Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
NYPD

Memo to Ray Kelly: How About Barriers for Pedestrians, Too?

crashsub1.jpgThis driver suffered a seizure, but not to worry -- the phone booth was protected. Photo: Gothamist

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly testified Monday in favor of City Council legislation to require every bank branch in the city to install bullet-proof "bandit barriers" between tellers and customers. According to City Room, Kelly told the public safety committee that he believes the measure would help reduce bank hold-ups, which he called "an ever-increasing source of burden on the Police Department’s resources."

“We don’t want to tell anyone how to run their businesses until it impacts our business,” Mr. Kelly said.

According to data provided by the Police Department, there were 444 bank robbery attempts in 2008 -- up 57 percent from the year before.

While statistics produced by both sides show that about 90 percent of the 1,700 commercial bank branches in New York already have some form of barrier in place between tellers and would-be robbers, many small local banks -- and some chains like TD Bank -- do not have them.

The effectiveness of the barriers is questionable. Kelly himself said that last year 47 percent of bank robberies in the city occurred at banks with the barriers, while 53 percent of banks targeted by robbers did not have them. And Gregory B. Braca of TD Bank testified that the barriers can actually invite additional trouble, saying, "There is evidence that if we had to install barriers, it could
increase the risk of hostage-taking and injury to our customers."

Now, for comparison's sake, consider the 444 attempted bank robberies in 2008 alongside the 15,000 injuries and 150 deaths suffered by pedestrians at the hands of New York City drivers in the average year. Many of those victims are injured and killed not in the street, but while standing on a corner, walking down a sidewalk, or having a meal inside a restaurant.

Couldn't Commissioner Kelly also advocate for additional barriers between people and outlaw drivers? "Bandit bollards" has a nice ring, doesn't it? Or, if Kelly has his way and bank barriers are eventually mandated, might NYPD redeploy officers from banks to the streets to protect pedestrians? After all, those 15,000 calls a year must also be a burden -- and much like a bank, we never know who'll be hit next.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Gale’s A-Blowin’: Brewer Abandons Daylighting Bill After Push By Parking-First DOT

DOT's anti-daylighting "scare tactics" have peeled off Council Member Gale Brewer, who says the policy will gobble up too many parking spots.

September 30, 2025

DATA: Not Paying Fines? Keep Speeding, Says New York City

It's yet another case of "anything goes" for drivers in Adams's New York.

September 30, 2025

Bike Data Shows Huge Demand on Vanderbilt Ave. As Adams Administration Dithers

New stats show an immediate need for bike infrastructure on the crucial north-south connector.

September 30, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Fuel for Thought Edition

Forgive us if we're not jumping for joy that the city fleet is using less fossil fuel. Yes, it's a good trend, but cars are still cars. Plus other news.

September 30, 2025

Scofflaws Beware! Hoboken to Launch Automated Parking Enforcement

New York City should take note of what is going on in a city that has not had a traffic fatality since 2017.

September 29, 2025
See all posts