NYPD focused on keeping city safe on night of July 4th after spasm of violence last year

When the fireworks end, the real show begins for New York's finest.

Eyewitness News reporter Josh Einiger had exclusive access Thursday night, as NYPD officers fanned out across neighborhoods prone to Fourth of July violence.

The so-called community response teams, out addressing quality-of-life concerns, were on the hunt for guns on Thursday.

Earlier in the day Eyewitness News joined some of the department's top brass as they had a bird's eye view of the city they're responsible for keeping safe. But it wasn't just the Macy's barges and the million-plus spectators, it was also the 8.5 million New Yorkers just living their lives across the city.

"You realize how important our job is tonight and how the cops here, we have to get it right," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell.

Chell and Deputy Commissioner for Operations Kaz Daughtry have spent the past year planning for Thursday night, after a spasm of violence, especially in the Bronx, after Macy's show last year.

This year they have applied the lessons that were learned then, in hopes to calm the violence.

"Josh, this is all hands on deck today. The world is watching, everybody's focused on the Macy's fireworks show but we are focused on keeping the public safe, keeping New York safe," Daughtry said.

"Unfortunately, there's parts of the city that are rougher for us in terms of shootings, and yes it got a little rough up in the Bronx last year," Chell said. "What can we learn from last year, how can we keep it safer... that's what we did tonight."

With the fireworks now over this year, thousands of officers will be staying in the streets through the morning, ready to respond.

----------

* Get Eyewitness News Delivered

* More New York City news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.