Ongoing Crime Drop In 70th Precinct But Surge In Rapes & Vehicle Collisions

The 70th Precinct continues to experience an ongoing drop in overall crime, but a surge in reported rapes and vehicle collisions for 2016, according to Deputy Inspector James R. Palumbo.

For the year to date, there has been a 10.3 percent reduction in overall crime relative to the same period in 2015, but a leap in rapes, from 11 to 20, said Palumbo at the first Community Council meeting after the summer recess.

Grand Larceny has also increased, by 5 percent — from 457 to 480. Robberies have spiked in the last two weeks, mostly “youth-on-youth” robberies or grand larcenies involving cell phone theft, which Palumbo attributes to back-to-school season. He cautions school kids to stow cell phones away while walking down the street, to avoid becoming a target.

“We’re down in murder cases, 4 versus 11, that’s the statistic that we’re most proud of,” said Palumbo. In overall shooting incidents for the year the precinct is also down 8 cases and 17 total shooting victims, he added.

“Combating violence and gang violence is something we’re proud of, and we’ve had a record year in the 70th Precinct,” said Palumbo, citing the help from community members and police officers.

The 70th Precinct extends south from Parkside Avenue all the way down to Avenue P. It is mainly bordered by Coney Island Avenue to the west and Nostrand and Bedford Avenues to the east.

Palumbo addressed recent violence incidents, including a homicide on Woodruff Avenue earlier in September, where an investigation is underway, and a domestic violence murder that occurred this week on East 17th Street. “The community helped us catch that perpetrator by letting us know that he hangs out at subway station at East 16th Street…community and police work together to help solve crime issues, and we’re very proud of that,” said Palumbo.

In addition, the precinct just finished Mayor Bill de Blasio’s three-week Vision Zero initiative, resulting in a spike in both parking summonses and moving violations — an increase of 600 cases for each category from the 28-day period ending September 25.

This is significant because the precinct has experienced an alarmingly high rate of vehicle collisions, skyrocketing up almost 300 collisions for the year, across the entire precinct. Despite the high number of collisions, there has been only one fatality from collisions. The precinct identified 19 active contruction sites that could be causing diversion and congestion, potentially leading to more accidents, Palumbo theorized.

“When you’re crossing the street in Brooklyn, you’ve really got to keep an eye on everything around you,” said Palumbo later in the meeting, noting how both drivers and pedestrians are often distracted by their cell phones.

One resident, who described herself as disabled, recounted an incident where she was hit by a minivan on the corner of Woodruff and Flatbush Avenues, knocking the wheels off her electric scooter. “I couldn’t go to the emergency room that night because I had no wheels and didn’t know how I was going to get home.”

The Q & A session was lively, with Palumbo listening carefully to each speaker, reinforcing the value of attending the community council meetings to bring up local concerns.

There were many representatives from block associations across the precinct, including the East 29th Street block association, who’s members addressed urgent issues facing residents including officers name-calling neighbors, officers naming sources to suspects (leading to neighbors getting threatened), and loitering.

“Ultimately we feel that there’s a lack of respect for our block, and we want to know how to bridge the gap between the 70 [Precinct] and the East 29th Street Block Association,” said the resident.

Among many presenters, City Council Members Mathieu Eugene (District 40) and Jumaane D. Williams (District 45) updated the community on their newest legislation and programs — including Eugene’s first Participatory Budgeting meeting scheduled for October 5, from 6:30 to 9:30pm at PS 399 (2707 Albermarle Road).

Williams addressed the 2016 J’Ouvert shootings, noting that by 5am on that day “I was the most distraught I’ve been in my 7 years in the Council.” But, Williams said, canceling the parade would not address the larger issue of gun violence in the community.

“I would say no one should die any weekend, I want to make sure all lives are considered important…People think we can cancel the parade and the whole thing will go away, but that is irresponsible because we’d have tens of thousands of people on the street with no resources, including our police officers if we don’t address it properly.”

“We have to learn to police our own community, like the Jewish and Pakistani communities,” said a commenter during Williams’ Q & A. “It’s unfair to put all the burden on 70th Precinct officers.”