Domestic violence complaints in New York City have spiked 18% over the past five years according to NYPD data obtained by Gothamist and city officials are unable to point to specific drivers of the surge.

Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Thursday the creation of a new, dedicated domestic violence unit in response to the rising numbers, with approximately 450 investigators spread through every precinct in the city and focused exclusively on the crime.

But even before the new assignments, police were already making more arrests than in the past with little success tamping down a surge that has vexed city officials in and out of the NYPD.

The department received 103,762 domestic violence complaints in 2024, up from 88,182 in 2019. There’s an even sharper incre

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