Amid Controversy, Locals Express Support For NYPD

Even before two police officers were tragically gunned down while on patrol in Brooklyn, locals from around Sheepshead Bay have been showing support for officers from the New York Police Department amid citywide turmoil.

Groups, businesses and others have been organizing lunches and sending sweets to local cops, and the 61st Precinct tweeted out a photo yesterday of its growing collection of thank you notes from around the community.

Prior to the December 20 murders of officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, the latter a Gravesend resident, local nonprofit Be Proud Foundation organized their annual luncheon for cops. Now in its ninth year, the organizers said the December 12 event had special meaning this time around as the department faces a firestorm of criticism after the death of Eric Garner, and its relationship with minority communities in general.

For Be Proud Foundation Executive Director Raisa Chernina, the event is a way to celebrate the officers who go the extra mile in keeping residents safe.

“When my mom passed away, I just came to her house and I was by myself,” she recalled. “One policeman stayed. He said I’m not leaving. He told me I’m going to stay with you. I don’t want you to be alone. I don’t remember his name. I don’t remember how he looks like. I just remember his precinct, the 61st.”

The organization’s treasurer, Irina Yuryev, credits the police with saving her son’s life when he fell in with a bad crowd and began using drugs. Though neither dismissed the criticism of the cops, they both said that criticism needs to be coupled with recognition.

“We would like to say, from the whole community, thank you for all the things that the policemen do for our community,” said Yuryev. “We would like to say it doesn’t matter which color we are, black or white, we have the same blood color and the same soul. We are human. And if we’re going to understand each other, it’s a lot of work, but it will bring peace.”

Local business owners Jay Bedovoy and Alex Kaplan, partners in local IT firm Level3 Technology, wanted to send a similar message. They sought to send lunch to every one of the 170 officers at the 61st Precinct’s 2575 Coney Island Avenue stationhouse. With the event planned earlier this month, it took on all new meaning when officers Ramos and Liu were gunned down days before it was set to happen.

“We’ve had enough of all the cop-bashing that’s been going on lately. We felt that the fine men and women of the NYPD have taken enough ‘beatings’ from the protesters and from those in public office,” said Bedovoy. “We thought it was high time that someone stood up and said that they were still behind ‘NY’s Finest’ and were still grateful for all that they do for us each and every day.”

The pair placed an order of more than 40 of Delmar Pizzeria’s best pies, various hot sandwiches, and drinks, which they delivered on December 23.

Students, parents and faculty from Big Apple Academy visited the precinct yesterday, dropping off cookies and sweets that they baked to show their support.

“We decided to do this after witnessing so much negativity that has been directed toward the police in the recent months. We wanted to show our kids that these men and women keep them safe and deserve respect,” explained Big Apple Academy Parent Teacher Organization boardmember Sophia Kostanyan. “With our small gesture, we would like to thank them for keeping our children safe.”

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly identified the organization that delivered cookies and sweets. It is Big Apple Academy’s Parent Teacher Organization, and the article has been amended to reflect that.