CRISIS IN NEW YORK: 39-year NYPD vet says ‘palpable fear’ still plagues city as crime remains high

Former NYPD Sgt. Pete Panuccio said a culture of fear still exists in New York despite city leaders touting crime drop, as crime remains higher than 2019.

"There's a sense of disorder, a sense of decay, and what I like to call palpable fear," retired NYPD Sgt. Pete Panuccio told Fox News. "Those are things you can't quantify, but people are scared again." "There’s a sense of disorder, a sense of decay, and what I like to call palpable fear. Those are things you can’t quantify." "Everything emanates from public safety in New York City. If we don’t have public safety, we don’t have a city."  Megan Myers is an associate producer/writer with Fox News Digital Originals. 

New York City leaders have touted crime reductions since the historically bloody 2020, which saw the most murders since 2011 among other violent crimes, according to New York City Police Department data. But Panuccio said a culture of lawlessness, which he blamed on permissive, progressive policies, exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and has persisted ever since, leaving residents on edge as crime remains high.