October 7, 2016

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor of the State of New York
Executive Chamber
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Cuomo:
As civic officials in the City of New York who are responsible for the safety of its citizens
and for a fair and just criminal justice system, and as labor leaders committed to protecting the wellbeing of our first responders, we are writing to urge you to disapprove legislation which would
change the definition of a gravity knife (A.9042-A) and lead to the legalization of dangerous
weapons.
In the City of New York, crime continues to decline to historically low levels and we are
collectively focused on new strategies to drive down crime even further. Each of us has a firm
understanding of what is needed to achieve success in crime reduction, and can recognize
policies that will take us a step back. That is why we are united in our opposition to this
legislation which would exacerbate the approximate 8% increase in knife assaults our City is
experiencing this year.
Last year, there were approximately 4,000 stabbing and slashing incidents, the first year
that the New York Police Department tracked these types of crimes separately from other types
of felony assaults. The New York Police Department is currently deploying resources and
implementing strategies, including Operation Cutting Edge, to reduce the number of felony
assaults citywide. This approach focuses on using advanced crime data to identify patterns and
trends related to knife-attacks and increasing police presence at high slashing/stabbing locations.
Legalizing gravity knives at this juncture would be antithetical to these efforts and would have a

Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo

October 7, 2016
Page 2
chilling impact on the ability to rein in this criminal activity. Although proponents of this
legislation have argued that gravity knives should be legalized because of their utility in certain
professions, especially for tradespersons and arts and crafts professionals, the design of these
instruments and the speed with which they can be deployed means that they are as much desirable
weapons for those seeking to perpetrate acts of violence as they are effective work tools. The
approach taken in this legislation, however, is not the answer. Its arcane language only serves to
cloud the definition of both switchblades and gravity knives and would essentially put more of
these dangerous weapons on our streets.
We have seen just how dangerous these knives can be when used in criminal acts. On
April 17, 2012, Police Officer Eden Loor suffered a grave injury when Terrence Hale stabbed
him through the skull with a 3-1/2 inch gravity knife. And, in the time period since the passage of
the bill by the State Legislature, we have had incidents in the City of New York. In August, a 17year old male used a gravity knife to attack a subway commuter at a station on 125th Street in
Manhattan. The attacker was blocking commuters from entering the subway platform and when
asked to move by the victim, he slashed the victim in the left and right hands with a gravity knife.
Such an incident is a stark reminder of the dangers of these weapons.
Enacting legislation that vaguely defines what constitutes a gravity knife will cause
confusion for police officers who must discern whether a knife is a legal gravity knife or
something else, and will increase the complexity for district attorneys in prosecuting cases.
During the legislative session, reasonable alternatives were proffered to address the concerns
raised by the proponents of this legislation. One option presented would have created an
affirmative defense for someone currently employed as a craftsperson, tradesperson or other
worker, who possesses a gravity knife at work or while commuting to work. Another option
would have exempted a person who secured a knife in a closed container being used for
transporting tools, while other options sought to further clarify what constitutes a gravity knife by
specifying size of the blade or whether it can be readily released. Unfortunately, these options
were not accepted, leaving the instant bill as the only version that will be presented to you for
your consideration.
Once again, we urge you to disapprove this legislation when it reaches your desk and
stand with us in keeping dangerous weapons off of the streets of New York City.
Sincerely,

Bill de Blasio
Mayor of the City of New York

James ONeill
Commissioner, New York City Police Department

Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo

October 7, 2016
Page 3

Elizabeth Glazer
Director, Mayors Office of Criminal Justice

Roy T. Richter
President, Captains Endowment Association

Cyrus R. Vance, Jr.

District Attorney, New York County

Louis Turco
President, Lieutenants Benevolent Association

Kenneth P. Thompson
District Attorney, Kings County

Ed Mullins
President, Sergeants Benevolent Association

Richard A. Brown
District Attorney, Queens County

Michael J. Palladino
President, Detectives Endowment Association

Darcel D. Clark
District Attorney, Bronx County

Patrick J. Lynch
President, Patrolmens Benevolent Association