State Senator Brad Hoylman presents Cop of the Month winners (second, fifth and sixth from left) with a citation.
BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Over two dozen locals packed the roll call room of Chelsea’s 10th Precinct on the last Wednesday of September — as the Community Council resumed its meetings, following a three-month summer hiatus.
Earth-shaking truck traffic on side streets, and equally intrusive human traffic on Eighth Avenue, topped the quality of life concerns that drew an unusually large amount of residents and business owners. Their ranks were swollen by three electeds, in attendance to acknowledge several officers who were awarded Cop of the Month honors.
Larry O’Neill, the council’s president, brought the meeting to order shortly after 7pm. He began with a brief review of activities during the hiatus — including the 10th Precinct’s August 6th observance of the National Night Out Against Crime. Held at Penn South Playground (on 26th Street, between Eight and Ninth Avenues), the evening offered safety and prevention tips as well as the opportunity to meet Captain David Miller — who late recently took over the Commanding Officer reigns from Deputy Inspector Elisa Cokkinos (now assigned to the Sixth Precinct).
In addition to the barbeque provided at August’s Night Out event, O’Neill noted that the precinct had spent the summer beefing up its electronic presence. “We’re on Facebook now,” he said, following up his polite request to “Please ‘Like’ us” with an unusually forceful variation of the “Friend” request: “If not,” he promised, “I will hunt you down. There are ways to do that.” O’Neill’s comic delivery of that line, although not quite in the quit-your-day-job-realm, nonetheless earned laughs — as the tech-savvy crowd seemed to appreciate that the NSA and Google were way ahead of him when it came to tracking their movements.
Members of Chelsea’s Engine 3, Ladder 12 & Battalion 7, joined by a contingent from the 10th Precinct, saluted the Father Mychal Judge Walk of Remembrance, which made a stop at Seventh Ave. & 19th St.
Those who don’t wish to join the precinct in cyberspace can keep updated the old-fashioned way: attendees were greeted at the door with Volume I, Issue I of the 10th Precinct Community Council Newsletter. The publication will be handed out at monthly council meetings. Its four-page debut issue listed boundary information for the precinct, iPhone and subway safety tips, emergency numbers and a 2013-2014 schedule of council meetings.
Longtime Chelsea resident and council recording secretary Frank Meade spoke, encouraging greater participation in the Father Mychal Judge Walk of Remembrance. This year’s edition, the eleventh, took place on the Sunday prior to September 11. For the past three years, the Community Council has organized a color guard of axillary officers, police officers and detectives to salute the procession — which always stops at Seventh Avenue and 19th Street. A prayer and a moment of silence acknowledged that four members West 19th Street’s Engine 3, Ladder 12 & Battalion 7 were among the 343 firefighters and EMS personnel killed in the World Trade Center attacks. For information about the walk, visit facebook.com/911Walk?fref=ts.
Captain David Miller, noting that this was his second Community Council meeting since becoming the 10th Precinct’s Commanding Officer, said he spent the summer reacquainting himself with the neighborhood (prior to the past three years spent at the Seventh Precinct, he was assigned to the 10th for six years).
Calling recent development in the area “phenomenal” in scale compared to what he saw walking through Chelsea 20 years ago, Miller noted, “We don’t have the violent crime that a lot of others in the city tend to have.” He added, however, that his new command’s major challenge is to address quality of life issues stemming from a population that swells at night and on the weekends — as tourists walk the High Line and loves of nightlife spill into the streets. With that foot traffic comes more property crime, which accounts for the vast majority of complaints filed at the 10th Precinct.
Vigilant adherence to common sense precautions (don’t leave belongings unattended, be aware of your surroundings), said Miller, is the best tool for prevention — since “It’s tough to get the individuals [who commit larceny crimes]. Cameras are great for the prosecution side, but it doesn’t necessarily deter crime.”
Before taking questions, Miller took a few moments to speak about those who were recently awarded Cop of the Month honors. On the morning of June 29, police officers Kasey Homer and Jordan Rossi were on patrol, when they responded to reports of a despondent individual who flung himself into the Hudson, got about 15 feet off the shore line and became disoriented. Upon arriving at West 34 Street and 12th Avenue, Miller recalled that the officers “took off their [gun] belts and vests, secured them in the car and jumped into the swift currents of the Hudson” in order to rescue the man, who put their own lives at risk by struggling.
Police Officer Jared DiLorenzo was July’s Cop of the Month, for his handling of an incident on the evening of July 22. After being called to the corner of 25th Street and Ninth Avenue — where “an individual put a knife to somebody’s throat, then took their cell phone.” Lorenzo drove the victim around in a patrol car, canvassing the area. Once identified by the victim, Lorenzo chased the perp on foot and made an arrest. The perp, Miller said, “was on parole, and had a previous conviction for manslaughter. He’s now back in jail.”
Assemblymember Richard Gottfried and State Senator Brad Hoylman presented the officers with citations. “They run towards danger, on our behalf” Gottfried said in praise of the men, before presenting a letter of thanks. Hoylman gingerly passed by the precinct’s commanding officer on his way to the honorees, noting that “The last time I saw Captain Miller, he was arresting me for civil disobedience.” The out, gay Hoylman compared his well-designed citation to Gottfried’s. “Mine has a seal and two ribbons…I’m just sayin’,” crowed Hoylman — who then shifted tone from camp to congratulatory, by thanking Homer, Rossi and DiLorenzo on behalf of the New York State Senate. Corey Johnson, who in January will be replacing Christine Quinn as the District 3 City Council rep, also spoke briefly — promising to be a regular attendee at Community Council meetings.
News that Michael Petrillo has been promoted to Detective, 3rd Grade was greeted with applause, echoed in a conversation Chelsea Now had recently with Andra Gabrielle, co-chair of the 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st Streets Block Association. She noted that when her group learned of Petrillo’s elevation to detective, they were “thrilled that we’re not losing him as our community liaison, because he is the bridge between officers in the precinct and individuals in the community.” Those relationships, said Gabrielle, have been developed and maintained over the years based largely on Petrillo’s accessibility, demeanor and persistence.
In the question and answer session, Stanley Bulbach, of the West 15th Street Block Association (covering the 100 and 200 blocks), was joined by a West 19th Street resident in complaining about truck traffic on side streets. The resident noted that this was her third time attending a council meeting for some satisfaction on the matter. “A sign says it’s not a truck route,” she said. “I have a petition signed by others on the block,” she added, to back up her assertion (shared by Bulbach) that cement trucks barreling down their narrow street made the buildings vibrate. “Enough,” said the exasperated woman, who asserted that the NYPD’s aggressive issuing of tickets “are the only way these people will learn.” After the meeting, both Community Board 4 and the 10th Precinct addressed the problem. For a full report, see Sam Spokony’s article (in the Oct. 9 print issue, and on this website): “Rogue Truckers Causing Minor Earthquakes on Small Side Streets.”
A business owner spoke about the shift in tone he sees on Eighth Avenue after 10pm. “It’s a zoo,” he said, asserting that, “Everyone who gets out of jail comes to the porno shops. They sell themselves” and in doing so, create an atmosphere of intimidation. “I see it every night. Seventh Avenue is like the Upper East Side, and Eighth Avenue is called ‘The Sleaze Avenue.’ It’s because of the porno shops. They’re open 24 hours.” He offered to share footage from his surveillance cameras — which, he said, caught drug dealers conducting business. Without providing specifics, Miller promised improved conditions when a “January 1st policy change” goes into effect.
The 10th Precinct is located at 230 West 20th St. (between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.). Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-741-8210. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council meeting, open to the public, takes place at 7pm on the last Wednesday of the month.
