City’s Solution to Rise in Street Crime: Whistles
Older people in neighborhoods just south of Bronx Park say they hear gunfire outside their windows nearly every night. They are targets for muggers and scammers as well.
Robberies are up 41% in the 48th Precinct, which encompasses West Farms and other neighborhoods in Community board 6. There were 89 robberies as of Apr. 15 of last year, and there have been 126 robberies for the same period this year, according to NYPD statistics.
Last week about 60 senior citizens, some with canes and walkers, packed a meeting room at Casella Plaza senior housing in West Farms to learn ways to protect themselves.
CB 6 organized the Whistle Blower Safety Initiative, and armed the seniors with whistles.
“If you feel someone is going to bring you harm, this is an alert device,” CB 6 District Manager Ivine Galarza said, “ You can just whistle and, definitely, the person will run.”
Community affairs officers from the 48th Precinct advocated use of the whistles.
“The sound travels pretty far,” said Police Officer Pete Rodriguez.
Officer Frank Lucia handed out fliers with safety tips and information about identity theft.
But some seniors said what they really need is a greater police presence.
Yolanda Negron, 56, who directs social services at Casella Plaza, bemoaned the departure last week of an NYPD command vehicle that seemed to keep West Farms’ streets and parks quiet for the past month.
“The neighborhood was more calm,” Negron said. “We didn’t hear the shots at night. The hanging out had stopped. The seniors felt so good.”
“The same night the truck left, there was shooting in the area.”
Last spring, a violent mugger preyed on elderly victims in the 48th and 52nd Precincts. Between April 23 and May 9, police say, Tyrone Rosado, 40, attacked six women aged 65 to 81 in their building lobbies. He was arrested on June 13 and charged with third-degree robbery, police said.
Aging residents say robberies still happen and they remain afraid.
“After a certain time, you can’t go outside,” said Norma Martinez, 71, a Casella Plaza resident. “This is ridiculous. Every year it gets worse.”
yossele
Whistles? Really?!
How about concealed carry, better…?
ENGLAND?
in the name of the queen stop. (whistle whistle)
DeClasse- Intellectual
#1–you are rights. Until we have a visable physical police presence, this will be a persistent problem. And, until the justice system in New York stops using kid gloves on these criminals, they will continue to commit these illegal acts.
Conservative
It’s actually a good idea. A gun is obviously better, but instead of investing more and more money into the useless NYPD, a five cent whistle can deter many criminals as they get scared when you send a help signal… Much better bang for the buck than paying a cop $80,000 a year to eat donuts and stroll around the neighborhood texting (and oh yes, giving us senseless tickets).
whistle blower
“Hey mister thief I’m armed with my whistle and I’m not afraid to use it.”
In related news whistle thefts have escalated…
Alex
Take protection from cops and politicians,take away their guns. And give them whistles: If harm comes you can just whistles! instead issues guns to law abiding citizens.
Nobody
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
Get Real
You don’t need a police presence, even if a police was on scene they’ll just catch the criminals then let them go. Unless they’re willing to deal with the criminal properly they will never stop crime. Bring back guliani