Between now and the start of primary voting in June, NY1 will take a closer look at the key issues in the race for mayor.

This week’s topic is public safety, because while New Yorkers may take pride in their toughness, they also want their city to be safe.

Every candidate running for mayor has something to say on the topic, but what makes this a complex issue is that the numbers can tell one story while public perception tells another.

Last week, the NYPD announced new crime statistics that showed violent crimes — including murder, robbery, assault and burglary — were all trending downward for the first quarter of the year when compared to the same period in 2024.

The number of shootings and shooting victims also declined sharply.

However, not all voters agree with the data. Some residents say they feel that crime is up — whether that’s because high-profile incidents generating headlines, people noticing disorder in their own neighborhoods or any other reason.

The perception of crime has also been linked to a swing toward Republican candidates in some city neighborhoods in recent elections, including in the last presidential election.

The conversation about crime and policing among Democrats has changed significantly in the last five years, as well. 

Some of the more moderate candidates in this primary want to hire thousands of new officers for the NYPD.

Others want more progressive policies to prevail, such as embracing an approach to crime that doesn't always include direct intervention from law enforcement.

Still, "Defund the Police,” a slogan which gained some momentum following the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, doesn't get mentioned very much anymore.

Whichever approach to crime and safety a candidate believes in, if it's going to work anywhere, there's an argument to be made that it has to work in the subway system.

Vital City founder Liz Glazer recently spoke with NY1 about the publications recent report on subway crimes, saying the perception of crime has changed underground.

"It used to be the big violent crime underground was, you got held up, you were mugged — robberies… those kinds of events are way down,” said Glazer. "What is up is the impulsive crime. The push, the shove, the assaults. Felony and misdemeanor assaults."

In that same report, Vital City says "two-thirds of individuals with the most subway arrests," were people with "documented histories of homelessness or mental illness."

"This percentage increased to 89% among those also arrested for subway violence,” the report read.

Back above ground, New Yorkers are increasingly finding locked shelves at major chain stores and pharmacies around the city.

Introduced as an anti-shoplifting measure, the merchandise behind glass has added to the perception that crime in the city is out of control.

We’ll continue our issue-by-issue review of the election in the weeks ahead.