September 27 & 28, 2010, New Rochelle, NY – Habitat For Humanity of Westchester Executive Director Jim Killoran was at the New Rochelle train station on Monday and Tuesday this week, looking for signatures for a petition requesting New Rochelle Police Department patrolmen back ‘walking the beat’ and out of patrol cars in the vicinity of Main Street/North Avenue intersection and the train/bus station.
Once again there’s a clamoring for the return of foot patrols. With gang-related activity and local drug trafficking on the rise, it is not unreasonable for businesses and the general public to call for a resurgence of patrolmen walking the neighborhood.
Many of those that signed the petitions sited an increased fear of illegal activity. One person even cited the seemingly endless number of gun violence incidents in Newark, NJ and wondered out loud if New Rochelle was going to begin to see the same kinds of problems.
According to Mr. Killoran, years ago, there used to be two police stations – one of them on Lawton Street the downtown area and foot patrolmen were a constant sight back then. With a problematic budget crunch years ago, the downtown station house disappeared and so did the patrolmen. With more than 3,000 people new residents in this district in recent years, some people think it’s high time the NRPD resume using shoe leather.
The story broke on Talk Of The Sound blog on September 18 with a story about a 23-year old man that was killed in front of Chase Bank at 270 Main Street (North Ave.) in broad daylight. He was chased from 311 to 270 Main Street and after a fight ensued, he was stabbed at 2:30 pm, across the street from the New Rochelle Transportation Center.
Many businesses, individuals, condo and rental building owners are collecting petitions at many locations. The Bank Of America, The Us Post Office, Kaffeine, Smokes For Less, Chase Bank, Trump Towers, 25 Leroy Place, 543 Main Street, and The Avalon are just a few.
To see photos and the full story, visit my blog and leave a comment at:
http://railientrails.blogspot.com/2010/09/habitat-for-humanity-wants-you-to-sign.html
NRPD manpower
the NRPD needs to Hire more man power for this city, I think they do a very swell job now but as someone else had previously stated, The population is going up along with the number of crimes and The NRPD im sure has there hands full. Having officers walking the beat would be a good idea but if you do that all thats going to happen take a police officer away from patrolling another area, They need to add officers because it seems like they have there hands full
On the Beat…
IMO, cops walking a beat are a waste of resources, especially a department with manpower shortages to begin with. Cops on foot are very limited with regards to coverage and response time and are only useful if something happens right in front of them. That said, unless the city is going to hire enough cops for every corner, foot patrol will not work. On the other hand, an increased police presence on bicycles and Segways would still show presence and allow for the officers to cover more of an area with a better response time. The idea of a police station in the downtown is also too costly and unrealistic at current manpower levels.
The NRPD, is one of the best trained and lowest paid police dept’s in Westchester. That said, you are right, this city is getting “top notch” services from the NRPD but it can only do so much with so little for so long. From what I have been told, this dept should be manned by 185 – 190 cops for a city this size. Currently, there are about 165 – 170. So, down 15 -20 cops….how long do you think it will take until crime starts rising? And, how long do you think it’s going to be before the cops doing the job here transfer to better paying jobs costing more manpower shortages? The city pays to train them, then they leave. I know several who have left already, but don’t know the exact number.
If he wants walking cops
If he wants walking cops maybe the city should hire some! New Rochelle Police is one of the best in the county and are VERY undermaned and also unpaid. Mr Cox why don’t you write about how the New Rochelle Police Officers have been working with out a contract ALL of this year and because the City is crying poverty will most likely not have a contract for a few years. And people wonder why we keep loosing our great Police Officers. How would you like it if you were NOT appreciated
Our taxes are supposed to pay for police and fire protection!
It is unacceptable that our police and fire departments are understaffed. Our taxes should be going towards essential services and I for one think that IDA monies should be redirected to restore these essential services.
The citizens of New Rochelle deserve a government that place the people who pay the taxes first. Why are we all paying so much? To support wealthy developers who do not live here?
Any one of us could have been killed on Main Street or any where else in this city. A lack of police presence is a gift to the criminal element who know no one is watching. And I would worry living in a downtown high-rise. If there is a fire, will an understaffed fire department be able to reach you in time? Dog walkers in the high-rises are out and about twice a day in the downtown with limited police protection. Think about it. Are you safe?
It is foolish to increase density and decrease essential city services.
Our taxes are the highest in the nation because we the taxpayers are financing development.
Pelham and Mount Vernon have thriving shopping malls that were not built on waterfronts and built without IDA dollars. Why do and we have to pay developers?
Vote on election date for the people who will restore city services, kill sweetheart deals for developers and reduce our taxes. We need elected officials who work for the citizens of New Rochelle not for the developers.
We can no longer afford to look the other way.
Stop the fleecing of New Rochelle.
Vote to save the citizens of New Rochelle.
Salt of the earth that Jimmy
Salt of the earth that Jimmy Killoran. Salt of the earth.
Roberta the Postperson