LONGWOOD — Ronald Topping, 57, has lived in the John Adams Houses since 1964 and has seen his fair share of crime in the NYCHA development over the years.
"We've had some shootings over here in the past. There are people who probably know but haven't said anything to the police," he said.
"I do know a person that lives in my building that was a victim of crime. It was quite terrible. He was robbed and he was shot, unfortunately."
However, he is confident that crime will soon drop in his complex as the city recently finished adding 72 new security cameras, part of an $18 million security upgrade that NYCHA brought to 31 developments across the city.
"Now we see a face. We know who you are, and we’re coming after you," Topping said. "I definitely feel safer."
NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye announced the completion of the security upgrade at the John Adams Houses on Tuesday, noting that the effort involved installing 988 new cameras and upgrading 152 cameras at 219 NYCHA buildings across New York City.
"Feeling safe and secure is the right of everyone, no matter your ZIP code," she said. "Yet for too many of our residents, that is not the case."
The cameras are part of a more comprehensive security program that NYCHA is working on, which includes providing residents with electronic access to their buildings through layered-access control and key-fob technology.
The agency hopes to finish bringing these security upgrades to about 10 developments in the spring.
The security cameras that were part of the $18 million upgrade were installed without any significant delays, according to NYCHA.
However, Topping maintained that residents of Adams Houses had been waiting a very long time for extra security.
"I think it’s long overdue, but we will accept it as it comes," he said. "We will appreciate it, and we will gravitate towards it."
