Muslim community in New York City starts safety patrol

The Daily Sabah newspaper has the story of newly formed voluntary patrol units that have begun working in New York to ensure the safety of the city's Muslim community.

The patrols began a week after a terrorist attack in the New Zealand city of Christchurch killed 50 worshippers at two mosques.

The organisation's website lays out the goals of the Muslim Community Patrol (MCP), which include protecting community members from “escalating quality-of-life nuisance crimes."

"MCP acts as a liaison between the local police as well as the local community - bridging gaps and providing community services, safety education, and patrol tips for all," the website says.

So far some 50 volunteers have signed up to take part in the MCP. They've been trained in a range of services, including how to deal with family and financial problems, drug abuse, depression and suicide.

The MCP is planning to assist not only Muslims, but also non-Muslims with, for example, food deliveries for homeless people in the city's midtown.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) trained the volunteers, but the group will remain unarmed, officials noted.

Brooklyn Mayor Eric Adams highlighted the growing role of community patrols in assisting police work and helping community members out. He added that Brooklyn's Jewish community already has similar patrol units.