We attended the monthly Community Council Meeting at the 7th Precinct on Wednesday evening and  learned that a new Commanding Officer, Captain Nancy Barry, will be replacing Deputy
Inspector Frank Dwyer, who is moving on.  Captain Barry was on the agenda to present awards recognition and precinct reports but was away on a previously scheduled trip.  We were told she will be at her first Community Council Meeting next month, on June 10th.

Items of note included:

• The precinct is up 6% in crime for the year but predictions are that we will be down overall by the end of the year.
  
• Grand Larceny is up slightly. 2 types of Ford mini-vans have been stolen.
• The ATM Robber, who drove around and smashed his vehicle in to the ATM machines, which we noted in our "Dumb Crook Alert", was caught.
• A woman was arrested in connection to a small string of thefts on Delancey, some in stores and some in bars.  She had been stealing unattended property such as purses and even strollers.
• The shooter who fired shots on Clinton St. and Houston, which we were tipped off about last week, was apprehended in an "expedited response."
  
• A liaison from the D.A.'s office gave details about a seminar they will be holding on June 10th, in association with the
  Greater Chinatown Community Association(GCCA), at 62 Mott St. They'll offer tips and advice for Mandarin and Cantonese speaking residents who are often afraid to testify as witnesses because of the language barrier.  The event will be translated for Spanish-speaking residents, as well.
• Sgt. Gil Rosa of the Vice Squad gave an overview of recent vice activities.  He said there had not been any prostitution issues but there had been 7 arrests for various gambling activities in the area.
• It was noted Sgt. Teo, our Community Affairs Officer, was not attending because he had recently had an operation.
• Barbara Brown, a Seward Park member of NY CERT, a Community Emergency Response Team, will be holding an information meeting for residents interested in taking their training course. (We will post details for this meeting in the next few days).
• There was a Chinatown bus employee who approached the officers at the meeting and asked about some legal regulations for their loading zones.  (We have been covering the Chinatown Bus Chaos in great detail here).  The officers made it clear to her that the buses can NOT park or load passengers in City Bus (MTA) stops.  They said it is illegal to do so.

Posted by Traven Rice