Source: Politics<\/p>\n
The Rev. Al Sharpton is calling on New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former police captain, to address the city\u2019s spike in crime, calling the situation \u201cout of control.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fairness to Eric, he’s only been mayor five weeks,\u201d Sharpton said Wednesday during an appearance on MSNBC\u2019s Morning Joe. \u201cBut even as a fan of him: Eric, they’re locking up my toothpaste.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sharpton’s comment referred to reports that New York-area pharmacies and convenience stores have begun to place low-cost items, even toothpaste, in locked cases to prevent theft. Major crime increased 38.5 percent in January, Adams\u2019 first month in office, compared to the same period last year, according to a NYPD report<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, we’re talking about basic stuff here,\u201d Sharpton said. \u201cI’m like, what did I miss that we now have to lock up toothpaste?\u201d<\/p>\n Sharpton is a longtime civil rights and criminal justice reform activist and founder of the National Action Network, a not-for-profit advocacy organization. He has been critical to spearhead police reform in the city.<\/p>\n With recent, high-profile incidents of both nonviolent and violent crime in New York, Sharpton noted the \u201cchallenge\u201d facing Adams between mitigating crime and supporting policing reforms.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is debate in the criminal justice system. There are those that are concerned, including me, about overloading the system and the jails with petty crime,\u201d Sharpton said. \u201cBut at the same time, you cannot have a culture where people are just, at random, robbing and stealing.\u201d<\/p>\n Crime has emerged as the chief issue of Adams\u2019 nascent administration. A former NYPD captain, Adams made fighting crime a key aspect of his campaign. But highly publicized shootings and burglaries have stolen the spotlight, including the shooting of two police officers<\/a> in Harlem last month.<\/p>\n \u201cDoesn\u2019t matter to me if it\u2019s a police officer shot, or if it\u2019s a baby shot. I\u2019m going to stay in these streets until this city is safe,\u201dthe mayor said in January.<\/a><\/p>\n President Joe Biden visited the city last week and met with Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul at NYPD headquarters. There, the president reiterated his support for police officers and pledged to be a \u201cpartner\u201d with Adams in the effort to curb crime.<\/p>\n \u201cMayor Adams, you and I agree: The answer is not to abandon our streets,\u201d Biden said<\/a>. \u201cThe answer is not to defund the police. It\u2019s to give you the tools, the training, the funding to be partners, to be protectors.\u201d<\/p>\n