Governor Hochul Announces Three-Part Agenda to Prevent and Reduce Gun Violence and Violent Crime Throughout New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a three-part agenda aimed at preventing and reducing gun violence and violent crime as part of the 2022 State of the State. Governor Hochul's plan focuses on three core initiatives: investing in resources for State and local law enforcement's gun safety initiatives, partnering with localities and neighboring states to crack down on gun trafficking, and tripling the State's investment in community-based gun violence response initiatives.

"As Governor, my most important responsibility is to keep New Yorkers safe," Governor Hochul said. "With incidents of gun violence and other violent crimes sadly increasing, my Administration is laser-focused on taking the necessary steps to protect New Yorkers. Our three-pronged approach will tackle the rise in crime while also ensuring all New Yorkers, no matter their race or background, are treated with dignity and respect."

The Governor's plan will:

• Invest in public safety and fund state and local policing gun safety efforts: Governor Hochul will triple the State Police's gun violence intelligence resources by adding a team of analysts who process gun tracing data to the New York State Intelligence Center. Governor Hochul will also double the number of Community Stabilization Units to 16, increasing State Police's ability to partner with local law enforcement to combat community-specific crime problems. To support local law enforcement, Governor Hochul will increase funding for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) program as well as increasing investments for New York's Crime Analysis Centers, which collect and share criminal intelligence and data with local law enforcement. Finally, New York State will establish Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in every region of New York State, helping State Police effectively solve major crimes and disrupt interstate trafficking of illegal firearms.
• Create the Interstate Gun Tracing Consortium: While there have been previous efforts to track illegal guns, they were often concentrated in an individual city. For a more holistic approach to the issue, Governor Hochul will direct the State Police to form an Interstate Gun Tracing Consortium to facilitate the exchange of intelligence between localities and neighboring states. The Interstate Gun Tracing Consortium would focus on real-time intelligence exchange and operational coordination targeting gun interdiction.
• Triple Investment In Community-Based Gun Violence Response: Governor Hochul will also invest in community-based prevention and response efforts that have been proven to curb gun violence. This major investment will expand hospital-based gun violence specialists to all 22 of New York State's trauma centers, expand the State's network of SNUG street outreach to Niagara Falls, Utica and Schenectady, provide skills-based job-readiness and work placement training for at-risk youth involved in the State's violence interruption work, and launch a first-in-the-nation program to recruit and retain outreach workers.

Gun violence has increased dramatically throughout the nation and in New York, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2019 to 2020, gun-involved homicides in New York increased by nearly 80 percent, tearing apart families and communities. In response, Governor Hochul will build upon significant investments and actions in 2021 to expand a variety of initiatives including increasing state and local law enforcement capabilities, partnering with New York City and neighboring states, and providing additional resources for community-based organizations and programs that work to stop gun violence and strengthen public safety throughout the state.