#Letters to the Editor — June 30, 2021

The Issue: Mayor de Blasio’s vow to send more police officers into Times Square after a recent shooting there.

What’s the use of Mayor de Blasio “flooding” Times Square with cops if he ties their hands like last summer, when they were being pelted with water bottles and skateboards, water was dumped on them and fire-bombs were thrown in their squad cars (“Crosshairs of the world,” June 29)?

The cops weren’t allowed to do anything, not even to defend themselves. De Blasio created this crime spree.

Susan Kerr
Queens

The brazen daylight gunplay at Times Square, hitting a Marine tourist, continues to bode ill for New York City’s recovery.

When incidents like this continue, how will tourism recover? Why would workers feel safe returning to their offices?

Didn’t New York City’s progressive politicians tell us that defunding the NYPD and replacing the police with violence interruptors or peace ambassadors would solve the shooting and killing surge? How’s that coming along?

I’m totally frustrated with our politicians, who enact laws that result in more mayhem and murder, embolden criminal behavior and protect the criminals more than law-abiding citizens.

Those same politicians should be liable for legal consequences and civil liabilities.

Jack Chen
Flushing

Flooding Times Square with an overabundance of police officers, many of them more than likely rookies, is not the answer. The mayor is putting his finger in the wrong dike.

To get to the root of the gun problem, the city needs to resurrect the NYPD anti-crime unit. These seasoned “street cops” seemed to have a knack for spotting criminals carrying unlicensed handguns and making arrests.

I’ll never understand why this lame-duck mayor continues to balk at this obvious solution. It’s certainly not for votes.

Dick Mills
Bardonia

Why don’t Broadway theaters and Restaurant Row eateries hire a few dozen private security personnel to patrol the few blocks in their areas to help provide an increased measure of safety to visitors?

My wife and I would certainly feel more comfortable going to shows or restaurants in the city knowing this type of security is in place.

Shel Townsend
Glen Cove

De Blasio’s solution to curb the shootings in Times Square is to put more police there.

This nitwit, along with the numbskull in Albany, created the mess we’re seeing all over the city by transforming the police into uniformed piñatas and turning the court system into a carousel for criminal — but still they think the police can solve the problem.

What happened to the “violence interrupters” and the social workers who were replacing the police? The ineptitude, corruption and outright stupidity that permeates every level of New York governance is truly astounding. No wonder there are traffic jams heading south to Florida.

Thomas Urban
Wantagh

First, I have to say that I am not a tourist. I have lived in New York for almost my whole life, except for a couple of years traveling around our country.

I remember when Times Square was known as “Smut Alley.” Now it is known as a shooting gallery.

De Blasio has said that he will flood Times Square again with extra police. The only problem is they can do nothing about the individuals who have turned it into the gallery of gun violence it is today because their hands are tied.

Kim Cody
Whitestone

I am relieved to hear that de Blasio has called the Times Square shooting totally unacceptable.

It took a Herculean effort years back for Mayor Rudy Giuliani to restore civility to the area, only to watch it slide backward under this moron of a mayor. I count the days and hours until he is gone.

Phil Serpico
Queens

Want to weigh in on today’s stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to [email protected]. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy and style.