Harvey Epstein rolls out public safety plan as NYC Council primary heats up

Looking to bring a sweeping “360-degree” vision for safety to his community and beyond, New York City Council candidate and Assembly Member Harvey Epstein is rolling out an ambitious new public safety policy proposal that includes everything from installing protective barriers on subway platforms and expanding mobile mental health outreach teams to bolstering community policing and investigating hate crimes.

“We want to make sure that people feel safe in the city, but to also make sure we feel safe in all the ways – whether you’re crossing the street, whether you’re walking in a park or whether you’re on a bike or on the streets,” Epstein told City & State. The proposal, born through numerous conversations with people in his district, was shared exclusively with City & State ahead of its Thursday release.

The fight to represent the lower Manhattan district encompassing Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, the East Village, Gramercy and Murray Hill-Kips Bay is one of the most competitive City Council primary races in the city this cycle. With City Council Member Carlina Rivera’s final term soon coming to an end, several candidates launched competitive campaigns last year, raising lots of money, garnering headlines – and in Epstein’s case, a Saturday Night Live sketch – crafting policy proposals and seeking and securing endorsements. Beyond Epstein, the field also includes Manhattan Community Board 3 Chair Andrea Gordillo, nonprofit leader Sarah Batchu and scandal-scarred former Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Epstein’s status as the only sitting elected official running for the seat has served him well. He’s previously released detailed proposals related to mental health and housing, both of which – like his public safety plan – were informed in part by his time in the Legislature.

Epstein’s public safety plan takes a holistic approach, covering seven different sections: street safety, subway safety, community policing, youth development and preventing the root causes of crime, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, preventing random acts of violence and responding to mental health crises. 

For the city’s subway system, Epstein proposed working with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city’s Department of Design and Construction to install protective bollards on all subway platforms to prevent accidental falls and intentional pushes. He’d also look to partner with NYC Health + Hospitals and community health organizations to have mental health outreach teams join police on overnight shifts patrols in the subway system.

In another proposal tied to tackling and preventing hate crimes, Epstein pledged to work with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to ensure hate crimes are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. At the same time, he’d push the City Council to invest in training programs for first responders, educators, and community leaders to help them recognize and address hate-based incidents.

In an effort to foster trust between police and New Yorkers, Epstein said he would work with the New York City Police Department and New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to expand street patrol programs emphasizing foot patrols and to use the NYC Open Data portal to identify areas with the greatest needs and tailor their approach to meet individual communities’ needs.

Also included in the bevy of policies include proposals to double the number of supportive housing units available for people experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges, working with the city Department of Transportation to launch an urban redesign pilot program in neighborhoods with the highest rates of traffic injuries, and expanding mobile mental health outreach teams. 

The ideas are sweeping – and ambitious. Epstein acknowledged as much but stands by the approach. “Some people feel like it’s too difficult to grasp all these issues, but I think you can really put it down into little pieces and you can fix the pieces,” Epstein said. “When you fix all the pieces, you fix the whole puzzle.” 

To make many of his ideas happen, he’d need the backing of his potential future fellow City Council members to help him advance and pass legislation. Asked about feasibility and what he would prioritize if elected to the City Council, Epstein said he’s had conversations with many members about his proposals and found there’s already an appetite.

“As a legislator you have the ability to multitask. It’s not like you’d say early intervention is more important than dealing with bike safety or public streets or mental health response. All those things can happen concurrently,” Epstein said. “If you do one without the other, you are never going to get to the outcome you are looking for.”