Deutsch Announces Community Policing Program Coming To 61st Precinct
Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest), alongside Council Member Mark Treyger , State Senator Diane Savino , Assembly Member Helene Weinstein , and Steven Cymbrowitz announced the upcoming launch of the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) neighborhood policing program in the 61st Precinct yesterday.
Neighborhood policing is a tool used to encourage more interaction between NYPD officers and the communities that they serve. Neighborhood Coordinating Officers (NCOs) are assigned to specific precincts, and work hand-in-hand with local residents to tackle quality of life issues and criminal activities.The 61st Precinct covers parts of Midwood, Sheepshead Bay, Homecrest, Gravesend, and Manhattan Beach.
By mid-January, every precinct in the 48th district is expected to have neighborhood policing officers, which will make it one of the first districts in Southern Brooklyn to accomplish that goal.The 48th Council District is one of the safest in the five boroughs, with the greatest crime reduction numbers across the city.
“Neighborhood policing is a very effective tool in reducing crime and improving the quality of life of all of our residents. Under the leadership of Commissioner O’Neill and 61st Precinct Captain James King, our community is safer than it’s ever been, and I look forward to improving upon their great successes with the addition of Neighborhood Coordination Officers,” said Deutsch.
Hamilton, Central BK Lawmakers Object To DOE Changes To MCEPS Admission Process
State Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn), Assembly members Walter T. Mosely, Diana Richardson and City Council member Laurie Cumbo will voice there objections to Department of Education (DOE) imposed changes planned for Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (MECPS) today.
Last week, the DOE announced two changes in the admission process for the highly successful school: a centralized admission process concurrent with the DOE middle school admission process and including a higher rate of students with disabilities into the overall school population.
The coalition is particularly concerned that community consultation and input was not sought prior to the DOE imposing changes, which are feared to threaten the successful academic model of MECPS. Parents and community leaders have high praise for the current structure of the school, which has a 96% graduation rate and pipeline to great colleges such as Columbia University and Cornell University.
The event is slated for 1 p.m., today, Oct. 25, at the Corner of Nostrand Avenue and Carroll Street, in Crown Heights.
Golden Hails Governor’s Veto On Legislation To Decriminalize Knives
Senator Martin J. Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach) hailed Governor Andrew Cuomo’s veto on legislation that would have legalized all “gravity knives”, or pocket knives yesterday.
According to current state law, a “gravity knife” means any knife which has a blade which is released from the handle or sheath thereof solely by the force of gravity (or the application of centrifugal force, which, when released, is locked in place by means of a button, spring, lever or other device. On June 21, 2017, Senate bill 4769-A was taken up by the State Senate. The bill removes the reference to the application of centrifugal force from the definition of a gravity knife. However, on Monday, Governor Cuomo vetoed the bill.
Back in June, Golden was the only state legislature to cast a vote in opposition of the measure in a final vote of 61-1 to pass the law. Golden noted that according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, stabbings are on the rise in New York City.
“I stood on the floor of the State Senate and voted ‘no’ on this bill. I heard what police and prosecutors were saying. The bill was overly broad and could result in a rise in violent crime. We should not be putting New Yorkers’ lives at risk. Law enforcement and prosecutors were opposed to this bill. It was too broad. At a time when stabbings are on the rise in our city, the fact we would be legalizing a knife that opens with the flick of a wrist is the wrong thing to do,” said Golden.
“There is a way to strike a balance on this issue. We can address the concerns raised by police departments while, at the same time, adding protections for workers who carry knives as part of their job. However, this was the wrong bill, doing it the wrong way, at the wrong time,” added Golden.
Espinal Pushes For Gender Equality In Bathrooms With New Legislation
City Council member Rafael Espinal (D-Bushwick, East New York) will push for gender equality legislation today at the Housing and Building Committee Hearing on Intro No. 1241.
The bill, sponsored by Espinal, would require that new or renovated buildings that contain places of public accommodation include diaper changing tables that are accessible to persons regardless of their gender.
In 2015 Ashton Kutcher famously spearheaded the “potty parity” movement and on October 7, 2016 President Obama signed into law the Bathrooms Accessible in Every Situation Act, requiring all restrooms in publicly accessible federal buildings to have diaper changing stations.
The event is slated for 1 p.m., today, at 250 Broadway, on the 16th Floor (in Committee Room) in Lower Manhattan.
Donovan Calls On City To Drop Sanctuary Policies
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) called on the City of New York to adjust its sanctuary policies to comply with federal law instead of risking the loss of Department of Justice (DOJ) grants yesterday.
On October 11, DOJ notified the City of New York that it must adjust its sanctuary policies to maintain eligibility for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants Program (Byrne JAG), which provided $4.3 million to the City last year. Byrne JAG funding grants go toward thwarting terror attacks and have nothing to do with immigration. However, on certain occasions the New York Police Department (NYPD) has been known to use some of these dollars for hunting down terror threats and arresting illegal aliens.
The city currently, has a section of New York Administrative Code stating the Department of Correction may not “honor a civil immigration detainer…by notifying federal immigration authorities of [a] person’s release.” To remain eligible for Byrne JAG grants, DOJ says the City must certify that it does not restrict the Department of Correction from sharing release information with the federal government, and that the City has communicated this interpretation to its employees.
The City has until Oct. 27 to respond to the DOJ or it will lose DOJ grant funding.
“Cities shouldn’t be able to pick and choose which laws to follow. The federal law is clear: the City cannot instruct law enforcement agents to withhold information on immigration status from federal authorities. New York City should adjust its policies to comply with federal law,” said Donovan.
Maimonides Honors Breast Cancer Survivors With Pink Runway Fashion Show
Maimonides Hospital will honor their breast cancer patients with their annual Pink Runway Fashion Show tonight.
Maimonides breast cancer patients will be the evenings models and will done designer evening gowns down the runway. The event will also raise awareness and funds for breast cancer services and research.
Maimonides has the only Breast Cancer Center in Brooklyn, and is ranked among the top 5% of centers in the nation.
