BY ROSE ADAMS
Citing an increasingly
strained relationship between
Coney Island residents and
local law enforcement, some
community members are demanding
that police do more
public outreach to bridge the
divide.
“I think in dealing with
people, you have to build up
relationships and trust,” said
resident Sophia Williams at a
public meeting on Wednesday
with the Civilian Complaints
Review Board, a city agency
that investigates police misconduct.
“Police don’t have
that personal contact with
people.”
The 60th police precinct —
which covers Coney Island,
Gravesend, and Sea Gate —
holds monthly public meetings
to discuss recent crime
in the area, but locals say that
the events are under-advertised
and poorly attended.
“I was extremely disappointed
at the low level of
public participation at the
precinct meetings,” said local
civic guru Craig Hammerman,
who argued that the precinct
needed to conduct more
outreach campaigns. “They’re
not marketing themselves
very well.”
Another resident pushed
for increased police presence
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COURIER L 6 IFE, JANUARY 17-23, 2020
across the People’s Playground,
claiming that they
currently have low visibility
in the area — which emboldens
criminals.
“Last year, I was sexually
assaulted at 9:30 am in Coney
Island. There’s no police
presence,” said Soya Stewart
at Wednesday’s meeting. “We
don’t see them walking the
beat, we don’t know who they
are.”
Others countered that
point, saying that residents’
complaints are overblown and
unwarranted.
“I think we have a strong
community policing team in
Coney Island,” said Keisha
Coney Islanders are demanding more public outreach from police to improve community relations. NYPD
Boatswain, the president of
the Coney Island Anti-Violence
Collaborative, a local
organization that educates
residents about de-escalation
tactics and provides counseling
for victims of gun violence.
Both the precinct and “PSA
1,” which patrols the local
public housing developments,
take part in a number of educational
programs — including
an upcoming domestic
violence victims conference
and a sex-traffi cking symposium
— Boatswain said, who
claimed residents should take
responsibility for utilizing
these events.
“Each month the police department
makes itself available
to answer the community’s
questions,” Boatswain
noted. “They’re active participants.”
Hammerman also argued
that residents should voice
their concerns at public meetings
before they claim that the
police are uninvolved.
“If the community isn’t
showing up at meetings, how
can they expect changes?” he
asked.
The press offi ce of the New
York City Police Department
did not return requests for
comment.
Community affairs
Coney Islanders demand greater
outreach from local police precinct
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