Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Seaford 7th Precinct Meeting 4.7.2014

Meeting with Seventh Precinct police commander 4.7.2014.
These are merely my notes from the meeting, and errors can be corrected.

County Legislator David Denenberg arranged this meeting at the Seaford Library, for 7:30 p.m.  Dan, a legislative assistant, arrived first.  He said Denenberg was at a special session of the Nassau Legislature (true), but would come.  Inspector Joseph Barbieri of the Seventh Precinct would be late.  Dan said that out the consolidation of the First Precinct into the Seventh Precinct is “off the table.”
At 7:50 p.m. Inspector Joseph Barbieri arrived from a meeting at the Seventh Precinct.  He, instead of POP officers, attended our meeting because the Problem-Oriented-Policing officers are busy with school safety, and the POP staff had been cut.
The inspector was at the Seventh Precinct during Sandy, when a 50’ yacht was on Merrick Road and the precinct house was out of service.  He spoke of the danger of future storms.  That is why they purchased SUV’s, which ride higher than sedans.  He spoke about the burglars captured in Massapequa Park because of their footprints in  snow.
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He spoke of the ways in which thieves scam older people.  Some thieves phone about false IRS bills, or fees for missing jury duty, or a computer virus scam, or a request to call back a certain number.  He mentioned the skimming device found on a Ticket Vending Machine at Baldwin station.  The inspector said we should lock our windows and doors.
He spoke about thieves looking for valuables in cars parked near gymnasiums.
He said that along the park trails, Nassau County Public Safety Officers were patrolling.
8:07 p.m. The Inspector resumed by asking that questions be held until later.
He spoke of strangers and youngsters.
Regarding car break-ins, he said that almost all people caught had an addiction to something stronger than alcohol.  The notion of a drug user as a dirty junkie is passé.  One problem is that heroin has become cheap, $6 to $8 a bag.  He thanked the County Executive and the Legislature for attempting to provide kits to revive people who have overdosed.
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8:16 p.m. Legislator David Denenberg arrived from a session that was featured in Newsday the next day.
Denenberg said the funerals from overdoses tend to be people in their 20’s. High school students attend forums on drugs, but there seems to be little done with the college-age person, where the deaths have spiked.
The Inspector said one problem is the family medicine chest as the source of overdoses.  Denenberg said that problem houses should be reported to 911, so that police can begin some form of observation.
A member of the audience asked Denenberg whether he felt he was getting enough NY State support on blocking the supply chain.  Are both the state and the feds active on the borders?  No, cutting off the drug supply is the task of the federal government.  On other drug-stopping issues, Denenberg  sees no leadership from the state.
He praised the Southeast Nassau Guidance Center, but both the state and the county have cut their budgetary support.  Denenberg pointed out that the red-light camera review was supposed to have funded similar programs, but the funds are being sent to the general fund.
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A member of the audience complained about the lack of enforcement of one-hour parking on Locust Avenue near the car dealers.  Denenberg replied: Phone 911, not the precinct.  We pay a telephone charge for the Enhanced 911.  Not only does the 911 center, rather than the precinct, dispatch sector cars, but it keeps a record of the actions taken.
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A member of the audience complained about drugs and romps at the dead ends of Mermaid Avenue and Wantagh Avenue, north of St. Regis Street. The inspector promised increased visits by patrol cars.
A member of the audience complained about a construction business making excessive noise.  The inspector said that the police department does not have decibel-reading machines.
A member of the audience inquired whether overdoses were followed by inquiries about the source of the drugs.  A user could be offered a plea bargain in return for information, but an arrest could also block the process of getting more information.  The inspector made a reference to arresting those who sell alcohol to minors.  He also said that opiate medicines should be treated like firearms in the house, under lock.
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How large is the police force?  I think I heard Denenberg say it was 2,200 officers, historically quite low.  This drives up the cost of overtime.
A resident complained about the unloading of new cars from automobile delivery trucks when it is done on Seaford Avenue south of Sunrise Highway.
When I praised the diminishing number of obscured license plates, Denenberg and the inspector lauded the use of license-plate scanners atop two of the county’s police cars.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
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Please note that the April 2, 2014, issue of the Massapequa Post has an article describing Inspector Barbieri’s presentation to the mayor and Board of the Village of Massapequa Park.  They complain that larceny arrests at Sunrise Mall draw sector patrols away from the village.
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For a report on a 2010 meeting, please click here.




Thursday, April 3, 2014

Seaford library budget passes 157-22

The Seaford Library budget vote was held on April 2, 2014.  The budget passed, 157-22 (179 votes cast).
James DiPietro won the seat on the Board of Trustees, 135-78 (213 votes cast).