The Streets Where We Live

Wednesday: 34th Precinct Community Council Meeting (Plus Turkey & Christmas Drive Information)

 

34th Precinct Community Council Meeting

Wednesday November 18, 2009

7:00 p.m.

Deputy Inspector Capul; commanding officer of the 34th Precinct, is eager to hear your issues and concerns to ensure quality of life continues to improve and crime remains down.

Also, support for the 34th Precinct Community Council Turkey Drive, a drive for low-income families in Washington Heights & Inwood. To donate please visit www.34precinct.org and click on the "Donate" button. You can also bring your contribution with you to Wedensday's Precinct Council Meeting.

The Council will also soon set up shop to collect toys for its annual 34th Precinct Holiday Party. To contribute please contact George Espinal for additional information.

George Espinal
President
34th Precinct Community Council
4295 Broadway
New York, NY 10033
President@34Precinct.org

CB12 Park & Cultural Affairs Committee Next Week: Columbia University Planning New Inwood Public Park?

Might this be the new site of a new Inwood public park? 

Martin Collins, Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat's Community Liaison, reminded community residents of next week's first CB12 Park & Cultural Affair meeting for the fall season. In his note, he included mention of a new park being planned by Columbia University for the Inwood community. The park would be adjacent to Inwood Hill Park, and I would guess alongside Columbia's Robert K. Kraft Field. It's the first many have heard of this plan, a reason that should bring much interest to this meeting. 

Other items on the agenda include:

• Greenmarket update: CU/NYPH Medical Center area & Ft. Washington Ave. area;

• CU plans for new public park adjacent to Inwood Hill Park;

• Capital & operating expense budget priority rankings;

• Updates on parks projects throughout CB12;

• The Hispanic Society;

• Sherman Creek Planning Study Presentation, Alejandro Baquero Cifuentes.

Also note the full schedule of October's various community meetings. The following day's meeting is an important one (Oct. 7--The Public Safety Committee meeting), as allocation of funds for policing in the area will be discussed. 

Community Council Meetings this Month. 34th Precinct, Wednesday, Sept. 23. 33rd Precinct, Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Former mural on Dyckman Street (Image by jag9889 on Flickr)

From George Espinal, president of the 34th Precinct Community Council:

The September 34th Precinct Community Council Meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 23, at:

STAR Senior Center
650 West 187th Street
(Broadway & Wadsworth Avenue)

Doors Open at 7pm
Meeting Starts at 7:30pm

The September 33rd Precinct Community Council Meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 30, at:

33rd Precinct
2207 Amsterdam Avenue, at West 170th Street

Doors Open at 6pm
Meeting Starts at 6:30pm

Day of the Meeting
Everyone who wishes to speak during Public Session to raise or address a concern of public safety must do so before I (President's Report) finish my report. Each Speaker will have two-minutes to raise his/her concerns to Deputy Inspector Andrew Capul and the Council. The Public Speaker's Sign In Sheet will be made available at 7pm. Lastly, everyone must sign in the attendance log book for recording keeping purposes.

Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan Meeting on Monday

View of Upper Manhattan via Webshots Outdoors.

The Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan meets on Monday to update members and residents of the area about their candidates for district attorney, comptroller, public advocate and candidates for the 10th District seat (previously held by Miguel Martinez)in the City Council will also speak in advance of the group's endorsement vote. Attendees are invited to ask candidates about issues of concern regarding neighborhood.

Monday, Aug 24

7:00 p.m.

Holyrood Church, 179th St. just east of Ft. Washington Avenue (Take A train to 175th St., 1 train to 181st St., or M4, M5, or M100 buses to 179th)

Man Identified as Suspect in 14 Subway Robberies

Photo from 1010WINS

According to the Associated Press police have identified a suspect for a string of 14 subway robberies in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, including several instances in Washington Heights and Inwood, since January. The man's name is Rasheen Williams.

The Daily News reports that Williams has 18 prior arrests for petit larceny, trespassing and possession of marijuana. He served eight years in prison for robbery.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the New York City Police Department's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

You can also submit tips through the Crime stoppers Web site.

National Night Out Against Crime, Tuesday, August 4

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

The 34th Precinct and the 34th Precinct Community Council wants you to attend our annual National Night Out Against Crime Tomorrow! The annual event is organized by all precinct's in the City of New York in their communities to build upon current police-community relations and to enhance partnerships with the Police Department. The event emphasis greatly on community partnerships and participation. This year the 34th Precinct's National Night Out will have Great Food, Music, Arts & Crafts for Children, Games, Prizes and Gifts. National Night Out will be an evening that residents across Washington Heights & Inwood can send a powerful message about neighborhood unity, awareness and safety.

Tomorrow Tuesday August 4, 2009 at the Raoul Wallenberg Playground located at West 189th Street & Amsterdam Avenue from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Your participation and support would be kindly appreciated. Bring you all of your friends and family to this exciting event. 

Bring A Friend or Neighbor to the 34th Precinct National Night Out and We Promise You Will Have a Great Time!!!

In Unity,

--
George Espinal
President
34th Precinct Community Council
4295 Broadway
New York, NY 10033
President@34Precinct.org

Altar Erected to Honor Maximo "Flaco" Pequero, Slain Drug Dealer

Photo of altar set up to honor slain suspect Maximo (Flaco) Pequero, 28, in Wednesday's shooting. According to the Daily News Pequero was on parole "after serving nearly three years in state prison for drug sale when he was caught with 13 bags of crack cocaine." (Images by The Night Watchman.)

There is mounting evidence that the car stopped during the chase on Wednesday night may have been the same car that screamed music at "The Night Watchman" and his neighbors on Monday night.

On Washington Heights & Inwood Online, user "22 Years in Inwood" captured the time line of the police chase. It seems to have picked up on 190th Street ad Wadsworth Avenue after the once believed to be robbery, now botched drug deal in the 170s near the Henry Hudson Parkway.

Quote:

Pursuit
W 190th St & Wadsworth Ave
Manhattan, NY
7/22/2009 8:13 p.m.

Vehicle Pursuit
W 188st & St Nicholas
Manhattan, NY
7/22/2009 8:21 p.m.

Fatal Police Involved Shooting
W 188th St & Amsterdam Ave
Manhattan, NY

7/22/2009 9:13 p.m.

Now, a shrine has been erected at 191st street in between Saint Nicholas Avenue and Wadsworth, the area where the shooting occurred and reported noise problems have been ignored by 311 calls and complaints.

Cadillac from Washington Heights Shooting the Same Noise Menace from Monday Morning?

After The Night Watchman saw photos of the Cadillac driven by the man who allegedly robbed someone and took cops on a wild chase through the streets of Washington Heights, he thought something looked familiar: the car appears to be the same as the one that blasted music on and off this Monday night.

Look and judge for yourself.

Watch live video from myurbandecay on Justin.tv

Another Mugging in Inwood?

I received this comment on my site last Thursday, July 16, and have tried to confirm this event with no success. Because the comment was left publicly, I will point your attention to it and allow it to stand on its own. If I learn more, I will pass on the information. 

matthew has left you a comment:

I apologize if this is not the correct way to send you a note, but i wanted to give you a to the minute update about a mugging that just occurred outside my building on Broadway. I'll let you post this as you see fit.

Thursday night at 11:30 PM i heard some screaming outside (I live on Broadway at 204th street). I realized that it was a person shouting for police, so i ran to my window and grabbed my phone. By this time i was watching as a 6 foot white man weighing in at about 235 lbs was chasing the perpetrators and still shouting for police. They were three Hispanic guys, two of whom were on bicycles. They ended up tearing around the corner on Academy, and the victim couldn't catch up. As this was happening, I was dialing 911. They answered quickly, but spent five minutes asking me questions. I kept telling them to send a squad car as the incident was still in progress. If the dispatcher at 911 had first just dispatched a car, then began asking me questions, i believe the police would have arrived in time to chase after the muggers. The 911 operator kept asking me if it was 204th street east or west. As i am not really certain what it is designated, i kept telling her it is right at the corner of 204th street and Broadway, which is pretty specific if you ask me.

The man was pulled away from his car by the attackers and had pinned him to the ground as they went through his car and his pockets (this is what i overheard him tell the police). What amazes me is that the guy was rather large and tough looking...and these attackers were rather braze, as the incident was right in front of the Burns school on Broadway. There were people outside of Keenans, but no one seemed to want to respond to the victims pleas for help. Cars were also driving by, but no one stopped to help him. But what most frustrates me is the way 911 spent so much time asking questions that they could have asked as they dispatched a car to the scene. I recognize that the dispatcher wants to get as much info as possible to help the police, but precious minutes were lost, and the criminals were able to get away. A worse situation would have been if the attackers were physically injuring the guy as the dispatcher asked questions. I definitely plan on calling the police office tomorrow to complain about the 911 dispatcher.

Lesson for the rest of us? The streets here in Inwood are just not safe right now...no matter how big and tough you may look or be. Be vigilant as you move about at night. Be extra cautious as you go to or exit your car. And a plea as well...if you are seeing something....please try to help if you can, at the very least call 911. i am always amazed by how many people just watch, and never help. I understand that we have to be cautious about not stepping into a situation where we can get injured too, but i also believe that if more of us start coming to one another's aid, the criminals will begin to get the picture that we are not allowing this to happen anymore.

"NYPD Cracks Down" on Quality of Life Crime? Northern Manhattan Only Area Showing Decrease in Summonses

Image from New York Post

For all of the talk about increased summonses and "zero tolerance" for noise and so-called quality of life crime in Inwood and Washington Heights, a New York Post article today shows that the Manhattan North "police borough" has actually written fewer summonses this year versus last.

"Only Manhattan North -- above 59th Street -- showed a slight decline, 2.4 percent, through last Sunday, with 44,835 summonses, compared to 45,944 for the same period last year," the article reads.

It's definitely not for lack of complaints as anyone who has attended recent police precinct and community board meetings in the area (or had a noisy restless night), so what is the reason? I've emailed the 34th Precinct Community Council and NYPD and will post their response as soon as it comes in.

*Thanks to @Myurbandecay (AKA the resident I've nicknamed The Night Watchman) for alerting me to this article via Twitter.