The tires of seven marked NYPD vehicles were slashed by vandals outside the Strategic Response Group 3 headquarters in Brooklyn. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon in Windsor Terrace, near Prospect Park. The perpetrators used an unknown object to damage the tires, and no arrests have been made as of Tuesday.
The destruction of the police cruisers coincided with another incident at Washington Square Park, where a group of individuals threw snowballs at uniformed NYPD officers. The chaotic scene was condemned by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch as “disgraceful” and “criminal,” drawing criticism from department unions as well.
The Strategic Response Group (SRG) is a specialized division within the NYPD that responds to citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events. They are also deployed for emergency situations such as shootings and bank robberies, as stated on the department’s website.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, during his campaign last year, had pledged to disband the SRG due to its involvement in costly lawsuit settlements and allegations of brutality towards New Yorkers exercising their First Amendment rights. However, the elite task force remains operational despite the mayor’s previous stance on the matter.
