Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning everyone. I like that we are a town hall in your district. And this week, it is Manhattan Week. Take a look at the beautiful representatives of the Manhattan borough here and do your best-enjoy everything and experience all the celebrations about Manhattan. Now, of course, the City Hall itself is already in Manhattan, but we will focus on the neighborhoods of Manhattan, the people of Manhattan, walking around in different parts of the community, announcing some really good steps we are taking to help the people and listen to the concerns of the people of Manhattan.

Today, a special example-we will cut the ribbon in a new shared street space. This is part of what we are doing to open streets and other open spaces to make this city more livable. This will be a great new example. It will become the largest shared street in the city. In the Flatiron District, it will provide more and more space for people in this city so that they can enjoy it, and they can live a vibrant and energetic life. Incredible life Life in Manhattan, and the entire five boroughs. I want you to hear from the mayor of Manhattan. She is the biggest booster in Manhattan, and over the years she has done a lot of great work to help improve the community in this district. I am happy to introduce you to Gale Brewer, the mayor of the borough.

Mayor: Wait, technology. We can accomplish this.

Moderator: She is calling.

Mayor: This sounds like Gail. If you know Gail, she will handle multiple tasks at the same time. Let's see if we can get her. Otherwise, I will move on. OK. It looks like we should move on. We want to bring it back-we will bring her back as soon as she is ready. OK. It's Monday morning, it doesn't matter. While waiting for the mayor to join us, let me talk about our school. This is a great success story in New York City. At the beginning of this school year, our school is open and fully open. All our children are returning to school to pay attention to health and safety. It's amazing. We have brought together the gold standard of health and safety standards to ensure the safety of children. We all know that the level of COVID in the school is very, very low, thank God. But we are focused on the safety of our children in all aspects. We want to make sure that we are protecting our children and our schools during the difficult times of the past year and a half. We know that some schools have had some real problems recently, and we need to make sure that we add extra protection to ensure that there will never be violent incidents and that there will never be any incidents where children are harmed.

Therefore, we will announce this week-details will be announced in the next few days-adding unannounced screening in certain schools that need it. We hope it's clear—scanning—I should say, conduct surprise scans in certain schools that need it. We want to make it clear that the safety of our children and the safety of the entire school community come first. Unannounced scanning has been very successful as a tool. We will do this in some particularly helpful schools. We will also appoint some neighborhood coordinators and youth coordinators from the New York Police Department to arrive and dismiss from schools with special needs. This extra presence will help a lot. We will create safe corridors-20 safe corridors, where we will have additional police to support our children.

Look, this is its public safety element. But we also know that our children experience a lot when we think about health and safety together. They have experienced a lot in COVID. This is why we employ more than 500 social workers for the school. This is why we conduct social emotional screening for all children. Obviously, these works are all interrelated. But the key is that we continue to make changes and improvements to solve what happened in the school. Of course, the key is to always let children and their parents know that you will have a safe and positive environment.

Now, let me turn to another topic, about our safety. This is to always be alert to everything that nature brings us, as well as the weather. We, as I said--

Mayor: Wait a minute. Do we have a mayor?

Mayor: No, okay. After the impact of Hurricane Ida, we said that we will change all the ways we alert people in this city when the weather comes, including very intensive warnings, and even take measures such as mandatory evacuation and travel bans. It starts by confirming when the weather is coming and letting people know what the weather looks like. Now, we really are going to rain. At this point, it doesn't seem extreme at all. What we heard from the National Weather Service and the other different sources that we are now turning to-what we heard is that the total rainfall is expected to be between 2 and 4 inches, starting from tonight and ending on Tuesday for the entire day. This in itself There was also a small amount of rain in two days. If that happens, we should be fine. But from 8 o'clock tonight to 5 o'clock on Tuesday, we will have a flash flood monitoring in force.

Now, that is, if we see anything starting to change, we will keep updating. Although this does not seem like a major weather event, we are very vigilant now. So, if we see any major changes, I will continue to update you. I will remind people that even if this is not the kind of super heavy rain we have seen the last few times-but if you see an area that seems to be flooded, you are out for a walk in an area that seems to have become flooded. Or drive a flood, please proceed with caution. We want people to be very careful when entering these areas. The best option is to turn back and find another route. Obviously, if you are not sure where you are driving or walking in. Again, for basement apartments, we do not expect this level of rainfall to have a significant impact, but we will observe very, very carefully and constantly update the situation of New Yorkers. Of course, we also asked our team to come out of the city government agency to clean the catch basin and make sure to move the debris there-this will help solve the water problem. Therefore, in the history of this city, from now on, we will be on high alert. But we are going to give this report now. Then any major changes will be updated in the process of today and tomorrow.

OK. Now, let's talk about the things we have been paying attention to, the thing that brought us back, and that is vaccination. New York City-I am proud of all New Yorkers. We have been leading the country. The number of people vaccinated, the methods we implement and the way people accept them-this is absolutely outstanding. This is why you can see the life of this city returning more and more. Currently, nearly 12 million doses have been injected, which is almost unimaginable. 12 million New Yorkers stretched out their arms, and a great member or vaccination team was there to help them.

So, I will keep reminding those who did not get the first dose — and fewer and fewer people now — at least we have more than 6 million New Yorkers getting the first dose. But there are still people who need it. Obviously, we are very much looking forward to the vaccination of our youngest child next month. But there are still adults who need to be vaccinated. We will be there for you to make it easier, free, obviously, and always convenient for you. But now, let's talk about boosters. Job-one always lets those who have not even taken a dose-this will always be our first strategic priority. But boosters are really important. And, obviously, on Thursday night, we got what we were waiting for-the official approval of the CDC. And, starting Friday morning, New York City is ready and has managed boosters in our city operations site. So far, New York City has provided nearly 227,000 booster doses since we started the enhancement work from the previous announcement received by the CDC. So, people have accepted this. They found it easy to get that booster. It's easy to schedule appointments. There are always many places you can walk in. If you want to find the site, please visit vaccine finder.nyc.gov.

So, this is my message to all New Yorkers-get that booster. This is good for you. It keeps you safe and keeps your family safe. Ready. Here it is. Snowing. To realize it (dream); to get it (thing. Now, let us listen to our doctor's opinion, he will tell us the latest situation-Dr. Dave Choksi.

Dave Chokshi, Commissioner of the Ministry of Health and Mental Health: Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. Throughout the pandemic, we have been here to provide New Yorkers with the latest scientific developments on COVID-19 so that we can fight the coronavirus together as a city. Last week’s vaccine news meant that more high-risk New Yorkers could get extra protection. But figuring out whether you are eligible for a booster dose and which one you should get can be a bit confusing. So, let me try to break it down for New Yorkers.

First, science continues to show that all three approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in saving lives and preventing suffering. This is why getting more New Yorkers fully vaccinated remains our top priority. Second, all three vaccine types (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) now offer booster doses. And allows to mix and match vaccines. Third, anyone who has received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson at least two months ago, like the mayor and me, should get a booster shot. It can be any of the three vaccine types. Although science has not yet determined which booster is best, some evidence suggests that Moderna or Pfizer boosters can produce higher antibody levels than Johnson & Johnson's second dose. Fourth, if you received Moderna or Pfizer at least six months ago and belonged to one of these categories, you are also eligible for a booster-if you are 65 years and older; if you have an underlying disease (eg Diabetes); or, adults who are at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as medical staff, emergency personnel, or nursing home residents. If you have received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine twice, the science at our disposal recommends getting the same vaccine for your booster. But you can choose to switch to any other vaccine type.

Finally, if you are not sure which booster is right for you, you can consult your doctor, clinical staff at one of hundreds of vaccination sites, or visit our nyc.gov/covidvaccine for more information. Remember, although the booster is good news for both individuals and our city, the first dose is still more important than the third. If you know someone who has not been vaccinated, please contact them, share your story, and encourage them to join the more than 6 million New Yorkers who are driving our city forward. Thank you very much, sir.

Mayor: Thank you very much Dr. Chokshi. Thank you and all your colleagues for preparing for us. Everyone, look, Dr. Chokshi made it clear to everyone. New Yorkers, if you are eligible, go out and buy that booster. You can mix and match. So, I’m an example—just like Dave, I have Johnson & Johnson. Now, I will lead by example. It's time for a booster. The advice I received is that in this case, as the recipient of Johnson & Johnson, the best choice for enhancer is Moderna. This is based on the latest research. I pulled up my sleeves as Dave told me-very, very high. I will stick to it, Dave. Cheer me up, Dave.

Commissioner Chokshi: You know the drill. We have some exercises on this.

Mayor: We used to be very successful. I put my shoulder to my mouth-wait a minute, it doesn't make sense. I always try to come up with something without a script here.

Commissioner Chokshi: Well, this does give me the opportunity to say that everyone can get the vaccine in the comfort of their own home.

Mayor: That's right.

Commissioner Chokshi: Nyc.gov/homevaccine.

Mayor: This is a damn good point-this city provides amazing, amazing services.

Commissioner Chokshi: Okay, sir – 3, 2, 1 –

[Specialist Chokshi manages Moderna booster]

Mayor: At some point, Dave will manage Moderna Booster. I know this is live TV, you know, these precious time is passing by. Dave, when can we do this?

Commissioner Chokshi: We are all done, sir.

Commissioner Chokshi: I will give you band-aids.

Mayor: Good job. This guy is really, really-very subtle shooter. Thank you, Dave. You are a person with many, many skills.

Commissioner Chokshi: You see, sir.

Mayor: Good job. OK. Now, watch you listen to a speech by a great expert-this is really one of the most powerful voices in the nearly two years we have spent together. She talked about how we must deal with COVID and tackle it in a way that affects everyone in this city and this country. Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Grossman School of Medicine at New York University, and a member of the Biden-Harris transition team on the COVID Advisory Committee. She has always been a leader on this issue. I am very happy to introduce Dr. Celine Gund.

Mayor: Thank you very much, doctor. Thank you for giving us a real reminder that if we do the right thing, better things will happen ahead. And the situation this year is much better than last year. So thank you for your leadership, and thank you for reminding people how important it is to get additional protection against COVID, thank you very much.

OK. It's time for our indicators. Our indicator again starts with a staggering number-the doses administered so far. We are damned close to 12 million. Now, 11,952,306 doses have been vaccinated from the beginning. Again, so far, the vast majority are the largest vaccination efforts in New York City history. Second, the number of people admitted to New York City hospitals due to suspected COVID-19 every day-in today's report, 86 patients. Confirmed as a positive level of 23.33%. We all know that the hospitalization rate is something we have carefully observed. Now this is a good number-0.51 out of every 100,000 people. Finally, the average number of newly reported cases in 7 days-today's report is 743. So we are making real progress, but when it comes to COVID, we will never look away from the ball. We must continue to make progress.

A few words about boosters in Spanish-

[Mayor Bai Sihao speaks in Spanish]

With this, let us turn to our media colleagues. Please let me know the name and source of each reporter.

Moderator: We will now begin the question and answer session. As a reminder, Dr. Chokshi, Chief Detective Rodney Harrison (Rodney Harrison), Principal Meisha Porter (Meisha Porter) are also joining us today – 

Mayor: Department-what did you just do?  

Moderator: Department Head [inaudible] –  

Mayor: That was his previous role—— 

Moderator: Monday morning. Department Head Rodney Harrison, Principal Meisha Porter, Dr. Mitchell Katz, and New York City Emergency Management Agency Director Andy D'Amora. The first question today is Jillian from NY1. 

Question: Hello, Mayor. Happy Monday. I would like to ask about the increased use of random metal detectors or scanning in schools. You know, three guns were found from the students last week. Some people have full-time scanners in the building, and some have mobile scanners. Can you understand why we are seeing an increase in recycled weapons? To me, the number of weapons recovered in such a short period of time seems unusual. Is there any theory as to why we are seeing this increase? 

Mayor: This is a very good question, Gillian. I mean, we have obviously been discussing the fact that since the beginning of COVID, we have seen the proliferation of weapons throughout the community. This is a huge problem. Now, the New York Police Department is doing an excellent job. It is the most gun arrests we have seen in decades, but we have encountered problems in this city. There are too many weapons there. It is clear. Look, school safety, New York Police Department, they did a great job before these weapons cause any harm, thank God. But there is a problem, which is why we take these measures. I want to turn to Chief Harrison and the Chancellor of Finance to see if they want to add anything. chief. 

New York Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison: Yes, good morning, Mr. Mayor. I must express my gratitude to the school security personnel because they recovered these guns. You know, scanning some sites throughout the city, I think this will help students go back and forth to school and make this process safer. You know, this is something I didn't want to happen, but it did happen. Unfortunately, we do often see many young people carrying guns. But the last thing we need to see is someone carrying a gun into the campus. That’s why it’s so important for our school security personnel, our metal detectors to perform surprise scans in the appropriate places, as we saw at a location in the Bronx last week, where we were able to recover the 0.380 caliber. firearms. So, this is something we will have to manage. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, I think the measures we will take will benefit students in New York City. 

Mayor: Thank you. Principal, would you like to add? 

School principal, Mesa Roseporter: I just—First of all, I want to thank Director Harrison of the New York Police Department for his cooperation. You know, our goal is to keep our students and the community safe together, and we are very grateful to the school safety staff. I think the important thing to note is, you know, recognize that we got these weapons from the street, and recognize that our system is working. I think this is what really matters at this moment. 

Mayor: Amen. Come on, Gillian. 

Q: Yes. Just to follow up, I know that due to vaccine regulations, people have some concerns about the level of staffing of school safety personnel. I want to know if you have the latest information on the percentage of school safety agents that have been vaccinated, and if you are concerned that there may be some staffing issues here, or, you know, you-if you "people work longer shifts. I know Sometimes scanning slows down the speed of entering a building, leading to long queues. So, just want to know if you have enough school safety personnel now to accommodate this growth. 

Mayor: Yes. I do feel confident now, and I will talk-obviously, if the Chief or General Ideal adds. Now, you have a very important question for Jillian, and the good news is that 92% of school safety personnel have been vaccinated. So, this is a very good number. This number puts us in a position where we are clearly capable. If we need to mobilize some people or work overtime, we can make up for any needs. But another thing is to increase random scanning in certain places, increasing the presence of the New York Police Department when it arrives and fires outside the building. All of this allows us to make a big impact. Again, I want to thank Chief Harrison. His response to the US Department of Energy was very, very positive, and he was very considerate of the deployment of external officials to help support internal work. I think it has a big impact. So, overall, I think we feel good about the people we have and where we place them. Dean or principal, do you want to add? 

Director Harrison: Yes, Mr. Mayor, you know, we have 3,200 agents at 1,400 sites in the city. We have identified multiple locations for scanning. Again, this is very smooth, but at the same time it is also important for us to catch some of these unfortunately, or I should say that might enter some of our schools' weapons. Therefore, I am very satisfied with our current position with school security personnel. Mr. Mayor, you said earlier in the press conference that we do have our YCO, our youth coordinator and our neighborhood coordinator’s backup staff. They backfilled some schools that we did not have the maximum coverage of schools. Safener. Therefore, I am optimistic that we are doing everything we can to protect students going to and from school. 

Mayor: Thank you. Principal, do you have anything to add? 

Principal Porter: I really, again briefly, you know, I think one of the best things is that our school security staff know how important they are and how important they are to our school community. Therefore, I am very proud of the 92% vax rate, and I just want to continue to thank the New York Police Department for its continued cooperation to add these additional support to our school. 

Mayor: Amen. go ahead.  

Moderator: Next is Steve Burns of WCBS880. 

Question: Good morning, Mr. Mayor, how are you?  

Mayor: Okay, Steve, how are you? 

Q: Everything goes well. I want to continue discussing the same topic about the school here. We have heard from many advocates that they hope that there are few police officers in schools, and metal detectors have played a role in confronting and demeaning students to some extent. Are you completely worried about this-in such a very sensitive period, more screenings may exacerbate the tension between the youth and the police? 

Mayor: This is a fair question, Steve. I would say this, we know-unfortunately, we have seen this all over the country, and we know that in the COVID era, there is a flood of guns. The first task is to ensure the safety of everyone. Random scanning means it happens sometimes. It happened just to remind everyone that there will be this accountability system. I think this is a wise measure that will not arouse some of the concerns raised by some advocates in the same way. But I also think it has something to do with how we do it-I hope the chief and the principal can talk about it, no matter which one-you can scan in a way of respect and communication. This is what we want to see. Under the coordination of the Department of Education and the New York Police Department, a lot of work has been done to train school security personnel to adopt a specific method of very, very communicating with young people and trying to get them closer. And I think you can achieve these two goals, ensuring safety and accountability, while having the right dialogue. Principal, do you want to start? headmaster? can you hear me? 

Principal Porter: Yes, absolutely. Yes. I can hear you. So, first of all, you know, I just want to confess again that I know Chief Harrison is as committed to ensuring that we are approaching this moment [inaudible] this temporary measure to sympathize and care for our students. We just yesterday Talked about. Therefore, I know he is committed to doing this, and let his team members join and support their efforts. I also want to admit that this is part of a series of commitments we have made to support the safety and well-being of students. Today I came to the City Council Future Leaders School led by President Gates, where we are studying social and emotional learning practices, and discussing with students how they regulate their emotions and how they learn to make the right decisions. This is our guarantee for the school And an important part of community safety efforts. So, there are temporary measures about this moment. NYPD’s commitment to solving this problem with us with compassion and care for our students is another key factor, but long-term work that invests in the mental health and social emotional needs of our students is a top priority. I also want to thank the first lady who led this work and is with us today. 

Mayor: Thank you very much. She is very excited about social and emotional learning-you are right. This is not only about the children's ability to lead an active and productive life, but also helping them academically, helping them in their family life or human life, and it does have a huge impact on safety. It reduces conflicts and helps keep children on a good path. Commander, do you have anything to add? 

Director Harrison: Yes. Mr. Mayor, really fast. I have seen some active training go into the whole process of scanning with school security personnel, but this is also related to building relationships. I think this is an important part that is excluded from the conversations and discussions about having the school security agent to ensure the safety of the students, but also to ensure that there is a dialogue explaining what we are doing and why we are doing it. So, there is professionalism there, there is a training mechanism, I want to believe that we are doing it right. 

Mayor: Thank you very much. Go ahead, Steve. 

Question: Thanks for all these answers. I want to change the topic here and discuss safe streets and open streets. I know you will speak at the event in a few hours, but in general, there is always this tension between what the local community might want and what is useful for the entire city. We still see a lot of fighting on safe streets. I know that in Sunset Park, there is a debate about 7th and 8th Avenues. Democratic candidates of the City Council stated that the Ministry of Transportation did not fully respond, did not consciously diversify in its outreach activities, and recently tweeted that Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue do not need to bear the burden of change to make us The streets are safer. So, I mean, I don’t need you to talk about that project specifically, but more generally, how do you balance what might be better for the whole city in terms of safe streets with what you know many, many of these projects seem to have appeared locally Types of objections on the ground? 

Mayor: Yes, Steve, this is a very good question, and very important. I have already spoken with Commissioner Gutman on this issue, and he will have more in-depth contact with the community, because I believe that having safe streets and solving community problems are not mutually exclusive. I felt from the beginning. I fundamentally believe in Vision Zero. I am the one who brought "Vision Zero" to this city. It has had a profound and good impact. As we get rid of COVID and people get off the car again, it will have a greater impact in the future. Go back to public transportation. But I don’t think any method should be treated dogmatically. So, for example, you may want to ensure safety. There is more than one way to do this. Sometimes it is a bicycle lane. Sometimes this is other security measures. Sometimes it is a combination. And you really need to look at other factors in the community. For example, you really need to look-I always feel this-you have to look at what happens to work and small businesses, and to keep the neighborhood businesses alive. Therefore, safety always comes first, and we will continue to actively take safety measures throughout the city. However, if some measures are more effective for the community, while others are not effective for the community, we can flexibly deal with the problem or location differences. When we listen to the influence of the community, all of this can be adjusted. Sorry, the community opinions, we can find out whether there are unintended consequences and make adjustments. Safety comes first, but we must listen to the opinions of the community and make effective adjustments when there are reasonable concerns. This is the approach we will take.

Moderator: Next is Katie Honan of The City.

Question: Hey, good morning, Mayor de Blasio. Before asking questions, I heard that you talked in church yesterday about how much you despise Zoom. Very ironic. Now, we are still on a digital platform, hoping that we are face to face. Anyway, just think, don’t be afraid to say let us go back to your church. My question is about my colleague Claudia wrote a story about the Bronx football stadium. I know there are some back-and-forths and problems between EDC and NYCFC. So, the question I want to ask you is can you promise to complete this transaction? I know the parking space is a bit controversial. So, I guess what is your news? Can you guarantee that this will be done before leaving your job?

Mayor: I don’t know if I can do it, Katie. This is a good question. For various reasons, this one has been turned on again and turned off again. I obviously want to see it come together, but it must happen in a fair way. It must happen in a way that the community accepts and believes. I checked this issue for the last time a few months ago, and when we had our Bronx week, there was still huge community attention. There is also a feeling, you know, that they haven't heard the things that will make them feel comfortable moving forward. So, I will check it again. But unless, there is some deeper consensus. I don't know if this will happen in the next few months. Come on, Katie.

Q: Thank you. I want to get your opinion. So, I read two profiles of Eric Adams this weekend and today. And you know, just describe him as a candidate and what kind of mayor he will become. The overwhelming response of the quoted person is, wow, that's great, we finally have a charming, interesting mayor who is interested in this job, and it seems he really wants it. I read some subtext, maybe you are not your two mayors. So, I want to know your reaction to this? How do you feel about this hint?

Mayor: Oh, Katie, you know, I'm so experienced, I don't even want to enter all of them. I really, look, I think every day, I talk about a lot of issues that are important to everyday New Yorkers. Whether it's this format or the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC, or in the community, I have been talking to people about what they care about and what we are doing to meet their needs. I think anyone observing objectively will see how much I care about these issues and how much work we have done on them. We had a wonderful summer. This summer, with the return of the city, we had a great time. I am really satisfied with what I have done and who I am. I am also a big fan of Eric Adams, and I think he will become a great mayor.

Moderator: Next is Elizabeth Kim from Gothamist.

Question: Good morning, Mr. Mayor. I want to ask first, there are some social media reports that staten Island and parts of Queens are not collecting garbage. We just want to know if this is related to the shortage of staff in the Health Bureau? Because their vax rate is extremely low, is there a connection between the vax mission and the sudden failure to pick up trash in some parts of the city?

Mayor: Yes, Elizabeth. I will watch that. At present I don't have any hard data on this aspect, but I will look into it. Overall, I think the health sector has done a great job throughout the crisis, and using the tools they have really made things happen. So, I hope this situation will continue. Go ahead, Elizabeth.

Q: Thank you. Because there will be flood monitoring tonight and Roosevelt’s climate change protests are also going on, I want to ask on behalf of some families on Hollis Street, they have been working hard to meet with your office. They told me, you know, they just didn't reply. I want to see you know, what is that state? You know, they have been flooding for decades, and they are really not very satisfied with their choices now.

Mayor: As I said, I openly believe in Elizabeth, and I hope that senior members of the team will meet with them. So, if this hasn't happened yet, it's not good. I will solve this problem today. We want to see what we can do to help. Obviously, you may already be there, Elizabeth, you know, a lot of work is going on, trying to help that community. We invested $2 billion in areas that are truly vulnerable to flooding in Queens. In fact, many of them did not feel the effect in the last terrible situation with Ada. Thank God, because these investments really worked. As you mentioned, there is a specific area where we still see real problems. I feel sorry for these families. Therefore, we must figure out what we can do to provide more help. I hope they hold that meeting. I want to see what we can do to help. Therefore, we will ensure immediate implementation.

Moderator: Next is Marcia Kramer of WCBS.

Question: Good morning, Mr. Mayor. How are you today?

Mayor: I'm fine, Marcia. Are you OK?

Q: I'm fine. If you don't mind, I want to talk to you about the safety of the school. One of the arguments put forward by the school safety union and some teachers at the school is that there are not enough safety agents. The number they gave was that before all of this, there were 5,560 police officers before the funding for police campaigns and vaccine authorization was cancelled. There are about 37 now. They say it is a combination of factors, including some people who have not been vaccinated and many people who have been vaccinated. They have left and have not been replaced because you do not have another class. The reason I ask this question now is whether you need more security personnel, for example, in Mott Haven last week, they found a gun, a gun full of loads. When the gun was found, they had eight agents. But before that, they had 17 people. At Susan Wagner High School, they had an incredible quarrel. A security officer was dragged to the floor. There were 7 agents on duty, but before attrition and vaccine authorization, there were 19. Do you think you really need to have more security personnel in some schools? Because there seems to be an increase in violence within the community?

Mayor: Then, Marcia, I'm going to start, I will turn to Chief Harrison and Prime Minister Potter. First of all, once again, the most important thing is-I am a parent. I want to make sure that the children are safe. I want to make sure that the entire school community, including adults, is undoubtedly safe. I think school security agents are a key part of the equation. I really—I believe in the work of school security personnel, and I think they do very, very well and importantly. I support them. I also want to admit that if 92% of people are vaccinated-your question is absolutely fair, Marcia. But I want to make it clear that vaccination-this is a very, very successful number. So, let us thank those school safety personnel who went to get vaccinated. We did have more agents coming in. A new class is coming. Over time, we must figure out what the exact number is. But I want to affirm these incidents, we all attach great importance to these incidents. They attract our attention and make us want to do better and make changes. But I also want to say, thank God, these incidents are rare. So, in making any adjustments, we need to talk about random scans and the way we use officials outside the school. But for your specific questions about numbers and how we deal with the number of agents, first Chief Harrison, then Prime Minister Porter. Captain, can you hear us?

Chief Harrison: Yes, I can. can you hear me?

Chief Harrison: Hey, good morning, Marcia. So, about your number. I don't want to say that this is bad information, but the highest number we have is about 5,000 school security personnel. This is the first thing. The second thing is that on November 30th, we hope to arrange a class of 250 school security personnel. This will be a good blow to having a moderate number of school security personnel throughout the city. This is again, I will keep saying that. The New York Police Department, we are very flexible. We will think of different ways to ensure that we have a proper presence in some schools, especially some schools where we may see some problems. As I said before, the mayor also said. If we have to enter some of our local areas, which only exist externally, we will do so. But one thing I want to assure you of Marcia and other residents of New York City, student safety is the number one priority of the New York Police Department. Therefore, we will make every effort to ensure the safety of these students.

Principal Porter: Yes, I want to add that, you know, we are cooperating with the New York Police Department every day to ensure that we are equipped with the appropriate personnel and resources as needed. And, you know, as the mayor said, we are observing events. We are paying attention to the problems of our school and making adjustments if necessary. I just want to continue to remind us that safety is the expectation and commitment of the community. We are working with our community, our NYPD partners and our school safety personnel to be heroes at this moment and will continue to be heroes. We also need to work with our principal, school leaders, and district support team to ensure that our school also receives the social and emotional support it needs.

Mayor: Marcia, go on. Marcia?

Question: Can you hear me?

Mayor: Yes, you go.

Question: Can you hear me? So, Mr. Mayor, my next question is related to the number of schools with scanners you mentioned. What someone told me is that only about a hundred schools in the city have permanent scans? And many people think that more schools should be equipped with scanners because of what is happening. Many times, when you say, unannounced screenings, I have seen schools-I have been to schools where there have been knife, stabbing, and shooting. It seems that the unannounced screenings were carried out in the morning after the accident, and then they were taken out three hours later. So, everyone knows, well, they can't put weapons in that day, but they can the next day. So the problem is that we now have these persistent problems in our community, and there are gangs in many places, for example, in Mott Haven, when I was there on Friday, I saw people going out some wearing bloody gang red rags People, some students. So, my question is, do you need to increase the number of schools equipped with scanners, even for a short time, so that it won’t be like, well, we are going to introduce scanners today, but we know it will disappear tomorrow , So is it safe to bring your weapons back to school?

Mayor: Marcia, I respect this question, because when we do something like this, are we doing it right? My experience with random scanning is not what you heard. My experience is that it enters and continues to establish accountability. I think random scan is a very powerful tool, if it is consistent enough. It must be, I will let the chief and the prime minister talk. It makes sense to have more consistent scans in some schools. There are no other schools. Over the years, we have said many times that this must be a decision between the Department of Education, the New York Police Department, and the school community to determine what makes sense to them. But I also hope that you will be careful as a whole. Thank God, the work of our school security staff, the work of the New York Police Department, has made our school safer and much safer than before. I checked the current figures and they are very consistent with the reality before the pandemic. Although you are right, we must be very, very concerned about a particular issue in the gun community. But I want to emphasize some schools, yes, of course it makes sense to scan regularly. In some schools, random CKD makes sense. Some schools do not. Let professionals and safety experts make decisions together with the school community. Director Harrison? Captain, can you hear us?

Chief Harrison: I can hear your voice. Hey Marcia, about your concerns about random scans. We have something called field intelligence personnel. One of the things they did was to get information about events happening around the city. Then we will carefully study or learn more about which schools may be affected. Once we view it, then we will identify the site and then scan at that location. Therefore, there is a lot of work to be done, whether it is through law enforcement agencies working with the community to ensure that we determine the correct location and scan to prevent any violent incidents that may occur in some of these schools.

Mayor: Thank you. Principal, you want to add to this topic. 

Principal Porter: I want to add that, you know, we are making adjustments and working with the New York Police Department to really focus on schools throughout the city. Therefore, this is not a response to what happened today or tomorrow, but a proactive thinking about keeping our schools and communities safe. I think it’s also important to pay attention, you know, who of us walks in our buildings every day, our children, our students, our babies, we promise to welcome them back to a warm, affirming and supportive school Community, so they should walk into buildings where they feel this way, but also admit that we need to keep them safe every day. 

Mayor: Thank you. go ahead.  

Moderator: Next is Emma from the New York Times. 

Question: Hi, good morning, Mayor. So this is the sixth day of the hunger strike for taxi drivers. They say that your debt relief plan is a banker's rescue plan, but it still keeps drivers in trouble. Are you thinking of doing more? 

Mayor: Thank you for your question. Emma, ​​listen, this is such a painful reality for everyone. I think-I really sympathize with the drivers who are in a difficult situation. The world has changed drastically. This makes them fall into a very, very difficult dynamic, I just have feelings for people. I have seen many drivers. I know they are struggling with their debts. But I strongly disagree with this description, Emma. Now, we have 144 medal owners coming forward. The debt of $19 million has been wiped out. We think that this can reach another thousand people in the short term, and another thousand people are experiencing this $500 million debt relief, which can be achieved here. This is about the driver. We did this for the drivers and it had an impact on their lives. People voted with their feet. They have come forward and are embarking on the implementation of this plan. We will keep checking to see if there are other meaningful things we can do. But I want to emphasize that this is now having a real impact to reduce the pressure on the drivers. Go ahead, Emma. 

Question: Then the tasks of the city workers will be due this weekend. I’m curious, are you all preparing for staff shortages in NYPD, FDNY, or the health department? 

Mayor: Yes. This is an important question, Emma, ​​we have already discussed it when we announced it. There is no doubt that the answer is always yes. When you see that our hospital and our school have completed a lot of emergency work, the same is true for all other institutions in our city. Each commissioner and their team have discussed different options. Obviously, using overtime is an example, changing the deployment and changing some priorities. We have some tools that can be used here. But I will tell you, Emma, ​​I talked with all relevant commissioners in the early stage, especially the most important operating agencies. Each of them said that they were confident that it was the right thing to do, and obviously, you know, most of the members of their department were vaccinated, but we have seen mandatory measures to get more people vaccinated. So, we know this, we also know that these institutions are ready, they are very good at handling different situations and ready for plan B. 

Moderator: I have time today to talk about two more. The next one is James Ford from PIX-11. 

Q: Thank you very much for answering my call. Good morning, Mr. Mayor, and everyone on the phone. Happy Monday, 

Mayor: Happy Monday, James, how do you feel? 

Q: Very good. Thank you. I appreciate your question. I hope you are fine too. 

Mayor: Thank you.  

Question: This is a follow-up to the previous question. Listen, I want to report on another protest against the vaccination of municipal workers. This one is centered on FDNY employees, many of them said they plan to go to work on Monday, even if they are not vaccinated and force you to send them home. Can you respond to this particular form of protest, and respond to opposition to the authorization of municipal staff in general? 

Mayor: Listen, James, I appreciate the work people do. As I said, this is also a very strange moment in history, where there is a lot of misinformation and people are told that things about vaccines are not the case, but thank God, the vast majority of New Yorkers. I mean now, surprisingly, as of today, about 85% of adults in New York City have at least one dose, and this is a super, super majority. Therefore, most people think this is the right approach. The vast majority of New Yorkers support these authorizations. But there are still a lot of error messages. Some people are being influenced by it. We will be very clear and consistent, just like we did to health workers, just like we did to educating employees, until five o'clock on Friday. If you choose not to get vaccinated, you will take unpaid leave. We move on from there. But I also remind you of a very powerful example from the Ministry of Education. You know, we had that deadline a few weeks ago. Since then, 3,500 Ministry of Education employees have missed the initial deadline and got vaccinated. I think you will see some of them. So, those who have not been vaccinated, sorry, they will not get paid. They want to be paid, and we need them to be vaccinated. Come on, James. 

Q: Thank you. In addition, today I will be holding an Eric Garner judicial hearing on behalf of my colleague Nicole Johnson. Can we get your thoughts? As far as I know, you don’t need to testify in it. Nevertheless, can you talk about the fact that the family is still seeking justice in this situation? After so long? 

Mayor: I saw his mother Gwen Carr at an event a few days ago. Every time I see her, I think she is a very kind, warm and decent person who has experienced hell. This is too bad. This is one of those days in the history of New York City, just continue to paint for us. I hope it has never happened, but it seems that a lot of efforts have been made to solve what happened and try to push us forward, including retraining the entire police force for demotion, and many other changes, which did have an impact, indeed The way that makes us better and makes us better manage the community. There is still a lot to do, but I hope, you know, because when we end this chapter, we realize that we must continue to work hard, so we will never have such a tragedy again.

Moderator: The last question for today. It goes from the post to Julia. 

Question: Mr. Mayor, how does your arm feel?  

Mayor: It feels good. Thank you, Julia. I feel great. Dave is very good at shooting. Over the years, I have been sharing what he is very, very good at, so I encourage everyone to be a booster, Julia. Q: Okay, great. Well, maybe I will see if he can give me one. 

Mayor: Dave Chokshi, that's it. This is a challenge. Go ahead. 

Question: I am not as proficient in the Bible as Ms. He Nan, but since you told the local congregation that you hate Zoom, I agree with this. We will too-you know, many of us don't like Zoom either. I would rather discuss my problem with you face to face. When you say that the city basically wants to cancel any Trump Organization concessions, a series of problems arise. The ice rink is now more expensive. The merry-go-round closed in the summer, and now of course, at the golf course in the Bronx, the Trump Organization is suing you for $30 million. Critics say that you are using taxpayer money to solve political problems, even Scott Stringer, Ruben Diaz, Jr. Of course, fellow Democrats have criticized your handling of this process. So, can you solve these problems? 

Mayor: We are doing the right thing for the people of this city. Make it clear that we need to cooperate with companies that are meaningful to us. I'm absolutely certain that each of these sites will be well run by the new franchisees we have to move forward, and we have the right to move on. Therefore, I am confident that everything will be beneficial to the people of this city in the end. I mean, this is why I made this decision and I am satisfied with it. Go ahead, Julia. 

Q: Thank you. New data shows that so far this year, 24 Correctional Services officials have been sexually assaulted by prisoners, most of whom are women. Of course, there are also suicides, conditions in the cell, violence between prisoners, guards and prisoners. I want to know if you have said enough, why is there no reorganization of the department heads? 

Mayor: Well, Julia, you have raised important questions, especially new information about sexual harassment. I mean, the good news is that the Bronx DA office has been very active. The Correctional Services Department has been aggressive. Nine people have been arrested in these harassment cases, and more people will be arrested. Sexual harassment is absolutely unacceptable, and once discovered, it will have consequences. So we are showing this. The original cell intake when a person came in, that situation has been greatly changed. Therefore, reporting the past situation does not reflect the current situation. The entire setting has been changed. More space has been created, more personnel, and obviously, efforts are being made to very actively address the harmful behavior of some employees who stay outside and hurt their colleagues when they are not really sick. This is very aggressive. Many people have been suspended. Many people have returned to work. We have a commissioner, he is still a fairly new commissioner, I believe him. He used a lot of energy to solve this situation. We also have a partner in the state that we did not have before. You know, I am very grateful to everyone in the state who has been working with us because this is the cooperation we need to reduce the population. And get some help we need.  

So, look, there is still a lot to do, and the final action is to get rid of Rikers once and for all. I am proud of what we have achieved with the City Council, which must be implemented in the next few years, but in this sense, we are moving in the right direction. We will continue to work hard every day to make the situation better, but the final solution is to leave the Rikers period. With this, everyone just said, back to where we started today, we are moving forward in many ways as a city, New Yorkers should be proud of this, but what we all need to do is to make sure that we move forward is to inoculate vaccine. Who is not, it's time. Anyone who is eligible to get this booster, like me, goes out to get it. Get extra protection, push us forward, and keep us safe. The holidays are coming soon. We want the family to be safe. Let's start.  

pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov (212) 788-2958