Broken Windows Policing Town Hall Will Be Held In Sunset Park

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and Public Advocate Letitia James will participate in an open town hall meeting in Sunset Park about so-called "broken windows" policing.

The town hall is being hosted by El Grito de Sunset Park and the Coalition to End Broken Windows, two police advocacy groups.

The town hall takes place next Friday, June 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at PS 94 Elementary School on Sixth Avenue. It is free to attend.

UPDATE: The location for this event has been changed to the Sunset Park Rec Center at 4200 Seventh Avenue, according to El Grito de Sunset Park.

"The aggressive policing of non-violent, low-level, quality-of-life offenses has criminalized communities of color for decades," an event description reads. "NYPD arrests and summonses target poor New Yorkers of color like street vendors, subway performers, young people, homeless people, LGBTQ and immigrants – who are put at risk of deportation through Broken Windows policing."

"Broken windows" is a police philosophy of cracking down on smaller crimes to create a law-and-order atmosphere that trickles up to more serious offenses.

A recent NYC Department of Investigation report, however, found that arrests and summonses for things like disorderly conduct, public urination and open container did not have an effect on reducing more serious felonies.

Read more about the town hall here.