcotics, mounted patrol, public transportation, and public housing units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Police Department</span> Police agency in Philadelphia, USA

The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The PPD is one of the oldest municipal police agencies, fourth largest police force and sixth largest non-federal law enforcement agency in the United States. Since records were first kept in 1828, at least 289 PPD officers have died in the line of duty.

Edward W. Conlon is an American author and former New York Police Department (NYPD) officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police</span> Auxiliary police in New York City

The New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police is a volunteer reserve police force which is a subdivision of the Patrol Services Bureau of the New York City Police Department. Auxiliary Police Officers assist the NYPD with uniformed patrols, providing traffic control, crowd control, and other services during major events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department</span>

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department (MTAPD) is the law enforcement agency of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. MTA Police Officers are fully empowered under the New York State Public Authorities Law and are commissioned in the state of Connecticut. Their geographic area of employment extends to all counties in New York served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, giving the MTA Police the ability to exercise full police authority within the counties of Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, and in New York City.

The New York City Police Department Housing Bureau is responsible for providing the security and delivery of police services to about 420,000 people living in New York City's public housing projects. They are stationed in Police Service Areas (PSA), which are almost identical to police precincts, with nine PSAs in total located throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency in New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, or Port Authority Police Department (PAPD), is a law enforcement agency in New York and New Jersey, the duties of which are to protect and to enforce state and city laws at all the facilities, owned or operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), the bi-state agency running airports, seaports, and many bridges and tunnels within the Port of New York and New Jersey. Additionally, the PAPD is responsible for other PANYNJ properties including three bus terminals, the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, and the PATH train system. The PAPD is the largest transit-related police force in the United States.

The New York City Police Department's Medal for Valor is the department's third highest medal. It is conferred upon police officers for acts of outstanding personal bravery intelligently performed in the line of duty at imminent personal hazard to life under circumstances evincing a disregard of personal consequences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nassau County Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency of Nassau County, New York, US

The Nassau County Police Department is the law enforcement agency of Nassau County, New York.

New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police, also known as DEP Police, and formerly known as the Bureau of Water Supply Police and the Aqueduct Police, is a law enforcement agency in New York City whose duties are to protect and preserve the New York City water supply system maintained by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the nation's largest single source water supply. The department has protected and preserved the water supply system for over 100 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport police</span>

Airport police units are a security police agency assigned to perform law enforcement functions at airports. They provide a wide range of law enforcement duties and responsibilities including patrol, investigation, traffic flow management, and control and response to airport emergencies. Airport police provide enhanced safety to airport employees, and to passengers. Officers can be found at security gates, throughout the terminal area, and around the airport’s perimeter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattanville Houses</span> Public housing development in Manhattan, New York

Manhattanville Houses is a public housing project in the Manhattanville section of West Harlem, in the borough of Manhattan, New York City. The project is located between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, spanning a superblock from 129th Street to 133rd Street and is managed by the New York City Housing Authority. The project consists of six 20-story buildings containing 1,272 apartment units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organization of the New York City Police Department</span> Law enforcement command structure

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is structured into numerous bureaus and units. As a whole, the NYPD is headed by the Police Commissioner, a civilian administrator appointed by the Mayor, with the senior sworn uniformed officer of the service titled "Chief of Department". The Police Commissioner appoints a number of Deputy and Assistant Commissioners. The department is divided into twenty bureaus, six of which are enforcement bureaus. Each enforcement bureau is further sub-divided into sections, divisions, and units, and into patrol boroughs, precincts, and detective squads. Each Bureau is commanded by a Bureau Chief. There are also a number of specialized units that are not part of any of the Bureaus and report to the Chief of the department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the New York City Police Department</span>

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) originates in the Government of New York City attempts to control rising crime in early to mid 19th century New York City. This increased crime was due to an increased population, caused primarily by poor Irish immigrants beginning in the 1820s. The City's reforms created a full-time professional police force modeled upon London's Metropolitan Police, itself only formed in 1829. Established in 1845, the Municipal Police replaced the inadequate night watch system which had been in place since the 17th century, when the city was founded by the Dutch as New Amsterdam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Police Department Detective Bureau</span>

The Detective Bureau is one of 20 bureaus that constitute the New York City Police Department and is headed by the three star Chief of Detectives. The Detective Squad was formed in 1857 with the Detective Bureau later formed in 1882.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Estavillo</span> Retired Puerto Rican NYPD police officer

NYPD Chief of Patrol Nicholas Estavillo (Ret.), is a former member of the New York Police Department who in 2002 became the first Puerto Rican and the first Hispanic in the history of the NYPD to reach the three-star rank of Chief of Patrol.

Rafael Piñeiro is the First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and highest ranking Hispanic American member of the NYPD. In November 2013, he was rumored to be on Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio's short list to replace Ray Kelly as NYPD Commissioner.

The Louis Heaton Pink Houses or Pink Houses are a housing project in New York City that were established in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn in 1959. The project consists of twenty-two, 8-story buildings with 1,500 apartment units. It covers a 31.1-acre expanse, and is bordered by Crescent Street, Linden Boulevard, Elderts Lane and Stanley Avenue. It is owned and managed by New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

References

  1. New York City Police Museum site Accessed January 26, 2008