NYPD Beefs Up Livery Drivers' Safety
Hours after the body of ninth livery cab driver to be killed this year was found, New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir assigned more officers to protect the city's other 41,000 drivers.
On Friday, Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, met with Safir to discuss the driver's safety concerns.
Safir showed Mateo a video about the livery cab industry that will be delivered to all precincts. The video reminded all cabs in the city to have amber warning headlights they can flash if they are in danger.
"We spoke about the flashing lights and how a lot of police officers are not acknowledging that they are on ... it's what signals when a livery driver is in trouble," Mateo said. He added that no cabbies who complained their signals were ignored have been harmed.
Under Safir's new plan, police will also set up more checkpoints where they stop drivers to see if they're all right. In addition, task force officers will work longer hours and patrols will increase.
In separate appeals, Safir and Mateo begged livery drivers not to pick up street fares, a practice that is against Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) rules. All but one of the slain drivers were killed by street fares, authorities said.
"For the extra few dollars, your life isn't worth it," Mateo said.
The TLC voted last week to require all drivers to install either bulletproof partitions or digital security cameras in their cars.
The latest victims' car was not equipped with a bulletproof partition, police said.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani recently pledged $5 million toward a grant program to help pay for the security devices.
On Friday, Sen. Charles Schumer, Democrat NY, asked for $600,000 in federal funds to purchase 2,000 partitions.
Mateo urged residents to come forward if they have information on the killings. Police have made arrests in only two of the nine cases.
"We're crying for your help. We're the people who transport you, we're the people who work for you, your parents and your grandchildren," he said.
Eleven livery drivers were killed this year.
Meanwhile, overnight a Brooklyn livery cab driver escaped harm after having a machete held to his throat during an attempted robbery.
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