Liberal Locals in NY’s Greenwich Village Now Want More Cops [WATCH]

A new community survey reveals a growing call for stronger law enforcement and tougher criminal justice policies in Greenwich Village, an area long associated with liberal activism and counterculture ideals.

The data indicates a significant shift in local sentiment as crime, drug use, and repeat offenders disrupt daily life for residents.

Greenwich Village liberals beg for more cops.

The Sixth Precinct Community Council polled 600 resident 83% (487) want increased police patrols.

Locals are shocked that anyone supports protecting repeat criminals.

This is what happens when the policies they enforce start… pic.twitter.com/G7dAFZS1n9

— CeCe ˗ˏˋ ✞ ˎˊ˗ 🌴 🇺🇸 (@Ohio_buckeye_us) April 12, 2025

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The survey, conducted by the Sixth Precinct Community Council during February and March, gathered responses from 600 Greenwich Village residents.

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Among them, 83%—a total of 487 respondents—said they want an increased police presence in the neighborhood.

Additionally, 74% supported stronger prosecution for drug dealing, and 80% said New York’s bail laws should be stricter.

Steve Zammarchi, a member of the precinct council, said the results mark a noticeable change in attitudes from what many consider one of the city’s most liberal enclaves.

“The village is frequently criticized for being liberal — but clearly the numbers here indicate we’re not happy,” Zammarchi said.

Washington Square Park, once a cultural landmark where artists like Bob Dylan performed protest songs, has become a central point of concern.

Residents say the park has become a hotspot for drug use and open-air dealing.

According to neighbors, repeat offenders are routinely arrested, released, and seen back at the park within hours.

“Enough is enough,” said Trevor Sumner, president of the Washington Square Association and a lifelong Village resident.

Sumner, who once described himself as “quite liberal,” said his views began to shift during the pandemic when conditions in the park worsened.

“It’s very hard for me to unsee the realities of the outcomes on the streets. It’s shifted how almost everyone I know who’s active in the community is thinking about voting,” Sumner said.

He pointed to changes in bail reform laws and discovery rules passed in Albany as contributors to the ongoing cycle of criminal behavior.

Despite a 21% drop in felony crime so far this year compared to 2023, major felonies remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

There were 1,789 reported major felony crimes in the Sixth Precinct in 2024, up from 1,534 in 2019—a 16% increase.

The Sixth Precinct has posted multiple updates on X highlighting arrests of drug dealers operating in broad daylight along Sixth Avenue, activity that local residents say would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Another drug arrest!
The 6th Precinct Special Operations team arrested another drug dealer in our neighborhood. We received numerous complaints about this location 👉6th Ave near the IFC.

Great work by our Officers! pic.twitter.com/lm3OY80bPY

— NYPD 6th Precinct (@NYPD6Pct) February 11, 2025

The changing atmosphere has also shown up at the ballot box.

According to New York Board of Elections data analyzed by the New York Post, nearly 13% of Greenwich Village voters backed President Donald Trump in 2024, a noticeable increase from the 8% who supported him in 2020.

One of those voters is Eli Klein, an art gallery owner who grew up in a prominent liberal household.

His mother, Janet Benshoof, founded the Center for Reproductive Rights. Despite his background, Klein said he no longer identifies with the Democratic Party.

“The left has gotten more extreme as opposed to us really going the other way,” Klein said.

“There’s a lot of recidivist criminals on the streets. The progressives push really soft on crime stuff. It’s hard to believe that a huge section of our population wants career criminals on the streets.”

Longtime residents say the neighborhood has lost its sense of purpose and safety.

“There’s a lot more crazies, unstable people. It’s just an eyesore, it’s disconcerting,” said Philip Spinelli, 75, who has lived on Christopher Street since the 1960s.

Reflecting on how things have changed, Sumner added, “We have literal zombies walking through the streets and framing it as somehow these reforms have given them some kind of dignity – this is not dignity.”

The survey results and shifting opinions reflect a broader conversation in New York about public safety, criminal justice reform, and the future of neighborhoods once known for championing progressive ideals.

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