reminder: 77th PRECINCT COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 PM TONIGHT

neene

tonite is the first meeting of the school year
(most community groups take a summer break and start their new year in sept)

7:00 at the 77th Precinct
127 Utica Avenue
(Bergen & St. Marks, easy bike ride or bus ride for those not in walking distance)

the first meeting of the year is always well attended
it's a good time to get your questions answered
it's a good way to show you care

(refreshments are served)

neene

tonite is the first meeting of the school year
(most community groups take a summer break and start their new year in sept)

7:00 at the 77th Precinct
127 Utica Avenue
(Bergen & St. Marks, easy bike ride or bus ride for those not in walking distance)

the first meeting of the year is always well attended
it's a good time to get your questions answered
it's a good way to show you care

(refreshments are served)

lilbangladesh

What are the boundaries of the 77?

Bummer I can't make it. I have a dress rehearsal in Bay Shore. (And I have the flu! Happy Happy Joy Joy! :? )

neene

my bad:
i just edited the above post
it seems the meetings this year start at 7:00


the 77 runs from Atlantic to Eastern Pkwy
from Flatbush to Utica (i believe)

neene

my bad:
i just edited the above post
it seems the meetings this year start at 7:00

alafairnadia

anyone have a report on this meeting? due to factors beyond my control I was unable to attend.
thanks!

king without a crown

The boundaries of the 77 pct are as follows....AtEastern Parkway Flatbush ave-Ralph ave and also Lincoln Terrace Parklantic ave-

lucille

This was my first Community Council meeting. I just moved from Bed-Stuy, where I lived for six years to St. Marks between Kingston and Albany. There were two shootings in the space of ten days across the street from our building.
The overall vibe was positive and we were all given many assurances by the officers in attendance as well as representatives from the D.A.'s office that patrols will be increasing, etc. We were introduced to the precinct's new Executive Officer, who has deep ties to the community and is an incredibly sharp fellow. I was reassured by his presence, but am still not satisfied with police response to the happenings on our block. What really bothers me is that Bed-Stuy is literally crawling with beat cops. I was really struck by the lack of them when I moved across Atlantic. A member of the Council, who I took to be the secretary because she was taking notes, asked three times, "Where are our beat cops?" She was given an explanation that had something to do with a new initiative by the department called "Brooklyn North" something or other. But we were never really told why the area has so noticeably fewer cops on patrol than do surrounding communities. Anyone have any clue on this?
The meeting lasted longer than I could stay--I left at 9:45-- but I'd recommend attending. Next time I hope to stay to the end and actually meet the council members and the other neighbors there who live nearby.
The effort on the part of the council members is impressive and many community leaders were in attendance and incredible engaging and accessible.

sweet tea

thanks very much for reporting!

redd

Subject: Thoughts on the mtg.

Like Lucille, this was my first time at a meeting as well. I have a friend who usually gives me updates on the meetings but I figured it was time that I actually attended myself.

I, too, was encouraged and impressed by the number of local officials who took the time to attend and to listen to the community. I plan to attend future meetings, as it was very informative and a great way to meet other concerned CH residents.

While I generally found the responses of the police department to be thorough, I was disturbed by their response to a question regarding their night time patrols of Brower Park.

I got the sense from Officer Swanson that the precinct would not consider patroling the park until the community found a way to improve lighting in the park. Then, and only then, would he even considering sending cops into the park. Did anyone else get that impression?

Along those same lines, he seemed to have a similar message regarding concerns about the small park on St. Marks (btwn Kingston and Albany) where there has been so much gun violence of late. He seemed to use the inaccessability of the park as an excuse for not patrolling it.

Lucille, was this the impression you got as well? I would love the input of anyone else who was at the meeting. If that is the police department's position on the parks, I would like to speak with our local elected officials regarding that issue.

On a related note, I'm planning to stop by the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center sometime later this week to talk with the acting director there. I'm hoping they're already working on things regarding the sudden increase in violence on St. Marks. They're always doing great work in Crown Heights North.

Also, just as an FYI to the folks on St. Marks between Kingston and Albany, it doesn't sound like there is a block association. There may be a block president (by title only) that doesn't even live on the block. Does anyone know of any discussion about restarting a block association?

neene

it was an interesting meeting considering that our commanding officer DI John Cosgrove wasn't there, but i did think that the officer from brooklyn north (i think, don't remember his name) did a good job of fielding questions.

it is however, the same old story, not enough manpower. and i believe we do need to start grumbling in a very big way about this, as Randall said: paper trail, lot's of letters cced everywhere...
i was going to start a petition about this over the summer but didn't get to it, perhaps i will pick up on it this fall.

and i do think that was double talk re: the cpop (beat) officers. this program was definitely initiated last spring, we had 2 come to a Crow Hill Community Association meeting (Eve Porter is the president and yes, she is also the recording secretary for the precinct council) it can't be the same program as he was talking about because i was under the impression that cpop was on foot or scooter, so that it still an unaswered question. very interesting to know that bed stuy is covered so well in this area.

i am not really sure what i came away with re: the cops in the park except that since they are understaffed, any area that can be xed off the list to patrol because of visibility issues etc. means more coverage elsewhere.
(i also think he was saying that they don't feel they are effective there because of the layout, they can't sneak up on someone as their approach is too visible)

glad you guys had a positive response, i have found these meetings a very good way to gain an understanding of the neighborhood and to meet people who really are involved in making the community stronger

howdareu

Redd you can go to comunity board 8 which i think is your board and find out if an association does exists. If not start some open forums from your neighbors and down the immediate road you can vote on building a new association. Send me a private message anytime if you need more info.

C M 8 is on st marks btwn rochester n buffalo

newbeginnings

The Community Board 8 meeting is this Thursday at CNR on Classon Ave & Park Place. I think it starts at 7pm.

I hate going to the precinct council meeting because they are too long and the president talks about bull crap. I liked the fact that we had so many new people there. Keep coming!!! The XO didn't know how to handle the questions. DI Cosgrove is much more sensative to the community's issues and concerns. I do think that these parks need more police officers patrolling them. Our kids play in these parks. In stead of harassing them about skate boards they need to get the gang members and weed smokers out of the park. I was glad that girl didn't back down.

lucille

Hey Redd, thanks for taking the time to read all of the stuff.
First of all, I'm so new to the block that i have no idea whether or not there's a block association. I can only say that when the 12 year old girl was shot, my neighbor told me that it was very dangerous to come forward with information.
I have to say, that I've had a good response from my neighbors, neighbors who have no idea that I ever attended any meeting in the first place. Tonight as I was entering my building I heard two women bemoaning the lack of security and I turned around and started talking to them about it when, lo and behold, two beat officers walked up on us. They talked to the women and then a random guy turned around and thanked the officers for protecting his wife and child while he served in Iraq. I have to admit, I was doing a little looking over my shoulder, but no one else seemed to be taking notes and so all was good.

As heartened as I was by this random exchange, I can't say that last night's meeting gave me much solace as far as Brower Park or the playground on St. Marks is concerned.
This is why people take minutes on meetings. I seem to recall Lieutenant Swanson saying something like, yeah we'll patrol that park and enforce the rules even though the signs have been removed. The woman who suggested the school leave their lights on at night is a neighbor who I've met in the park. I thought her idea wasn't given much credibility, and it's a great idea.
what really bothers me is that as I drove home from that meeting, I saw a sign that loudly proclaimed the position of a NYPD camera at the corner of St. Johns and Utica. Excuse me? Couldn't a simple camera at the center of the block of St. Marks bet. Albany and Kingston deter?
I drove onto my block and saw no police and six young men, cellphones in hand, leaning up against the playground fence. Now technically they weren't in the playground, but still. Not a cop in sight. I parked my car on Kingston and had the good fortune of running into a trusted friend who walked me to my door.
Anyway, Redd, i'm all for the paper trail and I'll be at the comm. brd. meeting on Thursday.

newbeginnings

I just found out that all of the commanding officers in the NYPD now have email addresses. It’s their [email protected]. This is apart of the new community initiative that they are trying to implement. So let’s send DI Cosgrove some of our thoughts, complaints and or praises about his officers and how they work before the next meeting. [email protected]

lilbangladesh

Well, those young men may or may not have been up to something. Surely you don't expect the NYPD to harass them if there was no criminal activity taking place? I have young men with cell phones on my block and they are usually talking about which parties at which to meet up. (And they are usually polite and respectful towards me.) Context is key.

This may be apropos of nothing, but I have seen on my block and a few others signs proclaiming it to be an NYPD Model Block. What does that mean?

newbeginnings

Lucille wrote: what really bothers me is that as I drove home from that meeting, I saw a sign that loudly proclaimed the position of a NYPD camera at the corner of St. Johns and Utica. Excuse me? Couldn't a simple camera at the center of the block of St. Marks bet. Albany and Kingston deter?

I almost forgot that DI Cosgrove said at the meeting in May or June that they are moving that camera around the entire precinct area. It has been on quit a few blocks. Maybe he will put it on St. Marks for a while but this is only a temporary fix.

redd

Thanks for all the helpful responses to my post. I really appreciate the info regarding tomorrow night's Community Board 8 meeting. I'm planning to attend.

I noticed on the Community Board site that there is a Parks and Rec. subcommittee that meets the first Tuesday of the month. Did anyone attend earlier this month?

I know there has been a lot of discussion amongst the residents on St. Marks btwn. Kingston and Albany about what we can do about loitering adults/violence in the park. That discussion has escalated in light of recent violence stemming from that area. From what I hear from neighbors, they've wanted the park taken out for some time now. The older folks on the block who have lived here for decades seem particularly set on this idea.

It's sad to think that our community would be safer without the St. Marks Park and I was completely shocked the first time someone suggested it but I'm beginning to think that removing the park and reopening St. Marks to vehicular traffic may be a decent option for our block - especially if the police are not willing to commit to regular patrols. Of course, I would like to see all other options explored first but the idea is growing on me.

I have a child and honestly, I don't think I would take him to the St. Marks park at this point. I'm fine with hanging out at Brower Park during the day but recent events at the St. Marks park have definitely scared me off. Don't get me wrong, I walk by the park and visit with neighbors near there all the time, but I don't feel comfortable hanging out there for long periods with my child.

redd

Just a quick clarification to my recent post:

The neighbors on St. Marks btwn. Kingston and Albany have been talking about closing the small park on St. Marks NOT Brower Park. Sorry for any confusion!

gardengirl

Hi Lucille,
Welcome to the neighborhood! I live near you, and we have a block association that covers Bergen and St. Marks b/w Kingston & Brooklyn--if your block doesn't have an association, I'm sure you'd be more than welcome at ours. At the last meeting, someone from Pacific b/w Kingston & Albany came since they didn't have their own association. I'll try to remember to post the next meeting here, but you can keep an eye out for flyers near the bus stop on Kingston/Bergen. The meetings are, I believe, on the second Tuesday of the month, but I'm pretty new myself so I'm not positive...

lucille

thanks for the welcome, garden girl!
i will try to make your block association meeting. sounds like a good place to start.
i can't make the community board meeting this evening, which is really unfortunate, but look forward to hearing what goes down.
just had a lovely walk in the neighborhood and have to say i'm loving my new neighbors.

king without a crown

The massive Police presence in Bed Stuy is due to the fact that the 79 pct was designated an Operation Impact precinct. Which means, that new recruits from the Police Academy are sent there after graduation, to flood the area in an effort to reduce violent crimes. Literally 100's of additionally cops are sent to a pct during the course of the program. The 77 was dedicated an Impact precint several years ago but due to the record levels of crime reduction achieved there , the 77 was removed from the program. Now with the Police Dept facing an all time low in staffing, crime is is increasingly on the rise. As for St Marks playground, unfortunatley its presence there makes it extremely difficult to drive through that block. This lack of access has provided drug dealers and other criminals a place to safely gather on that block with plenty of warning time for responding officers.
Heres the latest article which might explain some of the problem:
From 165 police recruits quit, leaving 'Impact' program at risk
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BY ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU CHIEF
Friday, September 14th 2007, 4:00 AM

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Print Email Suggest a Story Statistics show 165 members of July's 1,131-strong entering class have dropped out - about 14.6%.

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Police recruits continue to bail out of the NYPD's training academy - putting at risk a crimefighting technique credited with slashing the city's murder rate.
Statistics show 165 members of July's 1,131-strong entering class have dropped out - about 14.6%.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has told the City Council the department's successful Operation Impact program will be at risk if the NYPD can't graduate at least 800 recruits per class.
If the attrition rate holds among the remaining 966 recruits, the NYPD class will fall below 800 graduates.
Rookies said the reality of the $25,100 starting salary has sent them running out the door.
"You get those first paychecks, and suddenly you realize that doing the right thing - protecting your city - doesn't pay anything," said a 27-year-old recruit who dropped out after two months for a better-paying job in a shoe store. A SHOE STORE????? CALLING AL BUNDY, YOU'VE FINALLY BEEN VINDICATED.
"All your patriotism goes out the window when you can't pay the rent," the former recruit said.
The attrition rate is higher than the two-month dropout rate for the January 2007 and July 2006 classes. Those classes lost 11.5% and 13.6%, respectively, in the first two months and 23% and 20% by graduation.
Kelly assigns two-thirds of each graduating academy class to high-crime areas, flooding cops into trouble spots.
A graduating class of 800 or less will cover regular attrition, and there won't be enough bodies left for Operation Impact, Kelly has said.
A recent New York University study credited the Impact technique with driving crime rates down in the targeted zones, which in turn has pushed murder and overall crime to historic lows.
The city is on track to have fewer than 500 murders this year.
An arbitration panel dropped the NYPD starting salary to $25,100 starting with the class of January 2006. The pay jumps to $32,813 once the new cops graduate from the academy.