The NYPD's 24th Precinct says it doesn't want to police your style, but it is judging your fanny pack.
Summer=crowds. Protect your stuff. We @ 24 r not the fashion police but fanny packs present a special case. pic.twitter.com/OuyuaTL33U
— NYPD 24th Precinct (@NYPD24Pct) July 22, 2015
The Upper West Side precinct has advised New Yorkers and tourists to wear their "hideous" bags in front, rather than in back where they're more vulnerable to theft. There have been 72 robberies in the precinct in 2015 so far according to CompStat, up from 65 during the same period last year.
North in Harlem, the 25th Precinct isn't as concerned about the risk that the practical unisex purses pose.
@NYPD24Pct Fanny pack? Really? Better chance of seeing an alligator cross 9th Ave! @NYPD34Pct
— NYPD 25th Precinct (@NYPD25Pct) July 23, 2015
Actually, they're not as rare as they used to be; fanny packs, worn slightly off-center, are making a comeback among fashion designers and celebrities. But the NYPD has better things to do than spend its time keeping up with the fashion blogs.