New Haven Independent

Posted by: dana b | September 27, 2007 3:33 PM

More of the same kind of muggings in this little corner of Fair Haven. And still, no response from the police in any way that I've heard of. Oh, yes, they do seem to take incident reports. But what about preventive measures and community policing?

This section of Fair Haven from Ferry Street to the river and from Grand Avenue/Exchange Street to Lombard did not used to have so many street robberies. At least that's my impression as a longterm resident.

Does anyone know differently? Can someone or a police officer with knowledge of this area's statistics tell us if these crimes are on the increase or not? Can the NHI investigate this issue?

Posted by: Dean Moriarty | September 27, 2007 10:57 PM

I can confirm your impression Dana. Emphatically, NO. This area was never like this. I lived and grew up in the Chatham Square area from 1962 'till about early '80's. What's going on now was unheard of then. We walked the streets at night then, hung out (without bothering people I might add), played ball in the parks, and generally had a good time, while respecting other folks right to enjoy their life too. Sadly, it seems all that is gone. I remember lowering the volume on the car radio (or was it an 8-track player :-) ) when driving by the Mary Wade home so as not to disturb the residents. Now you can't stop at an intersection in the area without someone else's taste in music assaulting your ears. No matter what "politically correct" spin is usually attempted to deal with the issues, it all comes down to a basic respect for other people, and that is just plain missing these days. We've been losing our city neighborhoods one by one to this nonsense for years now, and this great Fair Haven enclave is now threatened also. It's absolutely sickening.

Posted by: FairHavenRes | September 28, 2007 8:34 AM

For the life of me, I can not understand why these little bastards terrorizing the neighborhood are not caught. They will eventually end up killing someone. Pistol whipping a 78 year man, terrorizing a fleeing victim by shooting up in the air, and other muggings.

Yes, there is definitely a lack of respect for other people. But now we have a situation in which one could lose their life to these fools. I can tell you right now, I wont be leaving FairHaven, those who can not live here respectfully will have to leave.

A side note, I have been struggling with this issue personally for a time, and I am now seriously considering getting a license to carry a handgun, and taking the necessary training on how to use it. (I just filled out my application.) Maybe the Rabbi and his sons have a point? I was against the idea, but if it is between my life or that of the felon's, you can guess what I would choose.

Ortiz and DeStefano, you have failed this city, shame on you both.

Posted by: PowertothePeople | September 28, 2007 9:50 AM

We can not count on the police to solve our problems. While I agree that they need to be more responsive and perhaps we should take some of the cops protecting Yalies downtown and put them in our neighborhoods, we the people need to take back or streets not the police. Leaving it to the police will only turn us into a police state.

I am part of that neighborhood and part of the problem is the neighbors don't know each other. They don't talk to each other. They don't get involved in community events and actions. They aren't a part of the management team or the newly formed Chatham Square Neighborhood Association that held the great event in the park that this paper bragged about a week or so ago. I worked that event and there were few people from Atwater there and I KNOW FOR A FACT that they were informed.

You want your neighborhood to change... you need to change it. And you don't need a gun to do it. You need each other. You need relationships. There is another street in the area where every resident on the block knows the names and phone numbers of every other resident. When something happens they call each other. When one has a birthday they celebrate it. When a new person moves in they immediately go visit and offer to help. They build community together. Sure there are the occassional problems and there are still a couple of houses that are known drug houses but eventually they will have to go because the neighbors are watching, recording and notifying the police only when necessary.

We need public relationships with each other, not more guns.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 28, 2007 4:19 PM

PowertothePeople DAM STRAIGHT!!!

Posted by: fairhavener | September 28, 2007 5:30 PM

Yes, DANA B, you observation is correct. The reason nothing gets done is because the sum bag cops are on good terms with the scum bag criminals. Doubt it, how is it that everyone knows where what crimes take place down to the street name (like the prostitutes working on Ferry St) yet nothing happens? If this is all common knowledge to the public, then how stupid of a cop would you have to be not to?

PowertothePeople - You are absolutely right "You need relationships." In our area, which is close to Chatham Square, we all know each other (Puerto Rican, Black and White). Just from knowing each other and watching out for each other we have reduced a lot of the crime in our area. (Good job on the event!)

But, it wasn't all phone calls. Some of us took an active stance against the "human waste" (as someone put it in another NHI comment). When the police don't come, EVER, sometimes the only thing left to do is let the scum know that you are there and others in the neighborhood are there and will react.

As for having a gun, I wouldn't carry it around - even if I had a permit - but, I definitely would keep one in the house. Home invasions don't just happen in the suburbs.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | September 30, 2007 7:18 PM

Here in "Baghdad by the Quinnipiac" we now have a beat cop who watches carefully to make sure cars going through the stop sign at Wooster Place & Greene St. come to a complete stop.

Meantime -- cars, trucks & (yes) buses are speeding down Chapel St. narrowly missing pedestrians in the zebra crosswalk at DePalma; motorcyclists are doing noisy wheelies in the middle of the night; a car has been parked in the bus stop at DePalma & Chapel for at least a week; tons of vehicles are being broken into; residents' bicycles chained to iron fences are vandalized & stolen; bums are getting drunk publicly and sleeping on park benches in Russo Park; refuse (illegal for the DPW to pick up) accumulates in the streets.

But, you know what? It gives us a real secure feeling to know that stop sign is being properly monitored.

That's "Community Policing" in Ciscoland!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 1, 2007 8:34 AM

fairhavener

I have asked cops the question of why do they not arrest the people that they know are dealing and prostituting.

The generic answer is that they are in and out it is useless to arrest them. Which I am sure is true. But then what is the answer if arresting does not stop them? Maybe the cops can park in the hot spots where the crime is heavyest? It may just make them move but it will at least let them know the cops are paying attention. My Area has 2 spots that the cops should park at (and this is just an 8 street area). My guess Fair Haven is a bit larger and has at least a dozen spots. But if even just two cops rotated in there areas and parked in these hot spots every night they can at the least make it a little hard for the customers to find them.

Posted by: on whalley | October 1, 2007 9:20 AM

When they get picked up for these relatively petty crimes they're in and out and the police are right that it is more trouble than it's worth. What's worse is by chance these criminals do end up serving time it isn't viewed as punishment but rather it is seen as a badge of honor that lends some sort of meaning and importance to their less than civil lifestyles. The police are a joke to the criminals and there is no punishment short of death they are concerned with. A drug dealer fears other drug dealers, not the police. Prostitutes and pimps disregard the police as there is essentially no punishment for the crimes. Those who cook meth in neighborhood houses fear running out of meth, not anything else.

The police wont help any because of the politics and other restrictions as to what they can and cannot do. The answer is the people on these streets and these blocks stop tolerating it.

I realize that because of the police it may be difficult if not impossible to do what needs to be done but unite your entire neighborhood behind cleaning the criminal element out and the situation will change in your favor.

Ignore the authorities and drive the petty thugs out. The authorities are an obstacle to peace. These criminals are a blight and as such are attacking you neighborhoods. If united as a neighborhood an attack on your neighborhood becomes an attack on your person. We all have the right of self preservation. Call it a mob or whatever but stand together and you can take it back. Start dividing yourselves and you better get used to being overrun by thugs because it will only get worse.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | October 1, 2007 10:38 AM

Certainly, plans have been developed in well administered cities to keep petty crime off the streets. It's a cop-out (you should pardon the expression) for the police to say "gee it happens; we cannot do anything about it."

We're talking about quality-of-life issues which have a very real effect on the health of citizens and on property values in neighborhoods. If health costs go up and property values go down the City (already operating at a deficit) needs to raise the ad valorem property tax. That causes more folks to vote with their feet and move away.

So it's a vicious circle. The only way to stop the cycle is to play small ball. Pay attention to the little quality-of-life issues. Don't spend all your resources on ill-considered efforts to hit home runs. Soon, accumulated small gains add up to winners.

Posted by: DEZ | October 1, 2007 12:27 PM

Get a flashlight. Not a cheap one, but one of those Mag lights that takes four 'D' sized batteries or one like it. From the safety of your home, shine the light into the idling, or parked cars close enough to your home in which you think drug use or prostitution is taking place. Don't waver the light, don't flash the light, just point and stand your ground. You won't be certain 100% of the time, but hey, this is grass roots! What you will do is keep cars moving down the street to the next corner. The more people who do this, the farther the cars move until they are out of your neighborhood. It is not a permanent fix. You will need to stay vigilant. Talk to your neighbors. Have them do the same. Shine light into the faces of those who seek the dark corners of your community. It hasn't fixed all of our problems on Pine Street in Fair Haven, but it has certainly kept people moving. Like broken window syndrome, those people who would think to rob you do so because they know the neighborhood is not vigilant. Make them aware they are being watched and the community will not tolerate their behavior. Be vigilant!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 1, 2007 4:35 PM

DEZ
That is more or less what we (meaning me and one other neighbor, the rest won't help even the one that works in the PD) do on my street. I was yelling at them and then a person from your neck of the woods said, "just ask them if they are lost". That will keep them moving without getting hostile. In the late night when I am lazy I will just click the flash on my camara, sometimes it works sometimes it does not. Some times I call the police just for the heck of it but they now call back an hour or two later and ask are they still parked there...what is that a joke?? You find that funny or just insulting?? Please at least pretend you can. don't call me at 1 in the morning and wake me up! This means that not one cop drove threw my area that whole time!

Fixing broken windows also means to keep areas from getting worse. To get out of your cars and even walk the street for a few min's. To get to know the people that belong in those community's! One cop knows us the rest would have know clue if a person was out of place! Fixing broken windows should be the cops bible!

Posted by: fairhavener | October 1, 2007 5:39 PM

"The generic answer is that they are in and out it is useless to arrest them."

That's not a decision for COPS to make. It is their JOB to ENFORCE the law - not decide which laws to enforce. That's what we pay judges for. The city is basskwards as can be when it comes to the law. If the same cop has to arrest the same petty criminal over and over and over that's just too bad - it's their JOB. If they don't like it they can quit and become a judge.

As stated above, the quality of life issues do matter. What I have seen so far is the quality of life degrading more and more in certain areas and it spreads. Eventually we will be living in a slum. The cops either need to step up or get fired.

DEZ - I have that light (many of us do) and it works like a charm on our street. It's funny, you live around the corner from me and I thinked you guys pushed things down our street (not on purpose of course) then we pushed the human waste out completely (the only street left was Front St and its hard do do what they do there).

Posted by: marge | October 1, 2007 8:04 PM

IF they are in and out then implement a form letter to send to hee landlords about the activity in the house, or if it is by the owner, seize the house under drug seizure laws and auction the thing off.

Posted by: dana b | October 3, 2007 11:47 AM

Marge,

I like your proposed solution. That was done at least once in San Francisco. There was a crack house that the landlord refused to deal with. So the neighbors sued and won, I think. I don't know what the final outcome was, but I rmember thinking that landlords should not be off the hook for what their tenants do continually to the neighborhood.