On patrol with the NYPD's new ‘Q-Team' — that tackles everyday Big Apple gripes one abandoned car at a time

New York Post

29-04-2025

The NYPD is tackling the little things.
The department's quality of life pilot program homed in on one Brooklyn neighborhood on Tuesday, taking on 311 gripes from everyday New Yorkers one headache at a time.
The unit has already responded to 2,000 quality of life complaints from everyday New Yorkers in just over two weeks, taking 400 abandoned and illegal cars and scooters off the streets — and recovering several illegal guns in the process, officials said.
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5 NYPD's new quality of life unit took on abandoned cars in one Brooklyn neighborhood, one common 311 complaint..
Paul Martinka
'This agency can walk and chew gum at the same time,' NYPD Deputy Chief William Glynn said. 'We have been fighting crime so effectively year over year with double-digit reductions.
'These types of issues we're focusing on now need renewed attention. We can do both and we will.'
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The Post on Tuesday tagged along with a 'Q-Team' from Brooklyn's 75th Precinct, one of six commands tasked with launching the effort announced earlier this year by police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Tisch said the pilot will grow into a 2,000-strong NYPD division taking on frequent 311 complaints, from panhandling and open-air drug use, to abandoned vehicles and excessive noise.
'If you look at the statistics going back even five years, almost 90% of these calls are either parking related or noise related,' Glynn said. 'So we're focusing on that.'
5 In just over two weeks the NYPD quality of life unit has responded to 2,000 311 complaints in six police districts.
Paul Martinka
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5 The new NYPD quality of life unit has taken 400 abandoned cars and illegal scooters off the streets, the department said.
Paul Martinka
So far in the 75 Precinct alone, 150 cars have been towed — among them a GMC Terrain with Ohio plates and an expired Massachusetts inspection that was towed from Warwick Street on Tuesday.
Up the block, a Volvo XC90 with Georgia plates was also towed away.
So far, the effort is getting the thumbs up from New Yorkers.
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'Cars on the street are a major issue in East New York,' local chef Daron Linson said. 'We have cars that have been abandoned on the street for years. Abandoned cars prevent garbage being picked up and takes up parking spots.
'This is about serving, protecting and making sure the community is safe,' Linson said of the new NYPD effort. 'In order to be save, you have to clean up. They're doing a good job.'
5 NYPD Deputy Chief William Glynn said his quality of life team is tackling common 311 gripes from New Yorkers.
Paul Martinka
Local resident Luis Leon said the neighborhood menace has been rowdy teens who rev up scooters and mopeds at the local basketball court, keeping families at bay and locals up at night.
'If the police can restore order to the park, that would be good for the community,' he said. 'I can't take my grandchild to the park on the weekend because there's a bunch of teenagers who ride motorbikes and mopeds like crazy right on the basketball and tennis court.'
They're the type of typical complaints now targeted by the new unit.
'We want to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of the past,' Glynn said. 'There's no numbers for numbers, it's not activity for the sake of activity. We see a problem, we address it and then move on.
5 The NYPD converged on a Brooklyn neighborhood looking to address quality of life crimes on Tuesday.
Paul Martinka
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'The goal of the quality of life teams is to address the quality of life problems in front of them,' the chief said. 'That is the goal.'
Police Q-Teams have been launched in five other NYPD commands — the 40th Precinct in the Bronx, the 60th and Police Service Area 1 in Brooklyn, the 101st in Queens and Manhattan's 13th Precinct.
Glynn said 75% of the calls to the unit so far have been anonymous, but still get action.
'The plan is before the end of the year to have it rolled out citywide,' he said. 'As we take in information, we see what works, what doesn't. And then we adjust as we go forward.'