Park Slope Police Rethink Investigation Into Dog's Death After Outcry

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Park Slope police are rethinking their investigation into the ultimately fatal attack on a dog in Prospect Park after months of locals' pleas for action garnered few results, the precinct's top cop told Patch.

A 78th Precinct cop car will be stationed outside Prospect Park — where Moose the dog was beaten with a stick in August — and officers will be deployed to the areas where the suspect in the attack last was seen, Capt. Frantz Souffrant told Patch Thursday.

"Instead of having officers inside, now I'm going to start having one police car dedicated outside of Prospect Park solely for the purpose of searching for this individual," Souffrant said.

This shift in tactics comes after a contentious precinct meeting with Park Slope residents earlier this week that left Jessica Chrustic, who said she was recently chased through the streets by the man who beat her dog, frustrated with police's response to her case.

Chrustic told Patch she's glad the precinct is rethinking its efforts — which included taking her on a ride-along early Thursday morning — but remains baffled the shift in policing arrived months after the Aug. 3 attack.

The Park Sloper also remains angry over instructions she said she received from a 78th Precinct officer who told Chrustic the case would be closed unless she found the suspect and summoned police.

Chrustic said she followed these instructions Friday and ultimately found herself running in terror from the man as she waited 40 minutes for police to respond to her 911 call.

"It should not have taken three months and being physically assaulted twice and left out like bait for 40 minutes on Friday for their response to turn into something productive,” she said.

“It should not have to come to this. My safety should not have been neglected on Friday, and it was. And I should not have had to call it out publicly.”

Souffrant, who previously admitted his officers "may have dropped the ball," told Patch an internal investigation is underway over Chrustic's accusations that police waved her off.

The Park Slope captain, while not directly addressing criticisms from Chrustic and the public, said his detectives and officers have worked hard to find the man but have faced challenges.

The man appears to be homeless and, despite several photographs circulating online purporting to be of the suspect, no photos have emerged from the initial attack, Souffrant explained.

Investigators thus have had to rely on a police sketch drawn with Chrustic's cooperation, he said.

Police initially concentrated their search in Prospect Park, where they reached out to more than 20 homeless people, Souffrant said.

"With that surge of resources in the park, we also stopped 10 individuals that matched the description," Souffrant said. "But unfortunately those individuals were not the person we're looking."

While many residents say they've spotted the suspect — who has wrapped hair, wears white beads, carries a wooden stick and totes bags stuffed with recycling — Souffrant said it's problematic that they post about sightings on social media rather than contact police.

"They're putting sightings in Nextdoor, but it's not getting relayed to us in a timely manner," he said.

"I ask the public, for anyone that goes into the park: if you spot an individual that matches the description, call 911."

Souffrant said people should not engage with suspects, but instead to call 911 with a detailed description. When pressed by Patch on what Chrustic has said — namely, that cops told her to keep the man in sight — Souffrant demurred.

"I can't comment to what an officer told her," Souffrant said. "Because I don't know which officer made this type of statement."

Chrustic, for her part, said she has repeatedly told people online who have said they've seen the man to call 911.

Chrustic also noted Thursday morning's ride along — which saw her scanning the park with cops between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. — was the first time police took her out about the same time of other sightings, despite her repeated requests.

Police also looked for neighborhood cameras with her that could potentially have footage from the most recent attack, Chrustic said.

"I am glad to see it move in a productive direction where we’re looking for him at the right time,” she said. “Personally, it is incredibly traumatic and it takes a lot, but it really is a toll on me. But that’s how dedicated I am to get this man.”

"We have the same goal, I’m glad to see them participating proactively in that goal."

Souffrant agreed, though he warned the investigation could take more time.

"We all want justice," he said. "That is our main goal: to find this perpetrator and bring them to custody."