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Story by Gloria Pazmiño and Sherry Mazzocchi
Photos by Gloria Pazmiño
“I believe the men and women of this precinct want and care to improve the quality of life issues of this community, and we understand the seriousness of recent crimes,” said new 34th Precinct Deputy Inspector Barry Buzzetti, addressing a crowd of neighborhood residents, local business owners, and community leaders gathered in the auditorium at the Isabella Geriatric Center during a town hall held on Thurs. Sept. 1st.
The town hall, organized by the offices of Assemblymember Guillermo Linares and Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, as well as of State Senator Adriano Espaillat, was held in response to the recent hike in crime in Washington Heights and Inwood, which has included, in the past two weeks, stabbings, shootings, and sexual assaults. It includes also the stabbing death of 18 year-old Dereck David Villa who was killed this past weekend, allegedly at the hands of a 14 year-old suspect now in police custody.
It was Commanding Officer Buzzetti’s second such forum in northern Manhattan, after a similar meeting held last week in Inwood.
Addressing the recent sex crime allegedly committed by an off-duty police officer from the 33rd Precinct, Buzzetti was adamant about asking the community to not judge the entire body of the precincts on the actions of one person.
“We are asking for a community partnership between the members of this community and our officers. The person responsible for that sex crime in Inwood was arrested because citizens were being vigilant and called police,” said Buzzetti.
During his remarks, Deputy Inspector Buzetti, as he did at the earlier meeting, spoke of new crime fighting strategies developed by the 34th Precinct based largely on gathering detailed crime statistics, locations and nature of crimes as well as additional teams including the burglary apprehension team, and an anticrime team which have been deployed to areas of recently increased criminal activity.
Neighborhood residents in turn mostly raised concerns about quality of life issues such as loud music, public intoxication, littering, and the need for increased foot patrols in the parks and near train stations.
Mayra Cruz, a teacher from P.S. 115, attended the public safety meeting, and spoke after the elected officials and community leaders had addressed the audience. Cruz held up the program from stabbing victim’s Dereck David Villa’s funeral, which she had recently attended. Villa, 18, was a student at P.S. 115, where Cruz teaches.
“It is heartbreaking what happened to Dereck,” she said. “This needs to stop.”
Cruz told the officials and community leaders assembled that she is holding them accountable for the crimes committed on the streets of northern Manhattan,
“I am going to be the offices, asking questions, so that we don’t have another Dereck…so that our children have a bright future.”
A conversation with Cruz about her concerns for the safety and well being of young people in northern Manhattan is featured at : http://bit.ly/MTVideo.
For a video of Commanding Officer Barry Buzzetti’s statements during the public safety forum this past Thurs., Sept. 1st at Isabella Geriatric Center, please visit these links. His remarks are presented in two parts:
PART ONE: http://bit.ly/MTvid001
PART TWO: http://bit.ly/MTvid002
Videos by Sherry Mazzocchi
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