By Daniel Katzive
Captain Noreen Lazarus has taken the reins as the new commanding officer at the 24th Precinct, located on 100th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. She replaces Inspector Naoki Yaguchi who announced his retirement in January.
Captain Lazarus is no stranger to the precinct. She served as executive officer (XO, or second-in-command) at the 2-4 for a period of 10 months spanning 2020 and 2021. More recently, until this month, she has been XO at the 28th Precinct in Central Harlem. She has been on the force since 2003.
Addressing the precinct’s monthly Community Council meeting on Wednesday evening, Captain Lazarus said she was happy to be back in the 2-4, having loved her previous time working there. “People care about where they live, they care about their businesses. It’s important to you, it’s important to me,” she said.
The Captain takes over the command at a time when crimes in some categories have begun ticking higher again after a period of improvement in the final months of last year. The precinct has recorded two homicides this year, already eclipsing last year’s number. The first involved a dispute at the 96th Street IRT subway station which resulted in a man being pushed onto the tracks. The alleged assailant was arrested at the scene. He was charged with manslaughter and is currently in custody at the Bellevue Hospital prison ward awaiting trial according to Department of Corrections records.
The second homicide occurred just last week, when a dispute between two tenants at 316 West 97th Street led to a stabbing. Police were able to make an arrest at the scene in that case as well, and the suspect is being held on Rikers Island pending trial.
Another category of felony which is on the rise in the 24th Precinct is auto theft, with 17 incidents reported so far this year vs. just four during this period in 2022. Captain Lazarus noted this is part of a pattern that is affecting a number of precincts in the area and CompStat data shows auto thefts are up about 4% city-wide.
Lazurus said the thefts are primarily occurring in the area around Riverside Drive in the 90s during late-night hours and that Hondas and Kias appear to be the vehicle of choice now for the thieves. The precinct has stepped up patrols in the area but she urged residents to call 911 immediately if they see suspicious activity.
Community Council meetings typically take place on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the precinct (100th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam).
Congrats to Captain Lazarus on the job! Good luck!
Good luck – she’ll need it to be successful. The community’s politicians (Brad Hoylman, for one) are in denial that there is any increase in crime or that if there is, that it is anything that can be helped by the police. She’ll also have to deal with demoralized officers who know that if anything goes wrong they’ll get blamed for perpetuating systemic injustice.
I hope the new Captain will actually do some policing, hope she is up to the job.
Please, Captain Lazarus, start by literally cleaning up the area around your new precinct. The derelict cars are a disgrace. Why can’t they be towed away? They and the triple-parked police vehicles and placard-bearing civilian cars mean the street never gets cleaned. The block should be a showplace of neighborhood quality — it has a playground, library, daycare center, and health center, and yet it’s a filthy mess.
I suspect that those “derelict cars” are criminal evidence for crimes committed within the borders of this PCT and there is no where else to put them. Once the criminal cases have been adjudicated, the cars may be towed away or disposed of somehow.
Lol, yes, the police leave evidence sitting outside, in the open air, where anyone could tamper with or take it.
No, there are impoundment lots for such things.
Good luck to Captain Lazarus.
I recommend that she cracks down on subway fare evasion. Literally every time I take the subway I see people – even well dressed people- hopping over the turnstiles without a care in the world.
This fare evasion is costing the MTA a lot of money and it sends a signal that lawlessness is tolerated.
She should station more police at subway stops.
That would be the MTA Police that oversee fare evaders. I wish her luck and hope for everyone that things get better.
Numbered precincts only do neighborhood patrols. Anything related to the subway is transit bureau. Til 1995, Transit was an entirely different police agency from NYPD
Congratulations Captain Lazarus. Please help clean our city up!
I am wishing Captain Lazarus continued success as she was instrumental while she was here previously. What REALLY needs to happen are better laws that allow the NYPD to do more to assist in cleaning up this city, our neighborhood and our streets. From crime to aggressive panhandling to loitering to the mentally ill frightening people. If we want to feel safe again, the NYPD needs to have laws that allow them to fully help make a difference. They can only do what is legal and right now it feels like everything is legal with no repercussions. Look at your small stores and what we are going through. Speak to your elected officials to allow Captain Lazarus to do more and when it comes time to vote – research and GO VOTE for who stands for what you want to happen. WE need to be accountable for who we vote in and every election matters.
Can she do anything about ebike delivery people who: (1) go through red lights; (2) ride the wrong way on 1 way streets; (ride behind walkers on the sidewalk. They pose real danger for pedestrians. These bikes are used the way licensed vehicles are used. Shouldn’t they have license plates and, at the very least, be subject to tickets and fines?
Please know that Council member Bob Holden, of Queens, is working to get all NYC voices heard and get these e-bikes rendered illegal once again, as they were before the pandemic. They should not be legal until they have license plates, proper lighting, signals, horns, insurance, and have riders who will respect ALL traffic laws. Stay in touch with his office, and if you are part of a community group, Block Association, or the like, be in touch with Daniel at Holden’s office. They are actively working on this and starting to set up a “coalition.”
I’ve never understood the lack of license plates for these delivery bikes, unless it is that most are manned by illegal immigrants. I have no problem with the immigrants and want them to have work, but EVERYONE needs to abide by safety regulations on the streets. Only licensing will induce compliance.
Come on, elected officials, GOVERN!
What’s the story with all these delivery bikes anyway!? Why does everyone have to order in? ..Totally not a New York thing! Get out there and enjoy the neighborhood! ..SO many places to get food in the city.. from supermarkets or from restaurants, from guys selling fresh veggies on every block..!
Is Noo-York becoming suburbia? Pathetic.