Harlem’s 28th Precinct C.O. James Whitlock says he knows what’s behind the drop in crime

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NYPD Capt. James Whitlock took the stage last month during National Night Out Against Crime in Harlem to reintroduce himself. He reflected on drastic reductions in crime: fourth most improved throughout the NYPD, he said, crediting not only his officers but the surrounding Harlem community.

For Whitlock, returning to Harlem as the 28th Precinct’s Commanding Officer feels “surreal.” He grew up in the Grant Houses on 125th Street, just three blocks from the police station. Now, 26 years deep in the NYPD (he’s careful to point out how three of those years were spent as a school safety agent), Whitlock took command of the 28th Precinct last summer after spending most of his career in investigative work. His previous role in the Bronx tackled narcotics distribution and gang violence.

This year, the NYPD reports a roughly 25% decrease in index crime in the 28th Precinct, which covers a significant area of Central Harlem including the Apollo Theater, the main 125th Street Corridor and the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building. In fact, every category decreased besides murder, which rose from four to five despite reductions in gun violence. Notably, grand larceny auto complaints — which are typically better documented than other major crimes because of mandated insurance reporting — plummeted from 46 last year to just 21 in 2025, a 54.3% year-to-date decrease as of August.

So what’s working? Whitlock points to combining increased community involvement with police presence and enforcement to “implement a multi-layered approach.” He delineated his calendar of speaking to Manhattan Community Board 10 every first Wednesday, community council meetings every second Wednesday and public safety and cabinet meetings every third Wednesday.

“We also discuss the same variety of issues that’s plaguing the community,” said Whitlock over the phone. “I think that’s essential, because we hear it firsthand from the people…living it. Crime is down [but] the perception may be that they see a lot of things that we don’t see. We try to accommodate that and get those issues out of the way. That’s why we’re pretty big on quality of issues and complaints”

Whitlock also pointed to partnerships with local organizations like the Central Park Conservancy and the 125th Business Improvement District, both members of the Harlem Gateway 110th Street Coalition, a consortium of local groups and businesses formed to improve parts of Central Park North under the 28th Precinct’s jurisdiction over needs like mental health interventions and cleanups for used needles and condoms.

Harlemite Shatic Mitchell, the Central Park Conservancy’s director of civic engagement, says he’s noticed increased patrols across 110th Street under Whitlock as early as 6 a.m. But he also points to the C.O.’s personal efforts.

“I’ve seen how Captain Whitlock talks to people,” said Mitchell. “He didn’t raise his voice, got people to move to the sidewalk, got people to stop double parking. I think that because he’s from the community, understands the community. I think it’s invaluable to have somebody with that type of leadership.”

Apostle Dr. Staci Ramos of Garden of Gethsemane Ministries also recalls frequently seeing Whitlock and his fellow “whitshirts” regularly on the streets engaging with the community. She credits the crime decrease under the C.O. to his approach of “unity” and “presence.”

“Whitlock and his team come out, right?” she said. “They’re going to be coming out soon for the African American Day parade, but let’s just talk about Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, all these other things. When there’s parades in the street or walking in the street and the streets are closed, they come out. He comes out and he acclimates himself with the guys on the corner.”

As “Quality of Life” teams ramp up under NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Whitlock remains aware that critics are concerned that such units stem from “broken windows policing.” Even a proponent like Mitchell mentioned the importance of not criminalizing mental illness and homelessness, and called for getting “the right responders there to assess the situation and then help people out,” which he believes the community-wide effort remains key for. Whitlock says enforcement does not necessarily mean a summons or arrest.

“We always use discretion when we see people on the street drinking — we just have to disperse it [and] we can’t have that behavior,” said Whitlock. “When I’m on the streets and I encounter that kind of problem, I always say, ‘listen, your entertainment should not infringe upon other people’s quality of life.’ And most people understand that and they’ll just pack up and go about their merry way.

“Because they understand when you stand outside at an unreasonable volume it’s affecting the kid that’s trying to go to sleep and wake up in the morning to go to school.”