81st Pct Community Council Meets

Tuesday, January 8, at 7:00 p.m., the 81^st Precinct Community Council held its first monthly meeting of 2013.

Deputy Inspector Juanita Holmes opened the meeting with an overview of crime in 2012 and an update on crime patterns and trends to be mindful of in 2013.

According to CompStat, crime in the 81^st precinct for the week ending out the year, December 24 – December 30, 2012, was up 83 percent (33 incidents versus 18 incidents), compared to that same week in 2011.

For the month, crime was reportedly up overall 18 percent (135 incidents, versus 115 incidents), compared to that same 28-day period in 2011.

And year to date, crime in 2012 was up 7 percent (1,559 incidents, versus 1,458 incidents), compared to the year ending in 2011.

Inspector Holmes Offers Crime Overview of past year:

• Gun violence is a huge concern for the precinct, so is asking to please support all efforts in helping to get guns off the street.
• The precinct is reportedly down the last two years in shootings (47 total in 2012). “What we are noticing that they are unrelated, which means that they likely are not gang-related; are more crimes of opportunity. And for this reason are focusing on gun buy back programs and other programs in place to address gun violence,” said Holmes.
• If you have a gun in your home, you can call the precinct 24/7 and they will come to your home and even recover if you don’t want to touch.
• The precinct has a Gun Amnesty Program where residents are compensated $100, no questions asked.
• Last year, the precinct had a problem with a cluster of burglaries in the southern area. Were able to arrest the perpetrator and suppress further burglaries.
• Also there was a pattern of robberies around Herkimer and Atlantic. The detective squad was able to capture and lock up that individual (perp lived in the 77 precinct in Crown Heights).
• The NYPD has launched an app allowing you to get timely information on what’s going on in your precinct. It’s very informative and will keep you in touch with events and other things that are going on. You may access it for free by going to iTunes and entering in the search box “NYPD”
• She thanked the community council for the great job they did over the holiday with the thanksgiving dinner, Children’s toy giveaway and Christmas Concert.

Questions from audience

Q: With gun buyback program, do they do ballistic checks?

Holmes: Yes, and then we destroy them.

Q: Towards the end of December on McDonough Street, one of my neighbors reported a burglary happening through her back yard. Have you seen or heard of any other burglaries on that block?

Holmes: A crime preventive officer Vicki Van Bracko is here tonight. Meet with her and she can do a site visit for free to your house and give some feedback on how your neighbor can better secure her area. Her number is 718-574-0465. But make sure that she definitely reports any incidents so that our officers can focus on that specific area.

Q: In Dec. you said you were looking at yearly patterns in crime. What have you noticed?

Holmes: If I look at overall crime patterns for last year, I would label my most egregious as domestic violence. Felonious assaults really drove the precinct last year.

Q: Are churches required to light up outside during the evening. We had a neighbor assaulted near a dark church by some high trees?

A: There’s nothing requiring churches to add extra lighting. If lighting is a problem, they should take it up with their community board.

Q: Can you comment on the new Block Watch program?

Holmes: It’s still in the works. But don’t forget, you can mimic it until our wonderful team gets it up the way he wants it, we can always use the criteria that we’ve used in the past.

Q: Did we get any more officers at the precinct from the new class?

Holmes: We did received an additional 14 officers on top of the 38 that remained, and we have retained our Impact Zones. What we’re doing now is have the children from the community meet the officers and set up sports competition and video game tournaments. Will invite certain children and will have a big competition at Boys and Girls High School. I think this will be a good thing, as far as building a relationship with the officers. That should happen no later than the end of February on a Saturday.

Q: Can you use an old block watch number to report crime?

Holmes: Yes

Visitor Announcements

• Michael Cade, liaise for Assemblyman Boyland’s office made two announcements: The assemblyman’s monthly advisory board meeting is this Saturday, January 12, at the office, located at 467 Thomas Boyland St. All are welcome to attend. Also there is a state program called the 5310 Grant Program. It’s a program where the state pays 80 percent on the purchase of a vehicle. The requirements are that it must transport elderly or people with disabilities. The purchasing agency also must be a non-profit (501c3). The information will be available for 2013 in March. But please contact the assemblyman’s office if you are interested, and we will help you acquire a vehicle, if you qualify
• Henry Butler, chair of CB3, announcement: “If you have a problem with lighting, potholes, garbage not being picked up, the job of the community board is to be the voice for you. We will contact the city agency and help you resolve the problem with the city agency. Please use your community board and call -622-6601. And visit www.cb3bedstuy.org to get updates on meetings.”
• Mr. Salley from School Safety Division: “We have a new prescription drug initiative. We are able to come out and do a presentation on the prescription drug problem whether it be for the elderly or for high school students. Call me at 718-730-8550.”
• A representative from the Cops and Kids program spoke about its flag football league: “The 81^st Pct. won this year and represented themselves extremely well. Deal with children 6-9 years of age. We are now in the process of starting our basketball season, which runs from February through April. I just want to say thanking you. To get in touch with PAL, call 646-373-3624, and ask for PO Bedore.
• District Leader Robert Cornegy, Jr.: On January 12, from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., at Magnolia Earth Tree Center, located at 677 Lafayette Ave, he will host the second of three community forums on violence. “We need to be at the table. We will have young people on the panel to discuss the psychology behind violence and why it’s so pervasive.” The third installment will be in Albany; he will take a group of volunteers and activists to lobby the legislators. “We’ll have out the legislators for the assembly and senate side to deal with the assault weapons band. This is a chance for the voice of Bed-Stuy to talk about gun violence and how it disproportionately affects our community.”
• Officer Paschall from crime prevention section: Operation I.T. allows you to register (VIN etch) your electronic property with the police department, free of charge (35 percent of crime was related to grand larceny and apple products were a huge part of it). The precinct also provides security service. For more information, call 212 614-6732
• Michael Smith from office of Assembly Member Annette Robinson: She is in Albany. “I encourage all of your to listen to the Governor’s State of the State address on Wednesday.”
• Vincent James representing Darlene Mealy’s office. The next advisory board meeting will be on February 2, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Tilden Senior Center, 630 Mother Gaston Blvd. Also, the council member is sponsoring a technical training seminar on January 30, in her Brooklyn district office on how to organize and apply for grants.
• Green Hill Food Co-Op at Putnam and Fulton welcomes all out to become members and take advantage of locally grown fresh food and produce at prices lower than most supermarkets.
• Darlene Anderson, assistant director for a Clean and Sober Home facility (MLP Take a Nap, Inc.) gave a presentation regarding three-quarter houses and halfway homes. Their facility is located at 88 Saratoga btw Decatur and McDonough. It is independent, sober and affordable housing for men. Promotes healthy long-term recover of alcohol and drug addiction 20-22 residents (can accommodate up to 60 residents).

The 81st Precinct Community Council meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 794 Monroe Street at 7:00 p.m.