Public Safety Forum 3.21.2017

Meeting on public safety, as sponsored by County Legislator Steve Rhoads, 3.21.2017, at Tackapausha Preserve auditorium.

Present: Steve Rhoads; Commanding Officer of the 7th Precinct, Thomas Corona; Police Officer William Taylor, Problem Oriented Policing, 7th Precinct; an assistant from Rhoads’ office; and six members of the public, including Lisa and Richard Schary. Some of my notes here may be erroneous jottings; they can be corrected.

One purpose of the meeting was to listen to views of citizens discussing where local problems lay. No single topic overwhelmed the discussion.

With the coming of warmer weather, supervision in two preserves, Massapequa and Tackapausha, was discussed. Rowdy youth gatherings and illegal drinking tend to happen off the path that police vehicles can patrol, but the patrols will continue. The police helicopter staff may use new infrared cameras to locate such gatherings in the woods.

There was a discussion of solicitors canvassing neighborhoods, with the possibility that some may cover for acts of burglary. The police will respond promptly to 911 calls regarding such observations of questionable cars or activities. You may ask that the officer not call at your house. The P.O.P. officers work at solving repeated problem situations; for immediate coverage, please use 911. One attendee remarked how Facebook chatter will continue on a long thread about something going on at that time, but too seldom does the poster phone 911 to get an immediate observation by police. Because a 911 call is assigned an incident number, it also leads to a deposition, a statement of the result generated by the call.

There was a discussion of drivers speeding in their effort to catch a morning train, the speed adding danger to the streets and lots near Jackson Avenue.

There was a discussion of NCPD marine patrols, with one boat for the north shore and one for the south, covering from Rockaway to Amityville. Other agencies, such as bay constables and the Coast Guard help, but the Coast Guard coverage may suffer cutbacks.
Several of those present discussed automobile safety issues at Morris Gate. When people park illegally in the striped area on Sunrise Highway west of Morris Gate, drivers exiting the Gate find their vision of fast-moving traffic obstructed. Likewise, at various times, the Gate is crowded with cars awaiting service. The precinct commander reported that ticketing cured some problems on Locust Avenue and that the manager of the dealership has been cooperative with trying to keep Morris Gate and Sunrise Highway clear. (I presume the cooperative dealer was Merrick Dodge. Massapequa Nissan does generate some problems, but not as severely.)
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There was a discussion of dioxins in water supplies. On this topic and other topics, Mr. Rhoads displayed an admirable grasp of the science and research.

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Two more Public Safety Community Forums are listed on Mr. Rhoads’ website linked HERE, in Wantagh April 4th and in Merrick April 27th. I urge attendance. Our opinions were respected, and our questions were answered directly, without dodging. Many thanks to the policemen and Mr. Rhoads!

LIRR Forum 9.29.2015

On September 29, 2015, County Legislator Steven Rhoads hosted a public forum in the Wantagh High School auditorium, the topic being the Long Island Railroad and its service to the stations between Freeport and Seaford.  About twenty residents attended the meeting.  The panel consisted of Mr. Rhoads, Robert Brennan (spokesman for the LIRR), Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney, a MTA sergeant, the town head of traffic control, and another aide.  Thankfully, the meeting did not turn political, let's-blame-the-other-party.  Instead, most of the questions, the arguments, and the rudeness was directed at Mr. Brennan, who was too often interrupted as he tried to answer. I also interrupted him when I asked him to clarify in which month the renovation of the Wantagh platforms would begin.  The answer was next March or April, at the earliest.
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The meeting lasted from 7:15 p.m. until 8:45.  Each panel member stayed later for any further conversation. Councilwoman King Sweeney deserves praise for her willingness to look further into the questions raised about parking.  One resident complained that some parking spots east of Oakland Avenue seem to be permanently occupied or used by nearby commerce.  Only the parking directly under the trestle is administered by the LIRR.  The two spaces reserved for railroad personnel are needed by those conductors who are instructed to begin their run at Wantagh.
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The most time-consuming topic was pigeon dirt.  Mr. Brennan explained that the station is power-washed monthly.  The Federal Railroad Administration requires periodic inspections of girders and rivets and that the girders cannot be enclosed. Other topics discussed at length were the presence of homeless people, personal safety, aggressive begging, and at least one incident of physical threat. One resident demanded 24/7 presence of police at the station. The sergeant emphasized that charges are hindered when the victim refuses to give a statement. Both the MTA police and Nassau County police have jurisdiction at the station.  The county police can be reached directly at 911.  The MTA police can be reached through the menu at 511. I note that in previous forums, Dave Denenberg emphasized that a call to the 7th Precinct delays action because the call has to be forwarded to 911. Also, a call to 911 begins a record trail that will later show the results of follow-up action.
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A man presented Mr. Brennan with large photographs of duct tape used in repairs at the Merrick elevator.
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The renovation of the Wantagh station platforms in the budget includes also a new escalator and an elevator.  A business owner from Railroad Avenue expressed worry about loss to her business if Railroad Avenue is closed during the renovation.  I note that the high-tension lines are on the north side of the tracks, so the crane removing and replacing the canopies and platform slabs would probably have to work from the south side, as was done recently at Massapequa.
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The photo linked here looks west at Wantagh, showing the Beech Street crossing about 1967.  However, I have difficulty identifying the buildings.

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.

Problem Oriented Policing

Three or four years ago, three citizens showed up for an informative community meeting presented by the 7th precinct in the Tackapausha auditorium. On July 28, 2010, some 22 or 23 people showed up for a likewise informative meeting at the Merrick Library, perhaps because the North Merrick Community Association spread the word.
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For an accurate account of the meeting, please see Merrick Patch. The reporter deserves compliments.
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POP officers from the first and seventh precincts made brief presentations and gave clear, non-evasive answers to many questions from the audience. POP means problem-oriented-policing. Major concerns were about drug sales, theft from cars, and nighttime rowdyism and vandalism on school grounds.
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I was struck by the importance and usefulness of phoning 911 rather than the precinct. Only 911 can respond with a car. The 911 department also keeps records of every call and every follow-up. That is, one may later inquire what the follow-up was. Immediately after each call to 911 is received, it is assigned a priority, but all receive attention and leave a record.
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As with the less-attended meeting at Tackapausha, I came away grateful for the work of the Nassau County Police.