In Wake Of Violence, Treyger Calls For ShotSpotter, More Officers In Coney Island
In the wake of yesterday’s shooting — which wounded two, including a senior citizen — Councilman Mark Treyger is calling on the NYPD to put its new gunfire-tracking technology to use in Coney Island.
The councilman sent a letter to Commissioner Bill Bratton last week asking him to expand the law enforcement agency’s $1.5 million ShotSpotter pilot program, which was debuted by NYPD on March 16.
“The way we record shootings is highly problematic,” said Treyger. “They are tracked only when someone is actually hit, rather than when a shot is fired.”
ShotSpotter utilizes microphones and sensors to identify where and when gunshots are happening, even when the bullet doesn’t hit anyone or the crime is not reported. Two weeks after the program was installed in parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, ShotSpotter sensors had alerted police to 55 gunshot incidents, reported the New York Daily News last month. Someone had called 911 in only 12 of those cases.
Treyger also emphasized that more officers would be needed on the ground to address Coney Island’s escalating crime problems.
“I’m increasingly upset that we’re seeing these shooting all across New York City and the frequency is extremely troubling. I am not interested in hearing a lecture on shooting trends. I’m interesting in my constituents having a neighborhood where they can grow and flourish,” said Treyger. “This is going to require resources and a zero-tolerance response.”
“We also need improved community relations with police and to do that we need actual bodies on the ground. We need personnel to establish those relationships and serve as a deterrent for crime,” he added.
City Council has been pushing Mayor Bill de Blasio to allocate $68 million for the 2016 fiscal year in order to add 1,000 police officers to city streets. The mayor’s $77.7 billion preliminary financial plan, which was released in February, includes $11.5 million for bullet-resistant vests for the NYPD, but no funds to to hire additional officers.
In response to the latest shooting, the Coney Island Anti-Violence Collaborative will hold a community rally tonight at 6:30pm, at Key Food, located 3485 Neptune Avenue, near West 36th Street.