Over decades of high violent crime, traffic enforcement had rarely been a focus for the Police Department. But with felonies falling to record lows, the department has gained the leeway to rethink its mission. Hundreds of officers have been shifted into a neighborhood policing program intended to improve community relations, another priority of the de Blasio administration.
But the Collision Investigation Squad has not seen a similar infusion of resources, even as the mayor has continued to assert himself as a traffic safety advocate.
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