The 81st Police Precinct Community Council Meets

On Tuesday, April 9, the 81st Police Precinct met to update the community on crime activity and safety measures taken over the past month in the district.

The 81st Precinct coverage in Bedford Stuyvesant includes from Flushing Avenue to Atlantic Avenue, north to south; and from Marcus Garvey Boulevard to Broadway, west to east.

Captain Vanessa Kight opened, chaired the meeting:

• Detective Philip Banks III, the NYPD’s top community affairs officer from the 81st Precinct, on March 28 was named the new chief of department. He was sworn into the top uniformed position and follows in the footsteps of 44-year-veteran Joseph Esposito, who held the chief’s job for 12 years.

• Crime Stats: “These have been the best crime figures since I’ve been here,” said Kight: Crime is down 39 percent for the month. Homicide is down 50 percent; rape is down 33 percent; robberies are down 9 percent; felony assaults are down 21 percent; burglaries are down 52 percent and grand larcenies are down 63 percent. Year-to date, crime is down 17 percent, except rape which is up 20 percent (6 incidents so far this year, versus 5 at this same time in 2012).

• Alert: Burglaries may pick up because of the summer. With warmer weather, people tend to keep their doors open and windows open, “So let’s be aware,” said Kight.

• Another area of concern is domestic violence. The precinct made a recent arrest in a sexual assault/domestic violence incident because a neighbor alerted the police of suspicious activity (the neighbor notice the tenant’s children appeared unsupervised and improperly dressed for the weather). “From that, an investigation was done and we were able to make an arrest. So we really need for people to call us if you notice something unusual. We depend upon neighbors, friends to call us, because these crimes generally occur in the home and will go unreported otherwise,” said Kight.

•  Last week, there was a CDC press conference. Mayor Bloomberg,Police Commissioner Kelly the department chief, local clergy all attend, along with four families whose children were victims of domestic violence. The CDC found that teens carrying guns illegally in the city was at an all-time low-- much lower than any other parts of the countries (evidence that our homicides and shootings are down). The commissioner contributed much of that to the IMPACT zones (In Bed-Stuy, Herkimer up to Saratoga, Marion, Howard, across to Patchen then back to Herkimer) in the southern part of the precinct. This part of the precinct had some of the highest crime rates, with the most violent crimes. They’re finding that most shootings are crew-related. So precinct beefed up the gang units; are monitoring social media sites. All of these efforts are proving to be successful in keeping crime down.

• IMPORTANT: The Blockwatchers training for the 79th and 81st Precinct will be Wednesday, April 10, 6:00 p.m. at Boys and Girls High School Auditorium.

Report from Lieutenant Passolo:

The department has more gun arrests and gun recoveries this year in Bed-Stuy than in the past. They want to continue this trend. So if you see anything or anyone that might look suspicious, please call 911. “You’re not wasting our time, and we thank you for the help we receive in the community,” Passolo said.

Report from Sergeant Hardy:

“We have had more people reporting crime than in the past. Making a phone call is great, but some of these people, we want to put away. Sometimes people will give information, but they do not want to go forward with the prosecution. We want to encourage people to be prepared to go forward when reporting a crime,” said Hardy.

Representative for Assemblywoman Annette Robinson:

One of the ways to help stabilize community is to put people to work. There will be a major job fair on Friday, April 26, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Concord Baptist Church, 833 Gardner C. Taylor Blvd. “Please ask those who are unemployed to go that day. These are real jobs. They’re not just having you sign up and fill out resumes. Please spread the word.”

Representative for Councilmember Darlene Mealy:

The monthly advisory board meeting is on Sunday, May 4, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, at 1757 Union Street. They will talk about the tenants’ rights. Also, on Thursday, May 8, at 661 Linden Boulevard, from 4-7pm, there is a tax lien sale informational event. If you are or someone or know someone who is on that list, please come to the event to learn how to clear your name.

City Councilmember Al Vann:

There will be another tax lien informational on Tuesday, May 6, from 5-8pm., at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street. The Dpt of Finance, The EPA and HPD will be available to assist and answer any questions.

Lee Church, representative from Congressman Jeffries’ office:

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is pushing to pass the gun law; Jeffries is among those trying to get a vote by Thursday. “That’s what the congressman is working on, as well as sitting across the table on the budget,” said Church.

81st Precinct Community Council President Catherine Arline:

• The Council needs volunteers for several key communities, including programming, fundraising, membership, finance committee. Please consider volunteering on these committees. “It will make the council stronger, which will make the community stronger,” said Arline.

• The council is working hard to get discretionary funding from the elected officials for the first time. To be eligible certain council members are required to do training. So they will be taking a training June 11 in the Bronx. “The process is not simple; one mistake and you are wiped out. For those who worked on that, we thank. This year, we’re asking 3 people from the city council; the speakers, Vann and Mealy to put us in their discretionary funds,” said Arline.

• As the City Charter is no longer giving money to community council, it has to raise all of its own money. The Save a Date for the fundraiser (Youth Appreciation Breakfast) is June 8th at Jane United Methodist, on Monroe and Malcolm X, in the banquet hall. Tickets are $20. If you have questions, call the precinct council 718-574-0433. “Please be supportive; it’s one of the primary ways we make our money. I am making a plea,” said Arline.

Community Announcements:

• For Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth: The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) applications are now available. The deadline is Friday, May 10. You can get applications at application.nycsyep.com.

• If you know a high school senior who plans to attend a prom, on May 4, from 12:00 noon – 3:00 p.m., at Varick Memorial AME Zion Church on Quincy and Patchen, will be a prom dress giveaway for girls of all sizes up to 26. Also that day is a health fair (home, financial, spiritual health), from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• On April 23, at 10:00 a.m., the Antioch Baptist Church will sponsor an Alzheimer’s Forum at 826-828 Greene Avenue. There will be representatives from the Department of Aging and the Legal Dpt. The forum will try to assist those elderly persons who need help writing their wills and filling out other documents.

The 81st Precinct Community Council Meets the second Tuesday of every month at 794 Monroe Street, 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is Tuesday, May 14, 2013.