New Haven Independent

When neighbors met at a community policing session last month, complaints poured out about people selling drugs from vans parked along a fence at the Hess Gas Station on State Street. They decided to do something about it. Rebecca Turcio (pictured above at left) launched a renewed effort to get help from Hess.

Andy Stefens (pictured at right) of NAVCO Security Systems walked through the rainy Hess parking lot Wednesday morning, peering up at electrical wires and empty lampposts, looking for a place to install surveillance cameras.

Cameron Shuck, of WF Shuck Petroleum, Co., the management company that runs the station, guided him through the site. Hess and the management company have agreed to install the cameras at neighbors’ request, he said. As it stands, the gas station has no working cameras, he said.

Sgt. Romano Ratti (pictured above at left), the area’s district manager, joined the group. Stefens told Ratti he will be able to review videos digitally in the case of suspicious behavior. “It’s easy, just point and click.”

Turcio, an active block watch member who lives nearby, made sure the proper areas were covered — “over here, along that fence.” Stefens said he’d be able to cover the problem areas with four cameras that run 24-7. He drew a sketch of the lot and packed up to go.

“I’m really happy that you came, and I think it’s going to make a difference in the trafficking,” said Turcio.

She said the commercial thoroughfare of State Street, with its trash and suspicious activities, was the main factor dragging down the neighborhood, a cozy enclave of only a dozen streets isolated between East Rock and I-91.

The block watch’s next goal is to get other nearby businesses to beautify their properties. “This block watch is about trying to make the neighborhood accessible,” said Gardner. “We need people who’re going to help and build the neighborhood to the point of respectability.”