76 Pct Monthly Meeting Reveals Fearful Residents

Emotions ran high in the room beneath the 76 Precinct at the community meeting on Tuesday, April 3.

After Capt. John J. Lewis recapped recent crime in the precinct, the conversation was opened up to the public, with two major concerns dominating the evening: that there has seemingly been an uptick in daytime assaults and robberies throughout Carroll Gardens; and that minorities in the Red Hook neighborhood are being treated unfairly by the men in blue.

"It seems like there are a lot more incidents happening during the daytime," said one resident, referencing near Smith Street a week ago. Captain Lewis responded that officers have been assigned to  the subway station during 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and are on alert.

"Can there always be more enforcement?" said Captain Lewis. "Yes, there can always be more enforcement. We are aware of the issues and addressing them."

Other residents repeatedly expressed the sentiment that enforcement unfairly targets minorities in the Red Hook area, and that they are subjected to frequent stops, questioning and searches. 

"I appreciate that you are trying to get the guns off the street, the drugs off the street and the bad people off the street," said Keauna Quick, whose impassioned words rose above the din as her emotions poured out. "I'm a citizen and I want to feel protected. But, at the same time, innocent people and lives are being considered suspects before they're even guilty. And that's why we're upset.

"How are you going to stop someone when they're just walking? What has happened to this country?" said Quick, her words pregnant with the weight of recent events across the U.S., such as the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida and recent Supreme Court ruling that officials may use strip searches for any offense, which was questioned by multiple community members present.

Suggestions made for residents to feel safer on both ends of the discussion included attending informational workshops held by the 76 Precinct, inviting officers to meet with leaders of the community, calling 311 to report incidents, and making the effort to participate in an ongoing dialogue with police about neighborhood issues.

"It helps the officers to have a lot of data," said Anthony Fauci, an owner of a condo at 156 Sackett Street, who contacted local forces after some threatening exchanges with a former neighbor he suspected of drug dealing. In that instance, "data" meant installing video cameras in the condo that could track the comings and goings of residents and visitors.

"When you see the same guy show up 17 times a week for three minutes at a time, he's not stopping by to watch television," said Jim Floyd another owner at the building. 

Within roughly two weeks of receiving the footage, the and rid the building of that element, the owners said, publicly thanking the authorities.

"Once they knew, their response was very quick," said Floyd. "They did a great job."

How do you feel about the police presence in the neighborhood? Which issues are you most concerned with?