They've been suggesting this for at least fifty years

Well yes, freddie, they’re off the street, technically; I see that. but ….

Freddie Camillo has proposed eliminating the traffic cops on the Avenue. It makes sense to me: no other town I know of has cops at crosswalks, but someone’s been trying to get them off the Avenue and onto doing something more useful since the ’60s and so far, tradition has won out over the expense.

I won’t hold my breath.