By Mica Soffer
Photos by Itizk Roytman
The Community Affairs Division of the NYPD 71st Precinct in Crown Heights held a meeting Tuesday with representatives of local Synagogues in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
Led by Detective Vinny Martinos, Community Affairs liaison, it was one of a series of meetings in which the local precinct is working to inform residents of their efforts to combat the recent increase in violent crimes. Other meetings include Volunteer Patrols and School Directors.
Detective Martinos updated participants on the violent crimes which occurred in the neighborhood in the past few months, beginning with a crime in which a Jewish man was beaten with a stick by a black male, who had just been released after being arrested, as reported on COLlive.com.
Although crime is down 4% in the area overall, Martinos said, from October 1st to December 1st, there were 8 violent crimes in the area, leading residents to express concern about the uptick in incidents. 3 of the recent crimes have been classified as hate crimes, 2 as robberies and 3 as assaults, he explained.
He said the NYPD’s plan to try and prevent further crime is to maintain a large, visible police presence, which will serve as a deterrent to criminals and let residents know they are out there, helping them feel safer as they go about their daily lives.
“We need to reassure the community that we are out there and they are safe,” Martinos told participants of the meeting.
“The precinct has dedicated at least 4 patrol cars to give extra coverage in the area,” Martinos said. “Our efforts are to go from Rogers Avenue to Rochester Avenue, with lights on and highly visible,” he said.
There are many security cameras installed throughout the neighborhood as well, which are used to track down criminals.
With all the hard work the NYPD is doing to catch the criminals, participants were concerned that none of the criminals mentioned are currently in the system, due to the age for the juvenile offender being raised to 18, and other reasons which allow for lesser offenses to be easily released.
In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh attack, Martinos also listed ways that local synagogues can work to improve the security in their Shuls, even though there is no direct threat to the community at this time. “That doesn’t mean we can’t practice good security from now,” he said.
“While police are trained now to run right in and put the threat down immediately, each Synagogue should have their own measures in place.”
Locals should be on the lookout for individuals who may not belong, he said. “You know the difference if someone comes in and is only dressed as a Jewish person, but is not,” Martinos said.
If an individual is acting strange or looks strange, don’t hesitate to call the police, he explained.
Shuls should also designate a person to carry a cell phone on them at all times, to be able to call for help immediately in case of an emergency.
He also suggested a security guard or member of the Shul should be trained to carry a firearm, in case of emergency.
Shuls can increase security by hiring locals who are in security patrols, police officers, and government employees, trained in this field, Martinos said.
“Cameras are a great deterrent, we don’t want the small cameras, we want the big visible cameras, if people see them, it’s a great deterrent,” Martinos said.
Martinos also reiterated the NYPD’s concern for protecting Lubavitch World Headquarters – 770 Eastern Parkway as a target, and they continue to monitor and patrol it to keep it safe.
Participants concluded the meeting discussing the concern that all of the perpetrators who were caught recently have already been released, saying that the community leaders must join with other communities such as Boro Park and Williamsburg, to ask the DA what measures can be taken to improve the situation.
“The NYPD is doing their job, they catch them, but then they are released very quickly,” said Binyamin A. of one of the recently founded Shuls of young professionals. “It seems they are just perpetuating a cycle.”
Devorah Halberstam, NYPD liaison, told COLlive she attended a meeting with DA Eric Gonzalez today, where he announced the creation of Brooklyn’s own new Hate Crimes Bureau.
“I have spoken to the DA about the increase in crime in our community, and I will be reaching out to him to request a meeting between him and local residents to discuss the concerns of Crown Heights residents on this issue,” Halberstam said.
How can we find out about training a fellow shul member?
The cop in the photo Vinny Martinos is the real deal. He shoes up to every Community board meeting and answers questions in a respectful compassionate manner. Very informed and knows the neighborhood well.
Jay
Moshe: “Mendel! Why do you carry a handgun?!” “Because, Moshe, carrying a cop is too hard. They are heavy, unwieldy, and always wanting to eat!”
You are right on target. Kids are being molested in Shuls for as long as Shuls are around. What are the community leaders doing about this? When there is a spike in crime there is a meeting with the local police enforcement. There are people that left a shul on Empire because there were children molested there. The time has come to put a stop on abuse.
What group should the Jewish community try to form an alliance with to modify Hate Crime Laws ?
Answer: the LGBT (gay) community ( very politically savvy group) the Asian community and the elderly ( hate crimes include crimes against senior citizens)
Maybe post to us what is done already to protect and prevent Hate Crime in our area
We saw posts of few meetings already with all wonderful suggestions but what was actually done and what was the punishment for all Hate Crimes that were obviously hate crime but swiped in the system as a misdemeanor… what lesson you are giving to the one that only thinks to commit Hate Crime , that if u are under 18 – it’s ok to punch a Jew?
After all our kids need a safe neighborhood to grow
All of these suggestions are nice, but I don’t see why this is the police’s job. Police don’t exist to save us from wild thugs. It’s not their job to educate kids on tolerance. Sheesh, people are so emotionally wound up about this stuff that nobody is even thinking straight anymore. Everybody knows that the answer is simply to help these people. Say hi to your black neighbors, say good morning or good evening, say hello. It’s really that simple. The proof of this is the way the Rebbe treated the Davis brothers. All the Rebbe did at first was… Read more »
to try and educate children about tolerance and crime and then actually do something serious to kids and adults that do the crimes
NYS legislature needs to create tougher laws for Sucker Punching by teenagers to counteract the looser laws for teenagers that were recently passed by “Raise the Age”.
Change the INFANCY DEFENSE STATUTE to exclude sucker punches by 15, 16 or 17 year olds, or 13, 14 and 15 year olds.
Change the law on second degree assault and gang assault to reference SUCKER PUNCHES where applicable.
NYS Assemblywoman Diana Richards can help with this.
This will be a battle of politics.
He does a lot for our community.
Thank you
Out of 70 souls he met with five people?
Just wondering
* NB Effective until October 1, 2018 * S 30.00 Infancy. 1. Except as provided in subdivisions two and three of this section, a person less than seventeen, or commencing October first, two thousand nineteen, a person less than eighteen years old is not criminally responsible for conduct. 2. A person thirteen, fourteen or, fifteen years of age is criminally responsible for acts constituting murder in the second degree as defined in subdivisions one and two of section 125.25 and in subdivision three of such section provided that the underlying crime for the murder charge is one for which such… Read more »
Since you have to be 18 to be charged with third degree assault post Oct 2019, Raise the Age eliminated hate crimes for 16 to 17 year old who do not cause serious bodily injury ( no fractures or broken bones) due to infancy.
Hopefully they going to send cops to help and prevent crime and not to hide in corners inside their cars just to give tickets
“The NYPD is doing their job, they catch them, but then they are released very quickly,”
It’s better if they don’t catch them and they are scared to get caught then if they are caught and released and are now emboldened to do it again
Every shul needs someone carrying a concealed gun. It is poshut that this should be done. Don’t be naive. It is better to have one and never use it then to wish you had it one day if chas vshalom does happen.
When seconds count the police are minutes away.
We want to see action, these meetings are happening to often, this doesn’t help out community, where are the cops walking up and down our streets?! Bring in horse’s to patrol our community! Instead of the same 10 people rotating in a circle chatting with our police, give the community a chance to Express our concerns, and a follow up meeting to see what ACTION was actually taken.
How many innocent people need to be harrased, beaten, or g-d forbid worse, b4 we see action????
PLEASE HELP US BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
Yes. I agree.
We need to up security in the Shuls in crown Hieghts to be preventing crimes committed against children. No child should be a victim to assault in a shul bathroom or any other area. If there is G-D forbid a complaint against a person from a child it MUST be reported to the police. No excuses any more.