Brooklyn Lawmakers On The Move July 10, 2017

Police Union Put Outs Urgent SOS

Patrick J Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) sent out an urgent warning to all police personnel to be alert of a homicidal/suicidal man with mental issues and a history of attacking police officers yesterday.

Kurdel Emmanuel, 29, attacked and attempted to take an officer’s gun in the waiting area of the 83rd Precinct (Bushwick) on Saturday, July 8. An investigation determined that he is a mentally ill man with homicidal/suicidal issues who indicated that he would have killed police officers had he succeeded in gaining control of the officer’s weapon. Mr. Emmanuel appeared before Judge Loren Baily-Shiffman over the charges but was released from custody.

Emmanuel is described as a male, black, 29 years old, 5’ 8” tall weighing about 160 lbs, black hair, brown eyes whose last known address is 1380 East 55 Street, Brooklyn.

“This is a sickening display of carelessness or callousness by a judge who should be fully aware of similarity in the circumstances between this thug’s crime and the assassination of police officer Miosotis Familia. It is unconscionable that Judge Baily-Shiffman refused to remand this homicidal/suicidal man into custody for his own sake and the sake of our members and the public. We have seen too often the unbalanced act out against NYC police officers with deadly effect. We are issuing a warning to every member of the NYPD and the general public to be on the watch for this potential killer and to report his whereabouts to the police,” said Lynch.

Adams To Honor Brooklyn’s Latest “Heroes of The Month”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams will honor a diverse array of Brooklynites as his latest “Heroes of the Month,” ceremony later today.

The ceremony will be highlighted by 19-year-old Mark Kindschuh of Bay Ridge, a college student who saved a man fighting for his life amid a June terror attack in London. Other honorees include NYPD Officer Numael Amador, whose anonymous tip while off duty led to an arrest in the case of the violent attack on Bedford-Stuyvesant cyclist Domingo Tapia; animal activist Anne Levin, who saved an injured cat huddled on the side of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and high schooler Alina Estrella, who started a community campaign to revitalize Rainbow Playground in Sunset Park.

Kindschuh and some of his fellow honorees will be present with their family, friends, and colleagues to share their stories and to formally be recognized by Adams.

The monthly ceremony honors the accomplishments of local residents who do extraordinary acts.

The event is slated for 3 p.m. today, July 10, at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.

Carroll Calls For Better Transit

Assembly Member Robert Carroll (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) is calling for better transit options from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Carroll has been critical of the recent MTA crisis that has been plaguing train and bus lines for months. Last month Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Joseph Lhota to serve as the new Chairman of the MTA. Lhota is expected to direct the executive management team to address the current service issues facing the MTA.

Carroll is expected to release his own report that will highlight his ideas on how Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Mayor can improve the current state of the MTA in the coming weeks.

“Over the last month my office has received more calls and complaints about the MTA than any other issue. As a person without a car and someone who almost exclusively uses our buses and subways to get around I feel your anger and frustration because I am angry and frustrated. It’s critical that we all raise our voices to fight for better transit, so I invite you to continue to send me emails and to call my office to share your experience riding our subways and buses and to offer your ideas for how we can fix it,” said Carroll.

Ortiz Claims Victory: NYPD Vehicles To Be Retrofitted with Bullet Resistant Windows

Assembly Member Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) claimed victory for police officers after Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement that he will retrofit police vehicles with bullet resistant windows last Friday.

In 2015, Ortiz sponsored legislation to require that the New York Police Department and State Police replace police vehicle windows with bullet resistant glass after the senseless murder of police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Brooklyn in 2014.

Officers Ramos and Liu were gunned down in their patrol car while patrolling in Brooklyn in 2014. Last Wednesday, Officer Miosotis Familia was gunned down in her police cruiser by Alexander Bonds after he opened fire with a revolver in the Bronx.

“For the safety of all police officers who serve our city, I am grateful that the Mayor will have the city pay to retrofit vehicles with bullet resistant material. We cannot wait for another tragedy before taking action. We cannot place a cost on the lives of the men and women who serve us every day,” said Ortiz.

Deutsch To Host Clean Up

City Council Member Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) will be cleaning out Sheepshead Bay today.

Alongside the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Deutsch will be organizing his annual cleanup of the Bay. This year the DEP agreed to provide a boat to assist with the cleanup effort and to skim trash our of the water. Summer youth volunteers will also participate in the district-wide clean up effort.

The event is slated for 10 a.m., today, July 10, at West End Avenue and Emmons Avenue (the Holocaust Memorial Park) in Sheepshead Bay.

Persaud Lists Site In District For Free Meals

Assembly Member Roxanne Persaud (D-Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Mill Island, Georgetown) announced the sites of her Summer Meals program.

The sites will offer breakfast to those under age 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

According to data, about 1.4 million New Yorkers, including 429,000 children, live in households that cannot afford ample food. Children in these households rely solely on school meals for daily nutrition, as a result many stand to lose access to breakfast and lunch during the summer months.

The Summer Meals program attempts to bridge the gap during the summer months to ensure children who rely on meals during the school year can also receive the same access to meals during the Summer break.

This year’s list of locations includes: