Queens Residents Call for Unity to Fight Crime

QUEENS, N.Y.

There’s a lack of security and lawfulness, people don’t feel safe riding the train, going to work, anywhere,” said St. Albans resident Levingston Pichardo. Others echo his view.  Another Southeast Queens resident who did not wish to be identified, but felt very passionate about the issue told us, “There’s so much crime and robbery, New York as a whole is going under. We need a new mayor and a new governor because they’re not doing their job.”

The feeling of being unsafe is a real issue for New Yorkers. However, a great deal comes down to perception, which in some crime categories and some areas of the city, contrasts with reality. While many say that they feel unsafe and are concerned about increased crime, statistics paint a different picture of crime. In February 2024, murders dropped by 22% from the previous year. Felony assaults, burglary, and larceny were also down. Although, robbery was up 4.8%. Subway crime was down by 15.4%, according to NYPD statistics. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has addressed the perception of danger in New York City. In a March 29 interview on the popular show The Breakfast Club on YouTube, the mayor blamed sensationalism for people’s negative perception. He said,  “Those random acts of violence are plastered on social media. They’re plastered on newspapers. They’re plastered on everything. People begin to believe ‘Oh, I’m living in a city that’s out of control.’ We are not!”

Yet many disagree with the mayor. “Two years of polling by the Siena College Research Institute found nearly 90% of city residents say that crime is a serious problem statewide and 75% say it is a problem in their community, according to a  study conducted by VitalCity on crime perceptions in New York City. The New York Times also reported about the perception of crime, specifically on the subway. Lisa Daglian, the executive director of the MTA’s citizen’s advisory group told the Times, “Perception becomes reality for people. If you look at crime reports that numbers are going down, but you hear your neighbors say that they’re afraid to ride, then that becomes your reality.”

While overall numbers may be down, in Queens the story is different. CompStat, the platform where the NYPD provides crime statistics, reports that Queens South has had a 7.3% increase in robbery and an 11.2% increase in felony assault between March 2023 and 2024. CompStat reports also show that Queens North has had a 19.4% increase in robbery and a 12.5% increase in felony assault between March 2023 and 2024 to date. 

In the more urban northern portion of Queens, residents share a negative perception of crime. “The change has been dramatic, ten to five years ago I felt a lot safer.” Says lifelong Corona resident Laura Muñoz.

In northern and southern Queens residents want the same things. Saint Albans resident Rosa Martinez said, “We need more police and more vigilance but we also need to stay calm and stay united.” Martinez’s opinion was echoed several miles away by Elmhurst resident Jorge Franco who said, “The community needs to help one another and unite against crime.”

Above all, residents in both parts of Queens lament the loss of a sense of community. “People need to think of others more and be good to one another, we are all the same,” said Queens Village resident Gregory Rodriguez, who feels there has been a lack of unity and care for one another.

“For things to go back to how they were ten years ago, we all need to come together,” says Aleida Muñoz of Elmhurst. Saint Albans resident Michele Allman agrees. “The community has to be a part of the change, we need to be more involved, more community participation. We want things to happen but we’re not willing to put in energy, go to community meetings.”