The 81st Police Precinct Community Council Meets

The 81^st Police Precinct Community Council held its monthly meeting last night at 794 Monroe Street.

CAPTAIN’S REPORT:Captain Vanessa Kight opened the meeting with an update on crime activity in the 81^st Precinct, which covers the eastern section of Bedford-Stuyvesant, from Marcus Garvey Boulevard to Broadway Avenue, east to west, and Flushing and Atlantic Avenues, north to South.

For the 28-day period since the last meeting, there were 0 murders, 2 rapes, 34 robberies (versus 35 last year, down 3 percent), 26 felony assaults (versus 27 last year, down 4 percent), 27 burglaries (versus 21 last year, up 29 percent). Grand Larcenies 37 (versus 41 last year, down 10 percent). Grand larcenies of vehicles, 7 vehicles were stolen versus 3 last year.

"Burglaries are our most troubling figure, which are 85 percent residential, taking place in “Sector Eddy” (Green to Malcolm X, to Jefferson/Ralph and Broadway) where there have been 9 burglaries. The other, “Sector John” (Fulton Street, Reid, Bainbridge and Saratoga. Primarily, they are front-door kick-ins. Some are forced; a few have come from residents leaving their property unsecured.”

Based on the items stolen, iPads, iPods, liquors, designer shoes, gaming systems, the precinct has determined that these burglaries are not being committed by professional criminals but by kids.

“We have a conditions unit and a burglary unit, and they’ve been working with us. But we’ve also notified the borough for additional assistance, and since mid-November, they’ve assigned a B.L.A.S.T. (Burglary-Larceny Apprehensions Suppression Team).”

--The B.L.A.S.T. Team are plainclothes investigators who focus on burglaries. It did an effective job in the 79^th Precinct and have now been installed in the 81^st. The B.L.A.S.T. teams does not respond to radio runs. They post up on rooftops and videotape for 8-9 hours activity, collecting information that would lead to a larger arrest. They have brought down a number of major crime rings in the 79^th precinct, and the hope is they will be equally effective in the 81^st.

“So they’re very effective, as far as long-term investigations and big arrests,” said Kight.

--An increase in robberies taking place during the early morning, before-work and mid-day hours. Areas of concern are around the Decatur-Ralph-Fulton-Malcolm X corridor. There currently is an IMPACT unit working the area, but the officers are scheduled for patrol between 1:00pm – 9:00pm. Apparently, the criminals now know this, and have begun to commit most of their crime during the earlier hours, so are now moving some of the officers to the earlier morning hours.

--One concern is that the 81^st is not slated to receive funds for an IMPACT unit in 2012. The 81 has had an IMPACT unit for 1 ½ years. Basically, they are rookie cops who are now being sent directly to IMPACT patrols upon graduation. Because of budget constraints, One Police Plaza will need to use them for precinct patrols. The precinct will keep residents updated about the status of their IMPACT units, moving into 2012.

--Police-installed cameras as well as private, residential cameras have proved highly beneficial this year in identifying and capturing several perpetrators

COMMUNITY COUNCIL UPDATE:

--The council thanked those who came out to help and support the Seniors Thanksgiving Dinner and the Children’s Christmas Party, both of which were well attended and a great success

--The council extended a special thank you to the 81^st Pct. Community affairs officer for their assistance at the Christmas Party, which has been going on for the past 40 years

--The council is inviting the community out to the “Christmas in Bed-Stuy Concert,” taking place Wednesday, December 14, 7:00pm at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Church, 915 Putnam Avenue. The event is a fundraiser for the council. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children. For more information, call 718-574-0433

--The council representative: “I charge each and every one of you today to begin talking to our young people as leaders. We need volunteers to mentor, participate in after-school programs… I few want change, the change starts with us. If we’re going to help ourselves, se have to start with our own, because n one else is going to care about you or your community. You have to do it.”

COMMUNITY ANNOUCEMENTS:

Representatives from MFY Legal Services gave a presentation about the Three-Quarter House Organizing Project (TOP), a joint effort of MFY Legal Service and Neighbors Together. They are current and former tenants of three-quarter houses, working with housing advocates and attorneys who want to make a difference in the Bed-Stuy community where the problem of three-quarter houses is big.

They are seeking greater community involvement and support to create change. Many of the tenants of three-quarter houses are extremely vulnerable and being denied access to the proper treatment programs they need in order to make a full recover because of unfair and illegal housing practices. For more information, contact Amy Blumsack, at amy@neighborstogether.org or the MFY offices at 212-718-3744.