Light towers were placed on Riverside Drive to deter car thieves, but local residents say the lights are shining into their windows. Photo via 24th precinct.
By Kimberly Conner
In the wake of two recent shootings, Captain Marlon Larin and community members at a 24th precinct community council meeting Wednesday expressed growing alarm over gun violence in our neighborhood.
“There’s a major, major concern with these shootings,” said Captain Larin.
The first shooting took place on March 22 at 104th Street and Columbus Avenue. The victim, an 18-year-old male, was shot three times – in the chest, abdomen and thigh. He survived his injuries and multiple arrests have been made. Police say the crime was sparked by gang disputes.
The second shooting occurred just last week at 107th Street and Columbus Avenue. The 25-year-old male victim has a history of drug sale and possession, according to police. A dispute between the victim and a suspect was partially captured on surveillance footage but the exact motivations behind the shooting remain unclear.
“Four rounds were fired and the victim was struck once,” said Captain Larin. “I have learned that the victim is paralyzed; he’s going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.”
Police are encouraging residents to take a proactive role in preventing further gun violence in our community. To anonymously report illegal handgun possession, call 1-866-GUNSTOP. A one thousand dollar reward will be given for information leading to an arrest.
Also on people’s minds at the council meeting were those bright police light towers along Riverside Drive. The lights were originally installed to curb car break-ins but residents complain that the supernova-level beams are robbing them of precious shut-eye.
“The focus of the lights should be on Riverside Drive, not my bedroom window,” said Ruth Sommers, a longtime resident.
Jeff Sussman, a professor of economics at SUNY, offered a cost-benefit analysis of the situation. “The cost is the quality of life and the benefits seem to be almost zero,” he said.
Captain Larin defended the lights, reminding people that there has been an 86% increase in car thefts this year. But he says the sheer volume of complaints about the lights warrants their removal.
Here’s what else you need to know from the 24th Precinct Community Council meeting:
Crime Report from Captain Larin:
- Crimes against the elderly are on the rise in our neighborhood, particularly identity theft and grand larceny. Police encourage residents to support the elderly population and be wary of potential scams.
- Speaking of scams, phone rip-offs are a problem. One recent victim was tricked into handing over $1,000 for a fraudulent Con Edison bill. Unfortunately, the money in these cases is very difficult to trace and recover, says Captain Larin.
- There have been several reports of commuters getting pick-pocketed on the M96 bus at 96th Street and 5th Avenue. Plainclothes officers were dispatched to ride the bus and search for the culprits, but no arrests have been made.
- Police have arrested Kenneth Nottage, 47, in connection with a dozen robberies, including one at the Crumbs Bake Shop at 775 Columbus Ave. Nottage’s MO was casing an establishment first, often by asking about employment, and later robbing the business while wielding a knife or simulating a gun.
- Police are seeking information on a robbery suspect. The crime occurred on Thursday, April 9 at 614 Amsterdam Ave. The victim reported to police that the perpetrator produced two handguns and threatened deadly force before jumping into a black SUV and fleeing the scene. Surveillance footage shows the suspect wearing a distinctive American flag sweatshirt. What appears to be a gun is visible in the suspect’s right hand. Call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS with any information.
- There has been an uptick in crimes involving juveniles, according to Captain Larin. He says unscrupulous adults are recruiting kids between the ages of 12 and 16 to commit crimes because it’s harder to arrest and charge minors.
- On Monday, April 13, police removed an individual from the Yale Hotel at 316 West 97th St. due to complaints involving narcotics.
- Police are stepping up efforts to eliminate graffiti in our community. Captain Larin says that poles, telephone booths and walls littered with graffiti tags is a telltale sign that the neighborhood is regressing and he wants to stop it. Police are cracking down on offenders but they’re also on the hunt for paint donations from the community to cover up those ugly spots.
Guest Speakers and Community Announcements:
- District Attorney’s Office
The Manhattan DA’s office welcomes public school students in grades K-5 to participate in the Fourth Annual “Kids Against Violence” poster contest. Winners get a cash prize and will meet our DA. The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2015. Go to www.manhattanda.org/kids-against-violence for entry details.
- New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association
This organization provides services and support for families of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Services include educational programming, support groups and a 24-hour help line (800-272-3900).
- First Annual Love Your Tree Day
Tree Care Kickoff Event: Thursday, April 30 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Goddard Riverside’s Senior Center
593 Columbus Avenue
West 80’s Tree Bed Cleanup Day: Saturday, May 2 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
*Rain or shine*
- Patrol Borough Manhattan North – Community Crime Forum
The forum will be held on Monday, May 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. Speakers and guests will discuss youth programs, crime prevention and new police technology. A Q and A session will follow.
Last summer, that light was absolutely necessary. From April until that light went up mid-summer I counted an average of 2 break-ins per week between 98th st & 103rd street as i walked my dog each morning. The one morning I saw the guy, I didn’t have my phone…the light was the only thing that slowed the guy down, but it didn’t stop him. The police would drive up Riverside Dr and never seemed to catch him. The light went up 2 weeks ago and I haven’t seen a break-in yet this summer. I hope that continues even after the light goes away.
Well, gee whiz, all of us folks who have been complaining about the rise in crime and the decline of our neighborhood might not be so crazy after all. As for the rest of you, take your blinders off already. Our neighborhood needs your help – not your denials or excuses. We deserve better than this.
We’ve got bright lights on cpw and 100th. I call it the night light complete with white noise from the generator that powers it…
Sometimes on the UWS you cannot win. People complain about crime, but when the police try something that seems to work, people complain about the remedy. There are such things as blackout liners for drapes and blackout shades. All readily available at BB&B. For what it’s worth, I did not think I had too much light pollution in my bedroom but two years ago I bought the blackout drapes and the quality of my sleep has improved exponentially.
Very observant. The only cure to this issue, it seems from reading the comments on this blog, is to destroy all the projects and not allow people of color to reside in our neighborhood. Let’s keep it old and white, it’s right! (end sarcasm).
for decades on the UWS, people from different parts of the neighborhood have worked together on common issues, without anyone regarded as lesser or illegitimate based on where they lived. Douglass Houses and Park West Village, RSD and Amsterdam Houses and Lincoln Towers… all were in the same political clubs, the same churches and synagogues, the same neighborhood groups.
there never was a case where public housing, such as Douglass Houses, was treated as something negative or stigmatizing or foreign to the neighborhood. Sure, there have always been problems… not only in public housing but throughout the neighborhood. But we all treated each other as neighbors.
Now a certain group seems determined to try to change this, to treat our public housing neighbors as “a problem”, even urge that public housing be torn down and tens of thousands, mostly minorities, be thrown out of their homes.
I don’t know who Jay thinks he is “losing his neighborhood” to. Everyone is against crime, including the people in Douglass Houses. People HAVE been working together for years. Let’s end stigmatization, ugly language, and ugly thinking.
I dont understand why everyone gets their panties in a bunch over being called Racist. If caring for my neighborhood, crime, education and employment make me a racist. Then I stand before you all; a proud racist.
I could care less what anyone calls me, nor do I care about who chooses to accept me. We are losing our neighborhood and we cant even voice our concerns without some nutjob calling us racists.
Ummm, Siddhartha, perhaps you should direct your race-baiting comments to Captain Larin himself. I mean, how dare he bring up the subject of concern about crime in our neighborhood! Because, you know, according to you, anyone who is concerned about crime must be a racist, right?
Why don’t you and your cohorts work together to better our neighborhood rather than polarize it.
Siddhartha – Where is there any mention about the color of skin or the projects ? This is positing about crime and prevention. Something IMHO most people on the UWS are concerned about.
Are YOU saying that all people of color are responsible for crime, particularly those in the projects? What is more racist then that?
Others are not allowed to even discuss the matter without comments like yours (and your fan). The attempts to stifle discussion by the far left with disgusting acquisitions is downright appalling.
you’re right. many of the comments are appalling, almost unreadable… but i believe those represent only a small proportion of UWSers.
Bummer that CM Rosenthal’s office doesn’t seem to be engaged with this stuff.
Welcome to the Warren Wilhelm era
As an UWS resident and parent of a 6th grader at Booker T Middle School on Columbus Btwn 107th & 108th I am especially concerned with the gun violence in this area. This article doesn’t say, can anyone tell me what time of day/night these shootings occurred?
through April 5th, year to date crime in the seven major areas was down 10% in the 24th Precinct over last year. the only category that was up was robbery, very slightly, 29 last year vs 33 this year. every single other category was down. there were particularly sharp declines in burglary and felonious assault.
https://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cs024pct.pdf
citywide, the statistics are similar. there is a 9.29% drop in the seven major crimes since the same date in 2014. murder and rape are up slightly (9 more murders than this time last year), every other category down.
https://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_statistics/cscity.pdf
and the air was safe to breathe
Let’s get rid of the homeless shelter’s on 95th/96th and see how quickly crime decreases.
I completely agree, AJT. I’ve lived on 95th for the past year and now that my lease is up, I’m out. Too many nights of hearing far too many things, of feeling uncomfortable walking home even as early 8pm. Someone even tried breaking into my building early one Saturday morning. I still find it shocking that there is a shelter across the street from an elementary/middle school.
Capt. Larin and the 24th Precinct do an excellent job. In a dense area of a large city, some or other particular crime will be spiking at a given time and in a given area. It is Larin’s job to communicate this, as simply communicating it and making the public aware has an impact on crime and prevention.
Communicating what is happening does not mean either that “crime is up” or that “the neighborhood is deteriorating.” for that, you have to look at the overall picture. Some people want to use every crime to foster some type of agenda, often a political agenda, as those of us who have followed this blog for a while know.
Especially when we are talking about small numbers, small changes due to almost random fluctuations lead to large percentage changes. Last year at one point there had been 4 rapes instead of 2 the year before. When i noted that this was probably random (I checked this with the 24th and they agreed with me), i was accused by the Chicken Little crowd of being cavalier or uncaring towards rape victims. this year, rape is down in the 24th… once again, very small numbers.
In general, crime in NYC has continued to be under control. this flies in the face of t what the Chicken Little crowd said would happen when the racial profiling of the Bloomberg era was ended — almost 1.5 years ago.
Bruce you actually commented that there were 13 rapes as opposed to 9 YTD. If you’re going to cite yourself as a reference you should at least be accurate.
I do feel that you probably have a better grasp of the crime in the neighborhood than Captain Larin does. His concern has no factual basis and is obviously part of his agenda to fear monger in his precinct 😉
hey bruce are you larins agent
no… i just get tired of uninformed BS…
Tired of head in-the-sand, limousine liberal, group-think propaganda.
we call it the ostrich effect.
When people don’t have a point to make or a sound argument, they resort to name calling….
Hey WSR – do you have a sense of how we might be able to donate the paint that Capt. Larin is looking for? If the City’s doing the painting, I’m sure a lot of us would be grateful for the opportunity to help with supplies.
Thanks!
To donate paint, contact the Special Operations Lieutenant at javier.santos@nypd.org.
WSR
Thank you Bruce Bernstein for your voice of logic and truth. I have lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years and have seen it grow, regress and start over again. We, people of all Races, Religions, Nationalities and political affiliations worked, shared and lived with one another without rancor. People tend to point out Douglass Houses and other “public housing” locations, yet what is funny is that many of the private four and five story houses are also owned by the City and were established during the Urban Renewal period of the 1960’s. So for many living in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s we are all living next to or near “public housing”, with a mixture of various races, nationalities and religions. And as we once did as neighbors, we can work together, respect one another without concern for the economic background of each other and have a viable community for the children and each other.
that’s nice Carol.
and BB found a friend.
One small problem: No one was talking about the PROJECTS in this posting.
It was just unsuccessful attempt to halt discourse on criminal activities affecting our neighborhood and neighbors.
Siddhartha brought up the issue, based on what he or she had read in past postings. Including from you… you have repeatedly called for tearing down all public housing on the UWS.
Not sure why I bother with such nonsensical illogic.
Siddhartha made a sarcastic remake – again this is a posting on crime. This was an attempt by him and you to deflect from the issue – no one but your disciples took the bait.
Another one of your twisting of others words and thoughts. For the record, My opinion on the projects hare mine. I am entitled to them and you should stop trying to defame me on unrelated topics.
For the record, my view on the Project is hardly controversial.
It has been done successfully in many cities.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140719/ISSUE01/307199972/around-cabrini-green-the-future-looks-bright
Warehousing the poor separate from others in high-rises has proven to be a failure for all.
I advocate the replacement of the towers with a return of the street grid, a mix high, mid and low rise housing for all incomes – including the replacement of the housing for the SAME families.
At the very least, I say build on the tenant parking lots to add housing and density.
You do not agree with this, Fine. You are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to continue to dismiss me with your lies and character attacks.
thank you
OF COURSE you advocate tearing down Douglass Houses and Amsterdam Houses. The real estate industry would love to get their greedy paws on those spaces.
of course, then you say that after they are torn down you will put up something better that will accommodate ALL the former low income tenants plus middle income and high income… and be low rise… and restore the street grid. Yes, right.
I’m just curious: why don’t you advocate tearing down other high rises from a similar period that also disrupt the street grid, but are not low income? Lincoln Towers, Park West Village, or even Penn South? Why only public housing? Hell, what about the Riverside SOuth? why not tear that down? it is high rise and outside the grid.
You seriously think its not a perversion of the truth when you continue to say I advocate the tearing down of the projects (leaving tens of thousands homeless – your words) WITHOUT adding what I always say, which is REPLACEMENT WITH A MIX OF housing for all income levels, including the existing tenants and return of the street grid with businesses at base.
Here thsi BB: CEASE and Desist FROM WRONGLY paraphrasing me.
i did not make any character attacks on you. i said you are in favor of tearing down all public housing on the UWS… and then you confirmed that you were, while accusing me of “lying.”
Saying you are in favor of replacing public housing with:
“a return of the street grid, a mix high, mid and low rise housing for all incomes – including the replacement of the housing for the SAME families”
simply does not make sense. that amount of low income housing WOULD NOT be replaced. this is like the people who support the Salvation Army selling the Williams — but claim they are in favor of the seniors continuing to live there. it’s not going to happen. you’re either on one side or the other on these issues.
there is no reason to “tear down” Douglass Houses nor Amsterdam Houses. you are entitled to your opinion, of course. All people are. But if your opinion ever got implemented, it would mean tens of thousands of UWS residents — mostly Black and Hispanic — evicted from their homes with nowhere to go. They would most likely have to leave NYC.
it is insulting to claim that tenants in Douglass Houses and others are “warehoused.” these are their homes and they are thriving communities. the city, state, and federal govt have to improve maintenance and put more $s into police protection for these residents. those are the solutions to real life issues.
you’re welcome, Carol. I appreciate your posting.
Douglass Houses and other public housing has been a pillar of our community for as long as I’ve been here (almost 25 years). they are represented on the Community Board and on every other local representative body.
I believe that the frequent invective against “public housing” is a form of racial code word, at least in most cases. Decent people have to speak out against it. This sort of thing never used to exist on the UWS, at least not so openly.
You’re right about a lot of the town houses being owned by the city. making them into public housing actually helped strengthen the neighborhood when it was at risk.
The SRO’s are a big source of worry for the neighborhood. There are at least 3 on my block. Maybe 5 more in the general area of bway north of 96th. And these f’ing slumlords just opened another one on WEA btwn 101 and 102.
https://nymag.com/news/features/podolsky-homeless-shelters-2013-12/