Dumbo NYC

Notes from the DUMBO, Brooklyn NY neighborhood


NYPD Sky Watch Deployed to Dumbo

March 27th, 2008


(Photo courtesy of epc)

The NYPD deployed Sky Watch yesterday, a “mobile platform for surveillance, assessment, and response” on Front Street between Adams and Pearl Street in Dumbo Brooklyn. We haven’t had a chance to check with NYPD how long they’ll be there, but could this be a result of the recent crime in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill? The menacing looking Sky Watch has high powered sensors, cameras, mics, and spotlights and was rolled out to high crime areas of Crown Heights and Harlem in 2006. We’ve seen a lot more foot patrol in the area since the Precinct meeting last week, which is great, but is this over the top?

{Increased Crime in Dumbo at Night, 11Mar2008}
{84 Precinct Council Meeting, 12Mar2008}
{Arrest of Three Men in Vinegar Hill, 18Mar2008}
{Sky Watch: For Officers and Overseers, 09Oct2007, Razor Apple}

Filed in Dumbo Improvement, Dumbo Tidbits, Front Street at 1:15 pm
Comments
  • car theft victim #1322
    +1 on the car theft in the neighborhood.
    Some a$$hat ripped my rear spoiler from my car 2 weeks ago. parked on the corner of front st. and jay by the witness pking lot.
  • loose stool
    For what its worth, I haven't locked my car for years. Obviously you can leave nothing in it of value but there is no protection with the doors locked anyway. Maybe 2 or 3 times over 10 years here has someone gone through my car taking loose change, gum, even a half eaten bagel. It sure beats replacing a window.
  • justaquestion
    Cars are being broken into at night on York Street and Washington Street. This has been going for the last four nights. For those of us who park on the street.......please call the 84th precint 718-875-7811. Now that the skybox is gone, it seems that certain individuals feel that Dumbo is a prime target again. Does anyone think it is possible to get the Dumbo BID involved and have private security patrol. I know that in Brooklyn Heights, specifically, Garden Place used to have a private security. I love living in Dumbo and don't want certain elements to ruin the joy of living.
  • Beware of the scam artists at the York Street Train Station. There is two of them that work as a team. One is a girl who is usually the lookout. She has a ponytail with curly hair, purple schoolbag, about 5'6 - 5'7. Always standing at the entrance. The other is a black male 5'8 - 5'9, 150-160 lbs, approx 25yrs old. Their m.o. is the guy will bump into you pretending you broke something of his then ask you for money. The girl will wait for a target then follow them up york street stopping them midway and beg for money so the cops won't see her.
  • Sid from Brooklyn
    http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crim...


    latest crime stats for the 84th....crime is in a free fall although robberies show an increase
  • Mr. Dumbo
    Has anyone here walked the Manhattan Bridge? What an unsafe feeling garbage infested rathole of a path it is. As nice as they keep up the Brooklyn Bridge, it is just the opposite on the 'M". Whats the deal with that?
  • Mr. Dumbo
    Paging Grunt andf Woof. Paging Grunt and Woof...Don't stop now. Love a good fight. Perhaps you two can duke it out at Gleason's Gym?
  • Mike (not mikenyc)
    The Tower of Fun is gone already?
  • Ihatemikenyc
    There really should be "Now Entering Bum Zone" and "Now Leaving Bum Zone" signs put up. Or maybe a "Please Don't Feed The Bums".
  • pete
    Smokey and Cracky have been outside P&P for about 3 years now. They've hit the jackpot. You should ask them "for a little help" when you walk by. Don't forget a "God bless..." and maybe they'll take care of your ticket.
  • mike d
    maybe she can pay for my new parking ticket
  • vince
    sorry, i'm new to the neighborhood...what exactly do smokey and cracky do? if they are the people I think they are, they are constantly hanging around that grocery store, and one evening on the way to manhattan I saw her counting a WAD of cash while waiting for the F train!
  • Mr. Dumbo
    No sooner did I post it then she shows up. Curses!...Perhaps her fan club requested a return engagement.
  • Ihatemikenyc
    I was told by someone that chats with her alot (*shudder*) that she has AIDS from IV drug use.
  • mike d
    nah, she was working her corner last night
  • Mr. Dumbo
    It seems to me that Smokey and Cracky have been away for several days. Could it be that they are GFG (Gone for Good)???
  • JJJJJJJ
    Sigh. This is getting so useless.
  • woof
    P.S. I've only ever posted as T bone before unlike I am sure many people here who change their name all the time.

    And bring it on. You are the "tough guy" who is hiding behind your computer.

    I am not stooping to your level anymore. I am over this.
  • Grunt
    Well apparently T-Bone and Woof are the same annoying poster. Great.

    You're pretty funny "tough guy". You don't want any of this, I assure you. I'll kung fu your nosey ass into tomorrow.
  • woof
    Grunt- You don't know me at all and based on a couple of posts you feel the need to pass judgment on me? Like I said, if you really look, you will see that I do not comment on everything. Not even close. But if you consider posting on two subjects being an opinionated busybody, well.... I’d much rather be a busybody than an a**hole.

    Regardless, this is not the place for unwarranted personal insults or for this personal discussion. If you would like to continue to insult me, I would prefer you do it to my face. I'd be happy to have Dumbonyc give you my contact info.
  • joendmbo
    This is what we get for teasing the police for EATING PIZZA. Like they don't deserve a hot meal? No wonder they rolled this Trojan Horse into our nabe.

    On that note...

    PLEASE ==== if there are any true criminals or libertarians out there reading this and you want to do some 'good' ==== PLEASE roll this pathetic "Sky Watch" gimmick into the East River.
  • Grunt
    Hmmm....because you're a pain in the ass opinionated busybody who comments on everything. Thought I said that already...
  • T bone
    So Grunt- I am not allowed to respond to a personal attack you made against me for no other reason than to be mean and rude?

    I would love to know why you have singled me out? In the past 2 weeks or so, I have posted on 2 threads- the new vet group and the skywalk. I have definitely NOT commented on even close to "every friggin' thread" as you say. There are certainly plenty of people on this blog who have posted as much, and more, than I have. So I had a couple of posts in the same day- I had some time on my hands. Sue me.

    I am not perfect, but I believe in being kind to others. What you posted was completely not necessary. To disagree with me is one thing, to berate me simply for having an opinion is in really poor taste. I have done nothing to you- why publicly insult me?
  • ?
    Dear Grunt, I heart you.
  • Grunt
    Oh GOD! See what I mean?
  • dieselfuel
    more guns on the streets=more violence. You have to be stupid to think differently.
  • T bone
    Nice. You are a lovely human being, Grunt. You were clearly raised well.

    If you care to notice, I comment on the things that are important to me- dogs and safety. Those two things happen to be the focus of several recent entries, hence an increase in posts from me. If you don't like "hearing" me then simply do not read my comments. There is no need for your nastiness.
  • Grunt
    I'm really tired of "hearing" T-Bone's comments on damn near EVERY friggin thread. I guess she feels she must burden all of us with her opinion on everything under the sun on a regular basis. Ugh.
  • Johnson
    Amen to that, roadkill. Even liberals must acknowledge police cannot physically be everywhere at all times. Basic common sense tells us the hooligan gangs will simply wait to pick a time and place when there are no police around to attack.

    But at least the police have done something tangible to respond to this crisis for the moment. I applaud their deploying the tower.

    However, it clearly raises the question of what is the longer term solution. While Front St. between Washington and Jay will be safe to walk for the near future, what about after that? And what about all the other streets in DUMBO?

    Hopefully a Supreme Court decision in the current DC gun control challenge case may bring a more enduring solution by restoring citizens rights to effectively defend themselves from violent attack.
  • roadkill
    I'd rather NYC relax their ridiculous and unconstitutional firearm CCW regulations than have my streets lined with cameras. Probably make people feel safer if they were allowed to actually defend themselves. Liberals have a lot to answer for.
  • T bone
    I ignore stupid comments like "just put a fence around Dumbo". Those people are clearly here simply to stir things up and not to comment constructively or seriously and it is doubtful that they are the same people who complained about a lack of police presence. I would venture to say most people who complained about the lack of police presence are happy about the increase (and you'll see there are several comments to that effect on this thread). But they also want to make sure it is effective and in the right places. "Ihatemikenyc"'s comment, for example, was not negative, it was an observation that perhaps the cops were not closely monitoring the best areas.

    Anyhoo, comparing cameras on the street to cameras in our homes is simply ridiculous. And just because there has "always been crime in the neighborhood" does not mean it should just be ignored by the community.
  • Joe
    Hmmm - to suggest that we will have cameras in our living rooms and bedrooms because there is a camera on a public street is absurd. There is no expectation of privacy on a public street.
  • ?
    the first six comments until jessmiss showed up were negative -- saying it was overkill or just generally poking fun. gotta say that burned me up too.
  • T bone
    Once again,I must ask- What "people" are bitching about the police presence???? The majority of the posters here said they are happy to have the increased police presence. Read the posts please before you overreact and respond to them!

    And please, the old "fence around Dumbo/Farragut" joke/comment is getting old. It's been said a hundred times before on this blog. Please stop.
  • snoopdog
    damn shizzay, guess i cant smoke my wizzay outside anymo
  • dieselfuel
    i can't believe you people are bitching about the police presence in the your area. first you complain about no police around when people are being mugged and now you complain that there is too much police. you people are never happy. i now hope the cops leave and let you whiners fend for yourselves.
  • Sid from Brooklyn
    You remember that Captain Able said he would do what was necessary to make sure this was under control. He was ridiculed on line here for saying that. He also said that it would be helpful if the door people came out on the street instead of staying in the lobbies. The response by some that it wasn't their job. Crime prevention is everyone's job. The police have responded now its your turn.
  • hmmm
    I'm sure most of you will feel much safer when we have cameras in our living rooms and bedrooms. You deserve it. As for crime in the neighborhood it's always been here and the Police response from my personal experience was never lax. Please for your own safety if you have recently moved to "Dumbo" go straight from your condo to your parking garage to your car so as to avoid any contact with the natives.
  • DOT
    If this is a response to the recent crime then THANK YOU NYPD. It shows that our voices are being heard and our concerns are being addressed. The station may not need to be a long term solution, but I think it speaks volumes and definitely will intimidate in the short term. Perhaps just enough to make the perps reconsider targeting the neighborhood. Anything helps and whether this is for bridge safety or resident safety, it's a welcome addition.
  • T bone
    I just want to point out that Dumbonyc simply asks the question - "is this over the top?" So far only one person has responded that it is "overkill", so I am not sure who ALL these people are that are ridiculous and who seem to never be happy.

    Personally, I am happy to have the increased police presence. However, most of the time, I see them all chowing down at Front Street Pizza together and not patrolling the streets. I don't know if this sky watch thing is really necessary long term, but hey, it can't hurt for the time being. Makes me feel a bit safer.
  • TJ
    I'm really glad to see the NYPD here, and I'm guessing that, since they went to the trouble and expense to bring in an elevated booth, it is necessary. Thanks NYPD!
  • John
    you are all ridiculous. first, you're complaining endlessly about how the police don't care, there's nothing you can do. then, the police respond. yes, they actually respond. and now, you even suggest they're going overboard? if they added some patrols and the crime continued, you'd be bitching that they haven't done enough and don't really care--that the patrols are just for show. be happy that they're doing their jobs and trying to fix your problems. absolutely ridiculous.
  • jessmiss
    Jeez, it seems no one is ever happy in Dumbo - first about little safety and now about some extra security. At least people will be safer now and that is all that matters, folks. Also, consider that maybe the cops know something more - something that everyone else does not and maybe this thing is warranted? Consider also that it may serve a dual purpose - have you ever heard those extremely low flying nypd helicopters in the middle of the night. I suspect it has something to do with bridge security. Maybe this thing serves that purpose as well??? I personally feel much safer with it than without it - at least I feel I can go out for a pack of smokes at midnite without having to think twice about it.
  • cantevenffordrent
    that will be good for condo values.
  • BrooklynLove
    or a fence around dumbo ...
  • mikenyc
    Why not put a fence around the Farragut houses? The crime would drop to zero in a second..
  • Ihatemikenyc
    At the community meeting, the cops said they knew that the assailants in the recent attacks came for the Farragut Houses. What I don't understand is why they don't monitor the entry points for the neighborhood and track anyone who matches the general description of the criminals.
  • peter
    I like to call it African American Watch !
  • johnnylaw
    The skywatch tower is definitely overkill. And the increased police presence seems to spend the majority of their time loitering outside J Condo's front door, as opposed to, oh say, patrolling the nieghborhood.
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