By COLlive reporter
Inspector Norman Grandstaff, who served as the Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct in Crown Heights from February 2016 to February 2018, will serve as the interim CO at the same precinct beginning this week for an unspecified amount of time, COLlive has learned.
Inspector Grandstaff is filling the role temporarily, while the current CO, Inspector Tito Romero, is on the mend after undergoing surgery.
Inspector Romero required surgery after sustaining an injury in the recent protests in New York City which followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minnesota.
During protests in Brooklyn, Inspector Romero was knocked to the ground and dislocated his shoulder, Chanina Sperlin of the CHJCC told COLlive.com. The injury later required him to undergo surgery, he said.
“I spoke with Inspector Romero, and he told me that he is in a lot of pain, but he is on the mend,” Sperlin told COLlive. “I conveyed best wishes and prayers from our community for his speedy recovery,” he said.
Sperlin says he was also concerned for the welfare of the community, since the month of Tishrei is a very busy one in the neighborhood, when many Jewish holidays take place, and which calls for extra police protection during many of those days, for both residents and guests.
He was then informed that Inspector Grandstaff, who currently serves in Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, has been assigned to the precinct until Inspector Romero’s return, Sperlin says.
“That was a great relief, since Inspector Grandstaff served in Crown Heights for 2 years, and so he is familiar with the neighborhood and the Tishrei holidays,” Sperlin says. “He was a great friend and did a great job during his time in Crown Heights,” he said.
“Our community wishes a quick recovery to Inspector Romero, he is a true friend to our community who is dedicated to our safety. He is in our prayers, and we are looking forward to him coming back to work soon.”
Refuah Shleimah, Speedy & full recovery to Inspector Romero, You got injured protecting NYC, you are a true hero, Just a thought for the 71st Pct, Crime is rising in every category daily, The streets are not safe, Each day has more and more shootings in Brooklyn & specifically in CH, and very dangerously many shootings in the Center of CH over the last few months, something that CH has not experienced since the 1970’s There are 2 types of Neighborhoods throughout NYC. One type (which is the majority) has the majority of their neighborhood’s residents want to Defund & even… Read more »
Refuah shlaima for Inspector Romero and for the city of New York.
How is it possible that we have sunk so low that we beat up & shoot decent, innocent law enforcement personnel for doing their job? My frum cousin is an EMT & he sometimes shares the danger he & his partner, a Catholic woman, face when they respond to emergencies in certain areas. When I was a child I remember Black riots in my home town & that they were attacking ambulances & fire trucks trying to get through. 50 years later, they still need police escorts to go into that part of town! I don’t know how much worse… Read more »