Rochester officials step up safety efforts in North Clinton Avenue corridor

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Police Chief David Smith have launched a series of targeted actions to combat drug activity, gun violence, and unsafe conditions in the North Clinton Avenue corridor — an area that has long struggled with crime and disinvestment.

RPD Chief Smith and Mayor Evans held a press conference Wednesday in the Public Safety Building Auditorium to discuss recent public safety actions in the N. Clinton Ave corridor.

At a press conference Tuesday, city leaders detailed recent operations involving drug raids, arrests, and increased police patrols in response to growing concerns from residents who say their neighborhood has been overwhelmed by illegal activity.

“This neighborhood has been under siege,” said Mayor Evans. “We’re not going to stand by while people come here from outside the community to buy drugs and leave behind needles, trash, and sometimes bullets.”

Evans said he has personally seen vehicles dropping off individuals from the suburbs to purchase drugs on North Clinton Avenue. “These people don’t live here,” he said. “But it’s our residents who are paying the price.”

The city’s action was triggered by the June 22 murder of 29-year-old David Vazquez at a known drug house on Oscar Street. During the attempted arrest of the suspect, a Rochester police officer was nearly killed after being shot at point-blank range.

Since then, officers from several units — including Clinton Section, the Community Affairs Bureau, and Special Initiatives — have stepped up their presence, walking and biking through the corridor and engaging directly with neighbors.

Meanwhile, Rochester’s Special Investigations Section and the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET) executed five search warrants in the area. These operations led to the seizure of drugs, weapons, and multiple arrests.

On Tuesday morning, the SWAT team raided a boarded-up home at 1072 North Clinton Avenue. Inside, they found fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powdered cocaine, all packaged for sale. Two individuals — Jamie Statt of Webster and Stormy Watts, who listed an address outside the neighborhood — were arrested and charged with felony drug possession.

Police also shut down what they described as an open-air drug market at a vacant lot on Morrill Street. The area has recently seen a string of serious incidents, including a carjacking, shootings, and multiple fires.

“The residents of Morrill Street don’t deserve this,” said Chief Smith. “Today, we took action to shut it down.”

City departments and partners — including the Rochester Fire Department, Environmental Services, the Law Department, and the New York State Police — are also supporting cleanup and emergency closures of drug-linked properties. Evans said special attention is being given to the daycare center located directly across the street from the house raided on Tuesday.

Despite a 13% drop in overall crime across Rochester this year, both Evans and Smith stressed that focused efforts are still needed in high-impact areas like North Clinton Avenue.

Chief Smith praised officers for their bravery and commitment, especially after nearly losing a colleague in the line of duty. “This response has not just been about enforcement,” he said. “It’s about listening and working with the people who live here.”

Evans added, “We’re not done. We will keep showing up, keep listening, and keep taking action — until every resident feels safe.”