A new year doesn’t necessarily mean “new beginnings,” as many problematic issues facing civic organizations and residents haven’t come to a halt at the start of 2022.
When the 69th Precinct hosted its quarterly Build the Block meeting – the first of 2022 -with Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) from Sector B on Thursday, January 20th, via Zoom, many of the same debacles were hashed out.
NCO Yhayh Saleh and Community Affairs Officer Samuel Maria hosted the virtual meeting, as NCO Saleh’s partner Viviana Segovia was hard at work investigating details of crimes and arrests in the area.
One of the hot topics – and biggest problems plaguing the nation – is thefts of catalytic converters.
“The NYPD has a team that deals with this organized crime situation,” said Saleh. “It’s organized because there’s a group of guys that usually target a car to vandalize. They get under the car with the right electrical equipment and it takes all of two to three minutes to saw off the catalytic converters. After they’ve removed the part, which is critical for your car’s exhaust system, they’ll sell it since the chemicals inside are recyclable and worth a lot of money.”
The most common models of cars targeted are Honda Accords and the Ford Prius. One of the ways to deter these thefts is to try to park in an area that is under surveillance where cameras can capture the crooks in action. According to reports, some converters are made of metal that is worth more per ounce than gold.
Another vehicular struggle for officers is towing away derelict vehicles from Canarsie streets.
“We have a few of those Access-A-Ride buses that are on the streets, filled with garbage and junk, and we’re trying to have them towed,” said Saleh. “Unfortunately, there’s no room or open spaces in the lots for these bigger trucks and vans. We’ve seen some Access-A-Rides that need to be towed at East 98th Street and Avenue N and some along Seaview Avenue. Once space opens up, we can have them towed.”
The 69th Precinct also wants residents to be aware of traffic changes in Sector B, which encompasses the east side of East 94th Street to East 108th Street and the south side of Flatlands Avenue to Canarsie Pier.
Along East 108th Street, there will be extensive construction as part of the Fresh Creek rehabilitation project. Drivers are reportedly confused with the new traffic pattern, which alters the direction they have to travel when heading southbound on the strip. Construction will be ongoing at various corners and intersections along East 108th Street, between Seaview Avenue and Avenue J, for the next several months, and motorists are asked to keep subsequent detours in mind before traveling along the span.
Other issues discussed included ongoing scams, noise pollution and updates on shootings within the precinct, which will be further discussed at the 69th Precinct Community Council meeting.
There are four sectors within Canarsie, and NCOs distribute their contact information during their quarterly meetings in an attempt to create transparency and better communication between the community and police officers. To find out when your sector meets, follow the 69th Precinct on Twitter @NYPD69Pct or follow them on Facebook at NYPD 69th Precinct.
