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78 New Cops Welcomed to Crown Heights

Two orientation sessions were held, one last Thursday and one this afternoon, to welcome 78 newly-sworn-in police officers assigned to the 71st Precinct in Crown Heights.

Over the past few days, the rookie officers have been seen patrolling the neighborhood on foot, acclimating to their new roles and familiarizing themselves with the nuances and sensitivities of one of the most complex neighborhoods in the city.

The new policemen were addressed today and on Thursday by senior officers, community leaders, activists and volunteers. The speakers gave the recruits insight and helped prepare them for their role as law-enforcement officers in the community.

“Treat everyone you encounter the way you would want your family and friends to be treated by others,” one commanding officer told them, explaining that with today’s proliferation of cell phones, their actions will always be under constant scrutiny and surveillance.

On Thursday, at the P.S. 221 School on Empire Blvd., Rabbi Mendy Hershkop, coordinator of the Crown Heights Shomrim, addressed the new officers. He explained what Shomrim do and why they are needed in the community. “Shomrim volunteers are not here to replace the NYPD,” he explained, “rather, our goal is to assist the officers and serve as a bridge between the police department and the community.”

This afternoon, at the Medgar Evers College auditorium, Rabbi Avrohom (Yingy) Bistritzky, coordinator of the Crown Heights Hatzalah addressed the gathered rookies. He told them the history of Hatzalah and their mission, and invited them to join on Hatzalah calls to intimate themselves further with members of the community.

Photos by Benjamin Lifshitz

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16 Comments

    • Idea!

      Indeed, but if you park legally and pay the muni-meter you wont get a ticket. So be grateful for the added security to our wonderful neighborhood and make sure you follow the law and you wont suffer from any tickets… Right?

    • To No. 3

      ME, TOO! WHEN I WALKED OUT OF MY CAMP, I SAW THEM AND FELT THAT THEY WERE “PROTECTING” ME!

  • Mentchlikite

    I always greet the officers in the street & thank them on behalf of our community. They are always surprised and pleased. Bottom line, none of us could do their jobs and can you imagine NY City / Crown Heights WITHOUT these brave individuals ?

    • To No. 3

      YES. WE ALWAYS HAVE HASHEM WATCHING US. THEY ARE JUST THE VESSEL FOR IT!

  • YES I CAN!

    The fact is they are Law enFORCEment officers, the operative word here id FORCE. these gangsters who collectively extort the public via their police union, and taxes which ate levied against the increasingly poor.

    Their salary is not based upon a free-market price point, but solely upon threats of violence, and police have, threatened in the past anarchy in the streets back in 1999 – some of you fell for it, like the fears around last years federal government shut down…… I eish yhe police would go on strike then you will see just how useless they are.

    Some of you may say that a these “brave” officers deserve it for the job that they do…. if they were brave they would walk the syreets here with out a gun…. I do!

    The fact is police do not prevent crime, criminals commit crimes where the police are not at the moment, and police cannot be everywhere alll thw time. Those of you who applauded this surge if troops will regret it soon, financially and othetwise.

    • Citizen Berel

      To the extent that there is any truth in what you are saying, it’s very unwise for you be saying that on our community website, which they do read. (I know this because the website received a comment from one, on a recent story of a police officer being shot in the line of duty).

      But to the inyon, that police do not prevent crime (you meant ‘any’ and not ‘all’ cause, then, duh!) is insane, and indeed contradicted by your very own words, namely, that “they commit crimes where the police are not at the moment,” but I leave teasing that out for you as an exercise.

  • Grateful

    Thank u 71st precinct
    Thank u shomrim
    Thank u tzaddik Yingy
    If we all work together great things can and will be accomplished !!

  • To #8

    What an ignorant statement! If not for these police, just imagine the threat from terrorists, especially on Jewish holidays. I say thank you to these men and women for protecting us.

  • The Police

    I’ll start off with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

    I would never give up the right to protect myself to another party, police or otherwise. While Police presence does help create an environment of crime deterrence it is expensive and inefficient (typical of all things government). A more efficient and practical deterrent to crime is for all sane law-abiding citizens to be able to carry guns and to be able to protect themselves at all times. This, I may add, is a constitutional right currently violated by New York State and City.

  • Thank you

    I also often thank the police officers I pass on the street. Thank you NYPD, and thank you to all the activists in the Crown Heights community.