Now that summer’s officially over, most police officers in the city hope that house parties and other warm-weather nuisances finally wind down.
For Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) with the 69th Precinct’s Sector D, tragedies resulting from dangerous drivers and those menacing noise complaints continue to plague the neighborhood.
During the quarterly Sector D Build the Block meeting, held via Zoom on Wednesday, September 14th, NCO Bashir Hassan spearheaded the reports of ongoing problems in the area that encompasses Paerdegat Avenue North to the west side of East 94th Street/Avenue L, to Canarsie Park.
He noted that house parties were at their height this summer, and summonses were issued for various violations.
“Some of the house parties we tried to shut down made residents move to Canarsie Park,” he said. “Most of the complaints we received were around East 88th Street, Seaview Avenue and the Paerdegats.”
The officer also recapped safety concerns that are all abuzz around the hit-and-run that recently took place at East 91st Street and Avenue M.
According to reports, 65-year-old Ali Alshawesh was hit by a 2014 gray Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection when the vehicle was making a wide turn from Remsen Avenue as the victim was crossing the street. Alshawesh died shortly after being hit by the vehicle, which was later found on East 96th Street.
“We’re still looking for the driver and the incident is under investigation,” the NCO said. “But the victim was well known by his neighbors, and we’re asking anyone with information to help us identify who left the scene of the crime.”
While many were familiar with Zoom sessions hosted by NCO Ioana Matiuta, Officer Hassan informed the dozen in attendance that she’s shifted her patrol tour to Sector A. However, he was more than accommodating in addressing residents’ concerns.
Held quarterly, NCO meetings are residents’ opportunities to speak directly to the officers who routinely patrol their section of the command and help solve ongoing quality of life issues. The neighborhood policing tool has helped foster improved relationships between the community and residents so that non-emergency issues are de-escalated. Officers typically provide their contact information for residents during meetings in an effort to provide transparency and a real-time resource for minor complaints, including abandoned cars, suspicious activity and other quality of life issues.
To find out when your sector meets, please follow the 69th Precinct’s Twitter page at @NYPD69Pct.