Man With Handgun Arrested By Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department, Graffiti Arrest And 2010 Public Safety Statistics

Image From Misconceptions Of Silver Handgun  For Illustrative Purposes Only

On Sunday afternoon, I received a tip from a Roosevelt Island resident about police activity and an arrest on the West Channel Drive between Starbucks and 475 Main Street. I asked Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Chief Keith Guerra what happened. Mr. Guerra replied with the following:

On Sunday, January 16, 2011, at 3:18 PM, a large group of males (approximately 8) was observed in front of 579 Main Street fighting. PSD Members responded to the location and the group dispersed in different directions.  Two individuals present at the scene (Island Residents) were apprehended and escorted to the Public Safety Department.  The alleged subjects immediately notified Lt. Yee that another male involved in the altercation had pointed a handgun at them and told them to get back or they would be shot.

Lt. Yee then notified the other PSD Officers on Patrol and provided a description of said male.  The Officers proceeded to pursue the other subjects, who were observed heading south on Main Street.  The subject fitting the description of the male with the gun was apprehended on the West Drive by Sgt. Hernandez, Officer Gilmore and Officer Cruz.   During the  apprehension, a silver handgun fell from the subject's person. The handgun was secured by Lt. Yee.  This subject was charged with two counts of Menacing, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Disorderly Conduct. Three other subjects were also apprehended and charged with Disorderly Conduct.  All four subjects arrested were Non-Island Residents.  The two Island residents who provided the information were released without incident.

These types of Incidents are never easy to deal with.  The Officers were diligent in their response to the initial scene, and then in apprehending the four subjects, one who possessed a handgun.  The bravery shown by our Public Safety Officers (who are unarmed) to pursue a male known to be in possession of a firearm is incredible.  I salute them for a job well done.

Director Guerra also reports on a separate incident of a graffiti arrest this past weekend:

On Saturday, January 15, 2011, at 8:39 PM, Sgt. Hernandez (PSD) while on patrol, observed three male youths (one island resident) in front of the Roosevelt Island Post Office walking southbound.  Sgt. Hernandez then observed one of the males throw some unknown objects on ground. With the assistance of P.O. Fernandez (NYPD), the male subjects were stopped initially for littering.  A bottle of blue paint and a thick red marker where recovered at the scene. Further investigation by Det. Vernet (PSD) and Det. Rivera (PSD) yielded seven spray can tips and another thick marker.

One subject while being questioned with his parent present, stated that he and the other two males were responsible for twenty-five percent of the graffiti at the motorgate.  All three males admitted to being in the motorgate for the purpose of grafitti prior to being stopped.  A search of the motorgate was conducted and fresh graffiti was found in stairwell BB. The subjects were processed and charged with Criminal Mischief: Graffiti, and Possession of Graffiti Instruments.
[They had also been arrested by the NYPD Vandal Unit on charges unrelated to Roosevelt Island.]

Patrols had been increased in the area of the Motorgate after several complaints of Graffiti had been reported.  An exemplary  job was performed by the three PSD Officers and the NYPD Officer assigned to Roosevelt Island.

Below are the 2010 Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Calls For Services/Responses statistics. The statistics show  a total of 1864 total Calls. The largest number of calls was for the category of Aided (EMS/Transport Cases) with 639 followed by Investigations (non-crim) with 298 calls and 193 for found property.

According to the statistics, there were also 19 assaults, 16 robberies, 12 burglaries, 7 grand larcenies, 2 grand larceny auto and no murders or rapes. There were 3455 "A" parking violations and 412 "B" traffic violations.
2010 Public Safety Statistics