The 71st Precinct, which covers the southern part of Crown Heights, has seen the largest increase in homicides in the city. The number of killings has risen to 21 from nine compared with the same period last year.
Although overall crime is down slightly, robberies and shootings have increased in the precinct.
"I regret moving here," said Luis Rivera, 32, a carpenter, who settled in the area about four years ago. "The police aren't doing a good job."
But Marilyn Rosenfeld, an administrative assistant who has lived in Crown Heights for more than 30 years, said she feels safe despite the uptick in killings. "I remember the neighborhood in decline, but now it has come back," she said.
A tale of 2 precincts – And Their Crime Rates
As I said it was only a matter of time till major media outlets will pick up on all this that’s been going on in our neighborhood and the polices incapability of doing anything about it. The article only interviewed a few people, and they generally praised the police, I know that the police are not doing their jobs and know of more that agree with me. Please use the comment system and post your thoughts and rants.
Brooklyn’s 71st and 73rd Precinct stationhouses are less than 2 miles apart, but the areas are headed in opposite directions, according to the latest city murder statistics.
The 71st Precinct, which covers the southern part of Crown Heights, has seen the largest increase in homicides in the city. The number of killings has risen to 21 from nine compared with the same period last year.
Although overall crime is down slightly, robberies and shootings have increased in the precinct.
“I regret moving here,” said Luis Rivera, 32, a carpenter, who settled in the area about four years ago. “The police aren’t doing a good job.”
But Marilyn Rosenfeld, an administrative assistant who has lived in Crown Heights for more than 30 years, said she feels safe despite the uptick in killings. “I remember the neighborhood in decline, but now it has come back,” she said.
Police noted that six of the 21 people killed in the 71st Precinct this year died in arson fires. In one blaze, four people, including two children, were killed on Washington Ave.
Just a six-minute drive away, the murder rate in Brownsville plummeted. Murders in the 73rd Precinct fell to 16 from 27.
“It’s the people who hang out all night who should be worried,” said Darlene Daniels, 33, who has three children. “Cops are doing a good job. … I can walk these streets without fear of getting robbed.”
Dovid
I was considering for a while starting a grassroots campaign for change, but I’m heasitant because it my have adverse effects. For example, if the police are working on something, coming out with a campiagn which may sting them can hurt their morale and resolve. But it seems to me that there is nothing going on, The police are obsessed with getting us on petty things (like crooked licenses and what not,) while they ignore real crime. Lately, I feel unsafe walking in C.H. I have gotten mugged twice, and both times the cops treated it as a joke. So, what do you people say about a grassroots campaign against the police and local government?
Crown Heights- booster
For the umpeenth time, would "David" and everyone else concerned about our crime problems please attend the 71 Precinct Community Council monthly meetings? Otherwise they are a joke run by a woman named WIlliams who is not always friendly to the Jewish community (her supporters think the black areas are treated like arab communities in Israel while Kingston Avenue is Jerusalem!!!)
I think the next meeting is Thurs., Jan 19 at 7:30 PM at the junior high at Empire and NY Aves. Call Batya Brandel at the CHJCC 718-778-8808 for details.
chaim
we should send the mayor alot of letters
the chjcc should put pressure in the police!
A concerened CH Resident
If the meeting on Jan 19th is that important… it should be well publicised… at least get shmais on the case… whos job is this????
mendy
Many people moving into our community like myself are not aware of the options open to our community to improve safety and other issues facing our community. For example Crown Heights- Booster wrote about the 71st precinct meetings. I would never have thought that attending these meetings is connected to our safety. I am looking forward to checking back here to see someone explain the connection between the meetings and our security.
Second is the issue brought up of our Volunteer Security Patrols. From what I have heard, the impression I get is that there are now two competing volunteer groups, Shmira and Shomrim, who are both less than fully functional, comprised of people dedicated to making Crown Heights safer but not having the legal backing to do anything about it. Whatever the reason, neither Shmira nor Shomrim are household words or the first call in an emergency. (911 would be the first call, and then a debate would follow about the merits of calling Shmira or Shomrim while waiting for the police).
Ideally, Shmira and Shomrim would work together (not knowing why there are two groups I don’t know if that is possible or not), and they would be visible and noticeably effective to make people feel more secure and become to security what Hatzola has become to medical emergencies.
I am interested to hear what people think about these thoughts.
Crown Heights- booster
The 71st Precinct Community Council serves to let residents meet directly with the Commanding Officer and his senior officers and to let them know anything and everything in a one-on-one open forum. The blacks all attend and think Jews run the precinct!!! This is the meeting where EVERYBODY can learn to work together and with the Police. You can yell at them, laugh with them, share a kosher donut with them, find out how to get follow up, know names and faces, tell them off, tell them they are great.
BUT no Yidden ever show up!! Maybe 5 or 6 and 40 non-Jews. The CHJCC publicizes the meetings, but does anybody ever read their weekly bulletins? SHMAIS is an advertising bureau, and would charge. Ask Mssrs. Rubashkin, Sperlin, and Lang to take out SHMAIS ads.
Please come to the meeting and see for yourself. Otherwise, you have yourself to blame. I send this to all in friendship.
frustrated
I live in Crown Heights for several years and have rarely received ANY TYPE of type of bulletin from the community council. Don’t blame people about not showing up, most people probably don’t even know these meetings exist. I have called the community council about a few issues and they have been not very helpful and some individuals there have been downright rude. This comment is not to take away from the wonderful programs that they do run. A community council’s job though is not just to be there for the up and running programs, but also to deal with problems as they arise with ACTION and by INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY. Most people have really do not know what is going on in this community.