July 11, 2011
By Mayor Michael Bloomberg
The following is the text of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s weekly radio address as prepared for delivery on 1010 WINS News Radio for Sunday, July 10, 2011
Good Morning,
“Public safety is the bedrock of any great city, and in New York City, the last three years have been the safest of any three year period in our history. It’s a remarkable achievement, especially when you consider the effects of the national recession, which challenged every City department to do more with less including the NYPD. But New York’s Finest have continued to drive crime to record lows by using a proven, data-driven approach, even as they have kept us safe from numerous terrorist threats.
With more than half the year already behind us, crime is down again, and it is 36% lower than it was 10 years ago. If we stay the course, our crime-fighting gains will add up to the best four-year public safety record in New York’s history!
“As proud as we are of our city’s public safety record, we’re not about to rest on our laurels. Because even one crime is one too many! Last week, we helped ensure the continued strength of our police force, and the safety of our city, by hiring 1,635 new police recruits. The largest group to enter the Police Academy since 2006, this class reflects both the dedication and the diversity that make the NYPD the best police department in the world. Sixteen percent of our new recruits were born overseas and more than 70 of them have served in our nation’s Armed Forces.
“No matter what road these 1,600-plus men and women traveled to become police officers, we are honored by their sworn commitment to protect us, and we wish them the best of luck as they begin their training tomorrow.
“New York is already the safest big city in the nation; we’re also working to make it the greenest. Last week we invited New Yorkers to join in that effort. On Thursday, with the help of Deputy Mayor for Operations Steve Goldsmith, we launched ‘Change By Us NYC,’ a new social media platform that allows participants to start meet-up groups, raise funds, and work with community-based organizations and City agencies to develop projects that will have a lasting impact.
“The first phase of ‘Change By Us NYC’ will focus on ideas and projects to make our city more environmentally sustainable. Such projects might include neighborhood tree planting, community composting, park stewardship, or energy efficiency initiatives. The whole idea behind “Change By Us” is that any one of our city’s 8.4 million residents could come up with a great idea to improve our city’s future. And by working together, we can turn those great ideas into action and see the results in our communities and neighborhoods. So if you’ve got an idea to share, please visit the “Change By Us” website at nyc.changeby.us, or you can link to the site via nyc.gov.
“This is Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Thanks for listening.”
