LISTEN: The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC - June 12, 2014
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance today defended the police action that resulted in mass arrests last week at two housing projects in Harlem. “I completely understand the enormous impact that follows a DA, police enforcement action in these developments. I don’t think we can minimize how scary that can be ... but it is a lot scarier to have bullets flying around your neighborhood.”
He was referring to a long running, bloody feud between gang members in the Manhattanville and Grant housing projects.
Vance made his comments on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show in reaction to an earlier show on which Daryl Khan, the JJIE.org NYC bureau chief, asked the mayor to take a stand about the raids.
Residents from the two housing projects talked on the earlier show about the fear the massive law enforcement action caused. It was called the largest gang raid conducted by the NYPD, according to those on the force. The residents asked for a more preventative approach.
To that end, Vance said the city was instituting a Saturday night basketball program in the neighborhood.
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