Drug Overdoses A Big Issue For New Staten Island District Attorney
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio welcomed new Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon into office at an inauguration ceremony held on Sunday.
At the event, de Blasio touted the city's lower crime numbers, and encouraged the crowd to thank the police, 1010 WINS' Samantha Liebman reported.
"For almost a quarter century, thanks to the NYPD, we have gotten safer and safer," de Blasio said. "That is a blessing."
McMahon, a former U.S. Congressman and city councilman, won the seat earlier this year, with 55 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for Republican Joan Illuzzi. He succeeded Republican Daniel Donovan.
McMahon said he hopes to address the issues of domestic abuse and heroin addiction -- two problems he said are unique to Staten Island.
According to McMahon, the number of drug overdoses in the borough has increased nearly 30 percent since 2013.
"A drug overdose death is not a crime statistic, so we're losing a young person here once every three days," McMahon said.
McMahon hopes to implement a strong special narcotics force to help combat drug dealers.