Yusef Salaam, the Central Park 5 defendant exonerated in the infamous 1989 Central Park jogger rape case, said he’s ready to work arm-in-arm with the NYPD to improve Harlem’s quality of life as the neighborhood’s next councilman.
An insurgent, first-time candidate and father of 10, Salaam secured a shocking win over the Harlem Democratic establishment Tuesday night — blowing away rival candidate and state Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, 73, as well as the powerhouses who backed her.
Now, 49, the Democratic candidate was 15 when he and four other young black teens were arrested, convicted and sent to prison after being pressured to give false confessions.
The five men were cleared of all charges in 2002 when DNA evidence linked another person to the horrific crime.
“Most people would think that I would be pro-defund [the police], but the truth of the matter is we need police,” Salaam told The Post a day after his stunning victory in the Democratic primary for the 9th Councilmanic district over state Assembly members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor.
Salaam emphasized he wanted “smarter” policing instead of “over enforcement.”
For example, he said police officers should be allowed to focus on bread and butter crime enforcement and prevention rather than interacting with homeless and mentally ill individuals.
“I don’t think police officers should be handling the homelessness crisis,” he said.
“Many police officers are telling me they’re doing more than their fair share.”
In the wide-ranging Post interview, Salaam came across as a mainstream liberal Democrat who’s focused on basic constituent concerns rather than someone with a hard-left or ideological agenda .
He pointed out that he’s willing to work with developers to create tax-subsidized affordable housing, a position at odds with the democratic socialist left.
“Absolutely. We need programs that will incentivize the developers,” Salaam said.
He said the state Legislature did not extend the so-called 421-A tax to spur private development of sub-market rate housing, but added, “we do need to have programs that will absolutely incentivize the developers. There has to be a balance.”
Salaam noted how current democratic socialist Councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan scuttled a controversial mixed use project at 145th Street and Lenox that would have also included a new civil rights museum backed by Rev. Al Sharpton.
“I’ll be the one at the table negotiating for the community when it comes to the One45 project,” he said.
“I’m talking about building. Making sure we have jobs.. When developers come in to build [jobs are created].”
In that regard, Salaam commended the Big Apple for rolling out the welcome mat to shelter migrants — but said the same should be done for the Big Apple’s homeless individuals.
“My pushback is if we are able to find homes for the migrants, we most certainly can find places for our homeless population,” he said.
“We have dilapidated buildings in our communities. We have lots that can be built upon.”
On education, Salaam backs parent choice and charter schools — bucking many fellow Democrats allied with the anti-charter teachers union.
“I am all for a parent to have the right to choose where to send their child to school. My stance has always been to advocate for the parent’s right to choose. My only pushback is that I would prefer that charter schools be housed in their own locations,” he said.
He said he was a fan of Schools Chancellor David Banks bringing back phonics to help young children learn how to read and speak.
Again and again, Salaam emphasized balancing the need to help the downtrodden — including drug addicts — without overburdening Harlem with social service facilities.
There are two controversial drug “safe injection sites” in the district, one right across from a school.
“We do need to make sure that we are not the dumping ground for all of New York City to inject itself with illegal drugs. We are the dumping grounds!,” he said.
Manhattan Democratic Party Chairman and Harlemite Keith Wright, who stuck his neck out and endorsed Salaam while Mayor Eric Adams and much of the Harlem establishment-backed Assemblywoman Dickens, said Salaam is the right man at the right time for the neighborhood.
“The reason Yusef won is that Harlem wanted change. His authenticity is in his DNA and his willingness to serve is in his DNA,” said Wright, whose son, Jordan, was Salaam’s campaign manager.