Posted to Communal Matters on

Police Commish Meets with Community Leaders and Activists

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] –- just as the press conference that took place in the Jewish Childrens Museum concluded, the commissioner of police Ray Kelly arrived and quickly and quietly made his way to the sixth floor where a meeting took place in the conference room.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

Leaders, Activists and influential personalities participated including Mr. Kelly along with the Hate Crimes Task Forces Commanding Officer inspector Michael Osgood, Chief Philip Banks III the Executive Officer of Patrol Borough South and Deputy Inspector Frank Vega the Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct.

The meeting opened up with the introduction of Mr. Osgood who briefly went over the statistics of the hate crimes that had taken place in the 71st and 77th Precincts in the years of 2006 and 2007, along with it being broken down to incidents regarding property damage and assaults, the total of which was 12 incidents across both precincts in the two years.

The statistics provoked reaction of challenging the numbers stating that they cannot reflect what is actually going on, to which police responded that Mr. Vega has little to gain and a lot to loose with attempting to fudge the numbers, following which they went into a discussion over what is actually classified a hate crime.

Mr. Berel Sugar stood up and accused everyone at the meeting of being a ‘suck up’ and ‘a cop out’, furthermore he said that they all had a political agenda while the community wasn’t being properly protected, he called on the assembled to quit playing politics and take the pressing matters to task.

The tone of the meeting then changed and a discussion on how to prevent and curb these attacks, Mr. Richard E. Green, a black community activist president of Crown Heights Youth Collective, said that the solution lies with education, educating the youth in the public schools, he said that after the 1991 riots he along with Jewish activists visited the schools and spoke to the youth and this brought about a visible decrease in bias incidents. His suggestion was met with general agreement.

Officer sensitivity training was brought up and the demand for the ‘beat cop’ was reiterated and emphasized, how the community needs the beat cops back on the streets to boost up residents confidence in the police department.

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31 Comments

  • Berel, u r my hero

    And as usual, this was just another foto op, until one person stood up and said stop this insanity. Berel, u r becoming my hero,, our generations Yehudah Hamacabee, it is incredible. Hashem should continue to give u the Koach that u need to see this craziness to its end. I dont believe they are fudging the numbers, I dont believe the incident reports are being properly filed. If everyone in crown heights who had a report to file, would go to down to the community council, and file their reports, and the community council would actually DO SOMETHING, and take those to the cops, I wonder what would happen to these unbelieveable statistics.

  • some1 who no his stuff

    Here goes Berel Sugar running his mouth again. He is a big troble maker. He is part of that orgnazation shamra. If anyone says diffrent they are full of it.

    I know we need more police protection but don’t start a war with them cause they will resort to writing more ticket to our community. And they also sent Brooklyn South Task Force to help with so called presence but they are also writing tickets.

  • in the know

    Once again, lots of talk & no action. How long did these people spend debating what’s a hate crime? Berel Sugar is right. He’s the only sane voice round here & I bet he’ll get things changed. Let’s start with replacing Vega.

    BTW…what about that female cop who REFUSED to help the 3 Bochurim beaten Friday night just before Balkany was attacked? Playing solitaire on the car’s computer was obviously more important as pleas went ignored.

    How come THAT wasn’t reported at the media events? Shmira was there to witness it.

  • to all worried about beryl

    beryl does it again look at my last coment in the other article./

    polotitions come and polotitions go.

    history will remember what you did and tryd to accomplish.

    lecking lecking and lecking is not somthing that will help short term nor long all it will do is help put a smile on the polotitions face when they see you.

    demanding your rights demanding action. is a good thing for all those who are worried get out of town.

  • berel-s the best!

    kol hakovod berel! in one of the pictures you look like you are really laying it down thick! really impressed!

  • zuq288

    the most important subject is missing .

    that is the police bias

    why cops are giving tikets on kingston ave more than utica ave .(becouse jews dont have guns).
    and how it happend that a black lady cop stop a hatzolo car on call.

  • If only!!!

    Kudos to Berel Sugar for standing up for all of us…
    as for the PD, if only their words and promises would come true… we’ll believe it when we see it.

  • ceo

    lets continue to press for truth and equal treatment. Not with low-life words but with intelligent and pro-active and firm efforts. We can’t allow this to go on. Some of the black activists that are working with us are altruistic and we have to learn to work with them. They also want things to improve and we have alot to offer each other if we think carefully about how to proceed.

  • Who cares? Make changes

    To some1 who no his stuff

    (your spelling, not mine!)

    If your posts weren’t illiterate, irrelevant, & incomprehensible, people may (but only may!) take you more seriously.

  • Shalom

    Thank you for your wise words ceo above. I myself work with many black community members for many years and
    presently. There are many in the black community both leaders and organizers who work day and night to
    keep the entire Crown Heights safe,
    and to steer the youth away from violence. In the Jewish section we hear about assults; but right outside of the “jewish dalet amos”
    there are the real crimes that we
    don’t hear everyday; ie shootings
    and killings. This is very often.
    While the police have their job to do, we, who are supposed to be a light unto the nations, should reach out to the black community
    leaders and ask how we can help
    bring resources to help the kids,
    and give them a more positive direction. As adults living side by side with our neighbors, we should go out of our way to make
    Shalom, even if its not reciprocated. Words that come from the heart, go into the heart.
    This will change, maybe slowly but gradually and Will in fact change the negative attitude. I’ve seen this first hand.
    We must reach out and set an example for the next generation by teaching our children to have basic manners and middos toward those who are not “like them.’
    Anotherwards basic mentchlichkeit,
    By reaching out to our neighbors in a more positive approach, this
    has to deter the negative attitude, which will eventually bring more shalom to the neighborhood.
    We are here to stay and need to look at the source of bias incidents and use chachma and to make
    a lasting change.Yes there is room for improvement but The police cannot be on every block 24/7.

    Let us all work to improve what we
    can so Crown Heights can be a pleasant place for everyone who resides here

  • Eliyahu

    Yea, y’sher koach to Berel for standing up and telling it like it is… literally throwing the book at them. Dear Police: Crown Heights is a mere
    8 x 8 city blocks… any easy piece of pie to cover with cruisers and foot beats 24/7… I can understand difficulties in handling larger boros like Queens, or the Bronx. Crown Heights must remain a small OASIS OF MOSHIACH TZIDKEINU with the Rebbe handing out his “Dollars From Above” to reward each and everyone of the cops at the Precinct.

  • Resident

    Yasher Koach Berel, He is truly a special man. he gets no payment or rewrds for the time he spends at these meetings etc. He is non political and a great speaker. Hashem should pay him back for all his hard work and energy. No other member of the vaad or any one else defended the community and spoke like this to the cops when it was their job to . Yasher Koach , Hatzlacha Rabba

  • moshe

    To some1 who no his stuff,
    Obvioulsy you dont’ know your stuff. Who cares if the presence of police is also causing a rise in parking tickets. If it deters one Jew from getting mugged or beaten its worth a thousand tickets. Think about your fellow Jew not your wallet.

  • Berel, u r my hero wrote

    I know I posted before, but I just had another thought, U know, respect does not come from lecking as someone else here on the blog posted. Respect comes from strength. Besides Berel, everyone else is so worried that there will be more of a ticketing blitz, and nothing else, that they are scared to open their mouths,, unless it is to stick out their tongues and leck.

    TO those who are worried about a ticketing blitz on kingston, all that is public record, one of u put ur money where ur mouth is, and get the stats and send those into the media,, u could even title it the 71 precincts revenge for us opening up our mouths,,,, its not that big a deal, I am sure that the media would leck that up and love it!

  • TROUBLE

    1) to all of you blasting berel sugar, He is the only member of our community trying to do good without kissing up to the NYPD and you can do is complain? If you think you can do better then do something.

    2)To all of you complaining about more tickets, thats the price we pay for having increased police presents in the jewish part of CH.

    3)For those of you that want to help (not just by complain on CH.INFO) join Shomrim and patrol your neighborhood and help prevent a incident like this from repeating itself.

    4)To all of you so called community activist that think your meetings and kissing up to the NYPD is helping, we are waiting to see results.

  • Give Credit for the Great ones!!

    I give so much credit to those involved AND ACTIVE in helping the safty for ALL OF US!! The comments that are posted negetivly, are people whom are either jelious, who cant stand up for themselves or those who need a little cleaning of the brains!!(sorry i have to give this information!!)

    Just a side thought here, just like in Israel…and wherever…“WHEN we stand together in ACHDUS Hashem streighthens us. and NO ONE CAN put put hands on/against us” Clearly written in the Torah !!

    I beleive Hashem is sending us a message!!
    Be part of the ACHDUS!!only then can WE merit the zechus from Hashem to HELP US in our safty!! so lets ALL , ME AND YOU put an effort in Streighthening our ACHDUS in our coomunity!!

  • crown heights is #1

    i see know who gets beat up there are always going to be comunity leaders who will suck up to the cops at least one guy had guts there

  • boruch ben tzvi(A H)hakohaine hoffinger

    B“H
    Don’t read negative comments about individuals if they don’t have names.
    P A S H V I L I M!
    And the Rebbe, MH”M, was against
    it! LOSHOON HARA! MOTZEI SHAME RA!
    So these scardycats listen to the Rebbe?
    Stop hiding behind your mother’s skirt!
    Crownheights.info shouldn’t post these comments!

  • CH Resident

    G-d bless Berel Sugar. If not for him, I don’t think we have a representative without some sort of political agenda.

  • A concerned jew

    Cudos to Berel for opening a mouth. al the others are just politicians with a tired act. we need to keep up the pressure 7 we need new real leaders. By the way what’s with the elections for Vaad hakakhal??? It seems these politicians want to sweep it under the rug & keep the status quo. They don’t want doers like Beryl because it makes them look as they are politicians with “A BROWN TONGUE” BY THE WAY ALL THAT LICKING THEY HAVE DONE HAS GOTTEN THEM NO WHERE!

  • moe

    You can preach to these teens in school until your blue in the face ,but it wont help if there hearing hate at home from there parents, thats were I believe it is comming from .I believe the preachers in the crown hights churches should address this issue in there weekly sermons,and work its way down from there.

  • An emese yehudi

    I am gantz zicher that the tzveite post ‘some1 who no’ is fun di shotrim. You can see similar posts at other articles on the same topic. I have a gutten noz far di zachen. Mark my words.

  • Some1 who need 2 be fired from a canon

    if you ever been inside kingston check cashing he is brown nosing it with the polition he got all his pics with the NYPD brass and other public fugures on his wall.

  • Berel, u r my hero

    One more thing,, PS for anyone who has an issue with the ticketing blitz,,, What happened with Dinah Demalchusa Dinah?? Dont park illegally!

  • Shugy fan but...

    Shugy has his heart in the right place but needs some public speeking pointers. ie “Give Details” of police coverups not just general “I begged them to protect my people…

    In any case thanks for leading the way.

  • keep it up!

    Berel, keep it up! It takes a real leader to talk up for the interest of his community.

  • fed up with double standard

    i totally agree with ceo and shalom, lack of mentschlichkeit is a chilul
    Hashem. however, living in ny, we somehow get desensitized to muggings and beatings as “normal”, when in fact,they’re NOT. imagine if jews lived in a snotty WASP neighborhood, can you imagine them mugging people for this?