When Cyrus Vance Jr. won the election for Manhattan district attorney last year, the city's murder rate was at a record low, but the recent spike in violent crime is shaping up to be his first big test. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

When four people were shot and dozens arrested during the Easter Sunday mayhem in Times Square, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. was thrust into the spotlight. Vance in turn sent a signal that his office was playing hardball.

"I was concerned about the disorder that those cases represented and that I intended that this office take them seriously," said Vance.

He has been on the job for some three-and-a-half months, and took over from legendary District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who previously held the post for 35 years.

Vance oversees more than 500 attorneys and already has seen his share of high-profile criminal cases. TV producer Joe Halderman, who attempted to blackmail David Letterman, entered a guilty plea, the Linda Stein murder case ended with a conviction and a concrete testing company that worked on Yankee Stadium was also convicted.

However, Vance does not call those cases "victories."

"This is a professional office. We're here to do a job. We're here to protect victims," said the district attorney. "Sending someone to state prison is a win in the courtroom but it's a sobering event for everybody."

Many say it is too soon to judge Vance's performance, but expectations are high.

"Vance will have to show that he can step into Morgenthau's shoes, that he can run a top-notch office. It can't just be a good office, because everyone expects it to be a great office," said Thomas Repetto, the former president of city's Citizens Crime Committee.

A New York Post columnist already took aim at Vance, and called him a soft-on-crime district attorney, whose personal philosophy is to "give criminals a hug."

"It's an unfair criticism to say that he's been soft on crime when's he overly focused on crime prevention," said John Jay College President Jeremy Travis. "We want a district attorney that is concerned about how to keep crime rates down and not just worry about how the office runs."

While Morgenthau supported Vance's campaign, when asked by NY1 about the new district attorney, he only said, "He's doing fine."

Vance also said he does not have frequent contact with his predecessor.

"I do talk with Mr. Morgenthau, but I wouldn't say it was regularly," he said.

While Morgenthau engaged in a bitter fight with Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the end of his term, Vance said he wants to work with City Hall. The district attorney also plans to roll out a public corruption unit to investigate misconduct in government and elected officials' misdeeds.