Post by coots on Aug 4, 2014 13:25:18 GMT -5
NY Post
‘Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol’ Has NYPD’s Go-Ahead
A team of about 15 Asian-American residents, calling themselves the Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol, have started watching the streets of Sunset Park with walkie-talkies, uniforms and two NYPD-style patrol cars.
The civilian observation patrol is similar to Shomrim, a volunteer Jewish watch group in communities such as Borough Park and Williamsburg.
Funded by its members, the group was launched early this year after getting civilian-observation-patrol training from the NYPD, as well as support from Shomrim and the Brooklyn Community Improvement Association.
“They are our eyes and ears,” said NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, who helped start the program when he commanded the local 72nd Precinct. “Language is a big barrier in the Asian community.”
The team speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Fujianese, English and other smaller Asian dialects.
Members don’t have the authority to stop and detain people, but they calls 911 or the precinct’s desk sergeant if they witness a crime or spot someone acting suspiciously. NYPD officers can then come and stop, question and frisk people when warranted.
The patrol’s members also serve as witnesses if the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office prosecutes.
The group’s work is in keeping with NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton’s “broken windows’’ policing, which targets small-time crime in order to prevent more serious ones.
But the team’s aim is really “any crime,” said Louie Lou, head of the patrol, noting it has assisted the cops in battling everything from shoplifting to robberies.
BASP recently helped the NYPD catch a creep after witnessing him grabbing the breasts and bottoms of Chinese-American women in Sunset Park on April 2. The assailant was then linked to several other cases. The civilian patrol also feeds intelligence to the cops about crime trends in Sunset Park.
The group uses two 2006 Hyundai cars, which they purchased from a dealer and painted blue and white with an NYPD logo next to the words “Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol.”
The patrol vehicles read, “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect,” just like NYPD police cars.
“We go to the precincts during roll call so they know who we are,” Lou said. “We drive around with our lights on to let the bad guys know we are here.”
How about a Hungarian patrol? a lot of hungry people live in Brooklyn
‘Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol’ Has NYPD’s Go-Ahead
A team of about 15 Asian-American residents, calling themselves the Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol, have started watching the streets of Sunset Park with walkie-talkies, uniforms and two NYPD-style patrol cars.
The civilian observation patrol is similar to Shomrim, a volunteer Jewish watch group in communities such as Borough Park and Williamsburg.
Funded by its members, the group was launched early this year after getting civilian-observation-patrol training from the NYPD, as well as support from Shomrim and the Brooklyn Community Improvement Association.
“They are our eyes and ears,” said NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, who helped start the program when he commanded the local 72nd Precinct. “Language is a big barrier in the Asian community.”
The team speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Fujianese, English and other smaller Asian dialects.
Members don’t have the authority to stop and detain people, but they calls 911 or the precinct’s desk sergeant if they witness a crime or spot someone acting suspiciously. NYPD officers can then come and stop, question and frisk people when warranted.
The patrol’s members also serve as witnesses if the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office prosecutes.
The group’s work is in keeping with NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton’s “broken windows’’ policing, which targets small-time crime in order to prevent more serious ones.
But the team’s aim is really “any crime,” said Louie Lou, head of the patrol, noting it has assisted the cops in battling everything from shoplifting to robberies.
BASP recently helped the NYPD catch a creep after witnessing him grabbing the breasts and bottoms of Chinese-American women in Sunset Park on April 2. The assailant was then linked to several other cases. The civilian patrol also feeds intelligence to the cops about crime trends in Sunset Park.
The group uses two 2006 Hyundai cars, which they purchased from a dealer and painted blue and white with an NYPD logo next to the words “Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol.”
The patrol vehicles read, “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect,” just like NYPD police cars.
“We go to the precincts during roll call so they know who we are,” Lou said. “We drive around with our lights on to let the bad guys know we are here.”
How about a Hungarian patrol? a lot of hungry people live in Brooklyn
