New York City will spend $1.3 million more on retrofitting New York Police Department vehicles with bullet-resistant shielding after officer Miosotis Familia was killed in the South Bronx as she sat in her patrol vehicle.
The perpetrator, ex-convict Alexander Bonds, shot her in the head Wednesday.
The city invested $6.8 million in the retrofitting effort after the 2014 murders of NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were fatally shot while sitting in their squad vehicle. That money went toward beefing up the doors of 3,813 patrol cars. Around 2,100 of those vehicles have those panels, and the final 1,703 cars are expected to be ready by the end of 2017. That plan, however, did not include the truck-like command vehicles like the one Familia was in when she was killed.
BREAKING: Mayor is bullet-proofing all 72 NYPD command vehicles. Retrofits will start right away.
— Jaclyn Rothenberg (@jaclynroth) July 6, 2017
The city also set aside $10.4 million in 2014 to install bullet-resistant window inserts on patrol vehicles. The initial 500 NYPD patrol car with bullet-resistant window insert installations, mayor’s office says, are expected to roll out at the end of the month.
The front windshields of the command vehicles, however, will not be outfitted with bullet-resistant installations, as the present technology does not allow for the curvature of the front windshields.
“Together, as we mourn the loss of Officer Familia, we are reminded of our sense of community and that the safety of our men and women in blue who patrol our City every day to protect the lives of New Yorkers is paramount,” de Blasio said in a statement. “The investment builds on this Administration’s previous commitment towards outfitting NYPD patrol vehicles with safety measures that allow our officers to do their jobs, and it is fundamental that we continue to identify ways to keep them safe.”
“My goal as the Police Commissioner is to do whatever I can to protect and equip our police officers,” said NYPD Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “This added ballistic protection will do just that. As we learn more from the senseless murder of Police Officer Familia, we will continue to look at any additional measures the Department can take to protect those who protect us.”