{ title: 'The Suffolk County news. (Sayville, N.Y.) 1888-current, July 28, 1994, Page 3, Image 3', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031477/1994-07-28/ed-1/seq-3/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031477/1994-07-28/ed-1/seq-3.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031477/1994-07-28/ed-1/seq-3/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031477/1994-07-28/ed-1/seq-3/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
.. '\\'L-- .,. ....... -- S , :··a··· .,..7& 1 1,·, · · ,. · :It· ; ·~· · · · ··· · · ·. · • .. · · ·. ·,· · .·· · •t.~ ·;· ···. · · ····'I,.. .... ; .. e CIVlC reVIVe:S CI .. Jz.en ·~----------------------------------------------, . - . '.·. • Is' .antt-cnme patro:· \ .... by!Aellhant llloward :R~S:pl)nd·ing t-o ~oncerns about a spate ~of ·recent burglaries and •other incidents.,. the Sayville Civic Associa1ion ham revived its coromuniey patrOllprograrn. The TeSlllents• J)atrols are cruising Sayville's ·neigb.bomood ·streets, ·silnply observing ;and ·reportmg any criminal actiVity -to :911 'by ·cellalat telephones. \We don';t; do :anything, we just :e811 \the police it we see somethi:ttg suspicious,\ said organizer Deboylangstaft Th~ ·~ Cmc ,Associatie~ ·Started the ·community patrol$ ·in ·early 1'992.~ when a ·rash :Df ..an;on fires destroyed several ·do\Wnto~.bm.ldinp .. DuriDg· its 'hetght, t.ll:ere were 1:50 ·residents w.ho took ·t\mls· on patrol, but the ·program slowed down ,a.fts 'an :arrest was made m :the at'$0ns •. At the ,Ume, •the :patn>ts operated between cg p.·m.-'6 a.m. though not·everyone knew tbeye~. •we never publicized what ·we w~re doing~ bec·aus~ w·e didn't wimt the arsonist to 'knoW\ n. Langstaft'said. ~community, the :better, pllovided :they stay Within the ognide'li'nes. We ~ot ha\Ve ~one ~cross the tine into Vigilan- tism,,. he :said. S(J far~the patrols have rep&rted most- ly :incidents invdlving teenagers drink- ing ,;and :hanging :out. Two years .ago it they !telpt!d 'lead to the ·attest .of 1wo ·oat-of-town teens who :enjoyed crUiSing the.:OOuntyb~·windews. 'Dlere is a ·sense 'amol\g patr&l :otga- .nizers;and 1 o1'herl\e&i~nts :fhatJpro,perty 'crimes like burglary and vandalism are on tile rise ln Sayvllie. According to S1:lff<llk 'County police ·records, itbere have been 26 reported ·burglaries ln the hamlet :since April l, 1:994, with f.ive ·OCCUJTifig :between .July ll-16. Records for :tile '$bnilar time .period :last year were not available. l.at\gstaft said the ipawols are :mtend- ,ed ·:to get tesidents involved in safe- goa:rding .their ~mtnuni4', 'and to draw the pcilice~s attention to their -concerns. •The squeaky wheel gets the ~~ase; and that 'is what l~m looking for from ihe ))Olite~\ $he said Qne 'Ott Collit .resident, whose .home wa b~ on July 11, movedl\ere two ;yeaT-s -ago fr~tn Queens p-ar·tly ·~ o ......... m ..... is :such :a ;Dice quiet . ~y~ ~. ::' • := . ... ·. ·.-·:· :':: .:: .... ·. .. ·.: .· .. :·.=.:- .. ·. The euttent palm)$ ~~-th the ,full \blessing and ~c~ ot·t.he Suffolk 'County Police 'Fifth Precinct, as long as the citizens understand their role. •Law ·enforcement i$ a putnel$hip w:ith the 'Ce>mmunity. ·rlt~Y lt•ve ,t-o know how ·th~y can go :about this. In the · :past •they have done an exceUent job,W said Inspeetor Martin Raber, Fifth Precinct ·ooin11Wliling officer. neqllhorhood-.\ 'The woman, who asked to remain unidentified,. had .appooxima.tely $3;000 of her jewelry aiel\ .andher·mother who was visiting bad several peJSGn81 items taken. tlte intt'odel' made it into her hom~ by cra•ling through a tight~ basement · Into the drink · Bohemia realdent Eugene R. eom• waa ·chMg~ With ddvlng while .Raber stressed tltat t'he pa;trols are .simply there to ~bserve :and report. ante more·eyes and~ we have in the · Intoxicated .after he drove his Nlsr.an 300ZX lnto the water at the .. ;~lie Marina Sunday evening. Combs •ICIII*I unlwmecL :SUffolk County News/David Rubin Mer~hants lov&police foot patrols ;..... .. .. .... J.. ....... ... including salary., eq-uip~ent;, training and benefits, tV sehe ·councy has priced itself out of the market for hir- For the first time in four years, Suffolk County ing new co~\ .Levy said He ·aJ$o disma,ed that the police ofticers are patrolling downtown business dis- PBA is not more cooperative in helping the councy fill tricts on foot this .summer. the need ·for toot patrol omcers at an affordable cost. And while mmtt eveeyone involved has liven the ~t a time when we've got the coverage the public seasonal oftloerslligh marks at the:summer'.sbaltway wanted, the PBA iS trying to do a:wa.,v with it,\ he said point, a labor disp~ with the police union may force The foot patrol officers have ·made an impact sim- the county to~ the program, piy by being there, Levy said •While they can•t cure The (nlUlC, is using ·45 seasonal police officers this all our problems, their presence has been felt dramat- summer, ·at $11 an hour, to restore the foot patrOls ically. Their mere presence bas ~e people take eliminated four )'ean ago during Sutfollc's buCflet notice,\ he said. . trcubles.· And thOllgh n:tel'chants, politi~ ~and When asked about this summer's program, virtually police oftieials.are aJl raving about the revivecl ~t every merchant and business leader expressed strong cop program, the pa1rolmen's llllion is .tll.reatening to . satisfdon with the concept of communicy policing sue the county if they attempt to continue tile pro- and the job the seasonal oftlcers are doing. -ntey're gram after this S111tm\er. higb)y. visible and ·very personal with the merchants. - In May 1 the Sull'olk Legislature approved: the use of When :you see a ~hnan on the streets, it gives you seasonal .police officers tor this aummer. Under the an added t~ling of security,\ Bill Beich, of Suffolk lawmaker's pl8.1l, the officers were contracted to Printing in Bar Shore, said. work between Mentorial Day to just after~ Dq. Suffolk Police Inspector Martin Raber, oommanding While they were- it, the legiS~rsvoted to~ ''officer of th~ fifth Precinct, literally couldn't say County Executive Robert Gatlney•s ~me11t With enough about the ~asonal officers under his com- the Patrolmen's :Benevolent AssociaUon to limit the mand~ -rile program is a complete success. I have program to thissummef. seven.young. seasonal police omcers and each one .is PBA President: Tom Tohill $8id Jtte unioadoes net better than the n~ • Raber said. The seasonal off\l- recopii.e the l~giSJatUl'e's authority to di$solve its cera patl,1)l the downtowns of Safvlll~, Patchogue, agreement With ·tt,~ COlll)ty executive. He s•d the ~UIM)rt and Mastic in the Fifth Precinct. union will eo!Udder suing the county il' the seasonal If iti were \ip to him, the program would continue police.offic.ent~ used in violation of that agree- ,indeflliitely'. •They do an excellent job. Everyone is ment. tHfhe ag~rnent we· originally had with the veey, veey satisfied and I hope they ~ntinue it. When counQ'' executllve ,.. for betw~n May l6:through it con\e$ my tum to. speak out on the program, that is Beptemb.!F 15 •. There i$ no violation of that ,original. what I will say.,-• ~rsaid. agreement-until: :they, hi~ ~seaso\al polic~. :~1ficers ~r rem~red when foot patt.ol$ were an inte- after Septemberl6,\ he said. · - -.-- · · - - . · .. , gral and commonplace aspett of J)Onetng. -rbe thing Tohill said t~e PBA made the agreemen.t with everyone is raving about now~ community policing. Gaft)ley ~\ISe tbe executive tu.as. ~~tted .tQ hir- ~·s the.·~ l ~ out 33· years ago, on the cor- ing J~tol'.'l full·time police oftlce~, whl& the wuntr: · :ner_ of N\'W Vqrk Avenqe .in Huntington walking a h• the,~t two y•ars. •once the department is at fUll: btm.t,~ he sai~. sttengd\,'there will·~ no need for seasonaloffic:ers;\. ,-- D:c!nn•:s~ .. ld~, qfthe Patchogue Chamber of he said¥ . . :. . . . . COinmerce. ·~ With Raber's assessment. til call it '8\lt 'Lfigislator Steve Levy (D·IIolbrook) said the aoihl- baclt tO the baSici They help make the downQ coun\t¥·~an ~not atford to hire ~ tyto~ poli~ .. oill- . \»w.n JnOte o~ a. re.al downtown a.r:ea; my merchanm c~- ... At· an average cost ()f $.1tO,oOO pe~ otficer, know ~em b)·~ame and they know the l\\erehant.'3 by name, just like we know our customem ~,\ she said Many local merchants say the foot patrol otJicers are adept at handling idle teenagem who congregate near stores and residences on warm summer nights. •n•s nice to have somebody of authority. instead of just a shopkeeperp who will nm out and tell the kids to get off the sidewalk•\' said Carolyn Bachsmith, president of the Sa;yville Chamber of Commerce. Patchogue Mayor FrankUn •Whitey\ Leavandosky said the village is so impres9ed by the job foot patrol officers do, he'd like to see them work year-round . •rd like to see it go past just the seasonal basis and have it go full-time,\ he said. Leavandosky said the foot patrol officers work well with the village and its merchants addressing local trouble spots. The village also bas a direct liaison with the Fifth Precinct, Lieutenant Joseph Santamaria ~pector Dominic Steo, the Third Precinct's execu- tive officer, said the feedback from merchants in the precinct's downtown areas is astounding. \'It has been a real success. The officers give store owners and shoppers a very strong feeling of being safe and secttte, 111 he said. The foot patrol officers work in Brentwood, Brightwaters, Bay Shore, Islip and East Islip in the Third Precinct. The street cops are also a positive force for ~o nomicalJy struggling downtown areas. • As far as the BID's perspective, it is very positive to have foot patrol officers in town. There is a strong feeling that it has increased the confidence and perception of vis- itors to the area,\ said Ed Finder, executive direcq)r . of Bay Shore's Bnsiness Improvement Di-strict M8ll81ement Assoclation. With all those glowing testimonials about the ser· vice foot patrol officers provide, PBA head Tohill wondered how useful they really are. \I don't know if .anybody knows that foot patrol officers work very well as a deterrent to crime, though they definitely act as deterrent to q'l18licy ot life crimes,\ like vandal· ism and distufbances, he said. • . ; .. .._,. - 1- ' • ,. t ., : ,.. , •• ' ·' 4 \ .. •tl • , .• ' ·-•... '~. ,_ .. ,. , ..... H.t\\ ... li\'(, \•·~~·· fto..f~·U\' l'-4,'11f\\f ~-~.t·~ ' .. \' _. I' ~t • • •' • 'I; 't • f.~ ................... ~ ••• ~~-.~~ .......... ,. ...... .,,. ••• - ..... \'\\._. .............. ~..-.... ........ _! 3 '=i (I) (J) ·tt; ~ ;e: '(') 0 c:: i .z (1) ·~ Ul
