NYPD ‘Times Square Unit’ Will Tackle Topless Ladies and Costumed Characters
(DNAINFO) — A new police unit will focus on quality-of-life issues facing Times Squaresuch as aggressive panhandling from the topless women and costumed characters in the area.
The “Times Square Unit” will be modeled on the city’s Neighborhood Policing model now being tested out in four precincts in Manhattan and Queens, sources said. Mayor Bill de Blasioadded money to the fiscal year 2016 budget to hire an additional 1,300 police officers for the community policing effort.
The NYPD is now recruiting for the 100-officer unit, which should be in place by October, sources said. The unit will be double the size of the approximately 47-officer unit that patrols the area now.