New York, NY – March 25, 2021 – Today, the New York City Council voted to adopt Resolution 1547, introduced by Council Member Francisco Moya, calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2984/A.1951, which would require New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to live within the five boroughs of New York City. 

“We have long ways to go to have meaningful police reform and this requirement is one step towards creating more accountability. Requiring NYPD officers to live within the boroughs enables them to be integrated into the community they patrol. If police officers know their neighbors and the issues in the neighborhood, it opens the path to create trust and build relationships with the community. This requirement is not new to New York City given that NYPD civilian staff and other City agency staff need to reside here for two years. Police officers should be held to the same standard, at a minimum,” said NYC Council Member Francisco Moya, who represents District 21 in Queens. “I am proud to be part of a legislative body that stands up for racial justice and am grateful to see the state legislature taking up the issue as this needs to be legislated at the state level.”

As stated in the resolution, newly hired officers would be required to live within one of the five boroughs of New York City within a year of appointment. The city residency requirement for NYPD officers has the potential to improve community-police relations, with officers having more of a stake in the city they patrol, and would increase the likelihood New York City taxpayer dollars, which pay for officers’ salaries, remain in the communities served by the NYPD. 

In June of 2020, Council Member Moya put forth recommendations for police reform including residency. Since then several bills and resolutions have been enacted––from criminalizing the chokehold and other restraints to tracking bad behavior, and requiring on-duty police officers to display their badges at all times.

CONTACT: Carolina Valencia – 917-902-0185,  cvalencia@council.nyc.gov.

Council Member Francisco Moya represents the New York City Council’s 21st District, which encompasses East Elmhurst, LeFrak City, parts of Jackson Heights and his native Corona. He chairs the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and sits on seven other committees: Civil Service and Labor; Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations; Finance; Immigration; Land Use; Parks and Recreation; and Hospitals. Council Member Moya also serves as the vice co-chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC).