Other than the undercover cops in the crowd which should have done something, the NYPD lacks the ability to teleport to the scene of a crime in progress. Especially if traffic is backed up along a fairly narrow highway (look at the map — 3 very narrow lanes per direction /w no shoulder) and the crime scene is moving.
Though I’ve heard the complaint that they focus too much on lower (below 100th St) Manhattan due to tourism, which may be a valid one.
Police are people, not superhumans. Yes, they have helicopters, but getting a helo into the air isn’t as simple as jumping into a squad car.
