Jun 29, 2015 5 min read Ed Powell

A Farewell To Executive Officer Anthony Sanseverino, A Beat Cop Is Coming To Ditmas Park & More Notes From The 70th Precinct Meeting

70th Precinct June meeting Sanseverino with council members laughing — Former Executive Officer Anthony Sanseverino, at podium, with Council President Ed Powell, left to right, newly-elected Vice President Mary McRae, former Vice President Tamika Williamson, and Secretary Nathan Thompson.

At the 70th Precinct Community Council’s final meeting before the summer break, neighbors bid farewell to Executive Officer Anthony Sanseverino, officers were honored for arresting a man with a loaded gun at the Flatbush Avenue Street Fair, police announced they’re working on assigning a beat cop to the Ditmas Park/Ditmas Park West area, and much more happened.

Here are the highlights from last Wednesday’s meeting:

Former Executive Officer Anthony Sanseverino, who has taken the reins as the commanding officer at Bensonhurst’s 62nd Precinct, bid adieu to the 70th Precinct. “It’s been two years almost to the day that I’ve been here,” Sanseverino told the crowd. “I’ve become very close with a lot of people in this room… You guys have been, by far, some of the nicest people I’ve had a chance to work with and meet in the last two years I’ve been here.”

Other community leaders lamented Sanseverino’s departure, including Community Council President Ed Powell, who lauded Sanseverino’s commitment to the precinct. Rabbi Perlstein, a clergy liaison to the council, noted that, “as tall as Anthony is, he never looks down at anyone. That’s why he’s successful and is gonna continue to be successful.” And Tamika Williamson, the council’s former vice president, said she was “super depressed” to wave goodbye to the executive officer. “I hope whoever comes in to replace you is as sincere and dedicated to solving our issues as you are,” she said.

Former Executive Officer Anthony Sanseverino hugs Community Council President Ed Powell.

70th Precinct Officers Sean Calender and Glen Alava were honored for arresting a man with a loaded gun at the Flatbush Avenue Street Fair in mid-June. After seeing a man with a knife at the fair, the two cops chased him down, fought with him as the guy struggled to get away, and discovered the individual had a loaded firearm on him, Sanseverino said. “This was five o’clock in the afternoon — think about all the kids, all the families that were out there then,” Sanseverino said. “If something had happened, it would’ve been a disaster.”

70th Precinct June meeting officers honored — 70th Precinct Officers Sean Calender, center, and Glen Alava, second from left, were honored by the community council.

Neighbor Faye Penn told Sanseverino that community members are growing increasingly afraid living in the area. “People are afraid to go out at night; you’re hearing gun shots… People are talking about leaving the neighborhood. It doesn’t feel safe.” Sanseverino said that while crime has dropped in the area, there is still “a real problem with violence” and said “the biggest problem we have is having you fear living in the neighborhood. Having you feel safe has to be improved.” 70th Precinct Detective Dominick Scotto added that the precinct’s commanding officer, Richard DiBlasio, recently met with community leaders about crime in the neighborhood and is working on assigning a beat officer who will be dedicated to foot patrolling the Ditmas Park/Ditmas Park West area. Despite the concerns, Sanseverino stressed that, “it’s still safer than it’s been for many, many years.” The former executive officer also noted that the 70th has an assigned cop in Newkirk Plaza who patrols the area until the early morning hours every day.

Community Council Secretary Nathan Thompson praised police for arresting a man who a neighbor spotted breaking into the garage of a home on Rugby Road, between Beverley and Albemarle Roads, on Saturday, June 20. When police responded to the call for help, Thompson said, “we were pretty impressed” when Commanding Officer DiBlasio stepped out of the patrol car. According to a Rugby Road neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, he spotted the man opening a nearby home’s garage door. He then confronted the man, who “mumbled something incoherently” and then said something about his truck being located up the street. He proceeded to tell the neighbor that he was homeless and hadn’t eaten all day. “I say I don’t think many people keep food in their garage,” the neighbor said. “I dial 911; he starts running, and I start chasing him.” About three minutes later, three cop cars showed up, and the officers arrested him on Church Avenue.

Rev. Donna Baptiste praised officers from the 70th Precinct for their work in deterring drug running on E. 18th Street.

Rev. Donna Baptiste presented two officers — Christine Orlando and Jonathan Leon — with awards from community members living at 860 E. 18th Street, by Avenue H, for working with neighbors to address drug running around their apartment building. “When I first came to these meetings, I came because I was being harassed by police officers — I still am,” said Baptiste, who noted that she continued to attend the meetings after her original complaint and connected with Orlando and Leon about crime happening in and around the E. 18th location. “There was drug running happening around our building; our building came to be known as the place where people could smoke weed,” Baptiste said. “These officers worked with us time and again. Because of their work, there is still stuff happening in the neighborhood, but it’s not as blatant as it used to be.” The reverend went on to say that the officers “have done a lot to really increase my trust and respect in police officers, which I’d lost.”

Council member Mary McRae was elected as the community council’s new vice president, replacing Tamika Williamson, who stepped down. McRae landed 13 votes, and James Sanon received two votes in the council’s only contested race. “I want to thank everyone,” McCrae said. “We’re talking about getting the members more involved and creating committees… We’re looking forward to change and transformation.”

The 70th Precinct’s National Night Out will be held on Wednesday, August 4 at the Parade Grounds.

Councilman Jumaane Williams said he was pleased that the City Council was poised to green-light (and has now passed) a $78.5 billion budget for the 2016 fiscal year that includes funding for 1,300 new police officers. The new officers will cost about $170 million for the 2016 fiscal year, which begins on July 1. They are expected to join the force before the end of the fiscal year.

While Williams said he was “excited we got the extra police,” he said he was disappointed that the Council was not able to persuade the mayor to include as much funding for a youth employment program as he had hoped. The final budget includes $12 million to create a new year-round employment program for about 6,000 young adults throughout the city and $21 million to provide about 50,000 students with jobs through the city’s Summer Youth Employment program. “That’s exciting, but for $100 million we could’ve funded a summer youth program for every single young person in the city of New York,” Williams said. Councilman Mathieu Eugene echoed Williams’ sentiment, saying that, “next year we have to have more summer jobs and more jobs year-round for the young people.”

The next meeting of the 70th Precinct Community Council will be held on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Church (157 St. Paul’s Place, by Church Avenue).