TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 • 28 Local Precinct Commanders Posting News & Photos On Twitter Police and Fire Department units converged at the corner of Wyckoff and Gates avenues near the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues subway station last Wednesday afternoon, Apr. 16, after a suspicious package was found. In one of his first posts on his new Twitter account, Deputy Inspector Anthony Tasso, commanding officer of the 83rd Precinct, reported the package was found to be harmless. Tasso and the commanders of the 106th and 112th precincts launched Twitter accounts last week as part of an NYPD social media pilot program to disseminate news, photos and other information to followers on the Internet. (photo courtesy of Ridgewood Social’s Twitter page, @Ridgewood Social) -CONTINUED FROM PG. 6- No one may post comments promoting businesses or supporting or attacking elected officials or those campaigning for public office. The city’s social media policy also bars the use of obscene, threatening or harassing language, personal attacks of any kind and offensive comments targeting or disparaging a person’s ethnicity, race, age, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Twitter (www.twitter.com) lets users post pieces of information 140 characters or less, including links to photos, videos and other websites. The at (@) symbol signifies an account user’s handle, while the hashtag (#) is used to categorize topics. Account holders “follow” each other to receive regular updates. So far, the program appears to be popular with area residents, as the 83rd, 106th and 112th Precincts each have over 200 followers on their respective Twitter pages. Even so, the NYPD suffered a public relations nightmare on Tuesday, Apr. 22, when—in an attempt to garner positive feedback with the hashtag #myNYPD from followers—the department’s Twitter page was inundated with retweeted photos of alleged police brutality, accompanied by the hashtag. “The NYPD is creating new ways to communicate effectively with the community,” Deputy Chief Kim Royster said in an email issued hours after the #myNYPD fiasco. “Twitter provides an open forum for an uncensored exchange and this is an open dialogue good for our city.” Here’s a summary of some items the three precincts posted on Twitter last week: • 83rd Precinct (@NYPD83Pct, covering Bushwick and Ridgewood, Brooklyn)—Deputy Inspector Anthony Tasso sought tips from the public regarding last Thursday’s (Apr. 17) murder at a Bushwick bodega. The commander posted a video of the incident and urged residents to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. (Editor’s note: Details on the homicide can be found on Page 3.) Additionally, the officer advised followers that a reported suspicious package located last Wednesday afternoon near the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues subway station was found to be innocuous. Tasso also took part in a popular Twitter trend—Throwback Thursday (#tbt)—by posting a decades-old image of an NYPD patrol car responding to a Bushwick fire. He also posted a more recent photo of the 83rd Precinct Youth Council’s “Cops and Kids” athletic program. Last Friday, the commander also responded to a resident’s posted concerns about speeding vehicles on St. Nicholas Avenue on the Brooklyn/Queens border in Ridgewood. “We can take a look and see what we can do to help,” Tasso wrote, then encouraged the user to call the 83rd Precinct Community Affairs Unit “to discuss the problem further.” • 106th Precinct (@NYPD106Pct, covering Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park and South Richmond Hill)—Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff was, fittingly, the first NYPD commander to tweet last week. “I’M BACK!” he wrote, noting that he returned to Twitter after a oneyear hiatus. While commander of Brooklyn’s 76th Precinct last year, his original Twitter account was disabled after he posted information warning the public about the release of two career criminals from prison. Last week, Schiff relayed reminders about an Ozone Tudor Civic Association meeting, news that “36% of all stolen #106Pct autos this year were unsecured” and retweeted the NYPD’s official photo of a One Police Plaza ceremony honoring the late Det. Dennis Guerra, who died earlier this month while attempting a rescue at a Coney Island apartment house fire. Schiff also used Twitter to promote the precinct’s blood drive last Good Friday. • 112th Precinct (@NYPD112Pct, covering Forest Hills and Rego Park)—Capt. Thomas J. Conforti additionally took to Twitter to solicit donors for his precinct’s blood drive on Monday morning. He also shared with followers news that the precinct experienced a day without major felonies. “Crime update: Happy to report that there were no major crime incidents reported in #112Pct in the past 24 hours,” the commander tweeted last Thursday. The comment was retweeted (forwarded) to the NYPD’s official Twitter account. Conforti also posted plenty of images of 112th Precinct activities, including the morning roll call briefing of day shift officers before they went out on tour. He also published photos of officers stationed at the Rego Park Jewish Center as part of the NYPD’s counterterrorism effort during Passover and a graffiti cleanup on 64th Avenue held last Wednesday by the 112th Precinct youth officers and the command’s Explorers program. Editor’s note: The Times Newsweekly (@timesnewsweekly), which launched its account earlier this year, is following the 83rd, 106th and 112th Precincts on Twitter. In addition to print coverage, we will retweet important news as the precincts share them. Follow our account to receive those updates. should be able to tell the operator your location, the number of people who are injured. This will enable our first responders to have the resources for the number of people who need help. In the event that someone is injured, New York State Law requires you to notify the police. The DMV Website indicates: “If a person is injured or killed, immediately notify the police. All the involved drivers and the police must file an accident report with the DMV. It is a crime to leave the scene of an accident that causes personal injury or death.” If no one is injured you still may need to call the police to the accident scene. 2.) Determine if the cars can be moved to the side of the road. This is very important to avoid the possibility of another accident while you are exchanging information with the driver of the other vehicle. If you can not move your vehicle because of the damage to your car, then do not stay inside—but be sure that you go to the side of the road, and put the flashers on your cars. 3.) Stay at the scene. Whether or not the accident is your fault, you must not leave the scene of an accident. You must then exchange information with the driver of the other vehicle(s). The Department of Motor Vehicle website indicates: “If you are in an accident, you must stop and exchange information with the involved drivers. If the accident caused property damage only, then exchange information about your driver license, insurance, and registration with the involved drivers. If a parked vehicle or other property is damaged, or if a domestic animal is injured, you must locate the owner or contact the police.” 4.) If anyone has indicated that they witnessed the accident you should obtain their name, address and phone number immediately. You should give this information to the police when they arrive to take a report. 5.) Get further information. As you may need this information later for the reporting requirements—you may want to record the following information: where the accident occurred, the time of the day, the weather conditions, any road conditions, if there is a traffic light or stop sign at the location, and what you think happened. You will also be asked to report on the direction that each vehicle was going prior to the accident. 6.) Notify your insurance company of the accident. 7.) If someone has been injured, killed, or if the property damage is more than $1,000, you must file an accident report with the Department of Motor Vehicles. This is regardless of whether you have filed a report with your local police department. The Department of Motor Vehicles website indicates: “If the property damage of any person is $1,000 or more, all the involved drivers must file form MV-104 (Report of Motor Vehicle Accident). File form MV-104 with the DMV no more than 10 days after the accident. The DMV can suspend your driver license if you fail to report an accident.” The above steps should be followed regardless of whether you intend to litigate your damages as a result of the accident. If you have any questions regarding the steps to follow if you want to litigate your damages you should contact your attorney. Hopefully, by reading this column, if an accident happens to you or a member of your family, you will be better prepared if you know what to do and what to expect. Let Us Help Your Business Grow! Advertise In The Times Newsweekly! Call 1-718-821-7500 To Get A Quote! Other news You are invited to like the 112th Precinct Community Council Facebook page at www.facebook.com/112thPrecinctCo mmunityCouncil?ref=tn_tnmn. In addition, you can follow the 112th precinct council on Twitter, www.twitter.com/112thpctcouncil. Conforti is now using Twitter to connect with the community. You can follow the precinct at: @NYPD112PCT. Editor’s note: Heidi Harrison Chain is president of the 112th Precinct Community Council. 112th Precinct News -CONTINUED FROM PG. 4-
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