Roosevelt Island Public Safety Officers Assist Resident With Livery Cab Driver

Image from RIOC

In response to some of the comments to this post concerning the May Roosevelt Island Public Safety report, a reader responds with the following:

I think people need to relax and stop worrying about public safety so much. I say hi to all of them and they say hi back. They are honest workers trying to make a living. People with your comments make me want to sink the island.

Notwithstanding the "sink the island" comment, I think the reader has a point. We should all acknowledge the improvement in the Public Safety Department over the last several months and the valuable contribution made by the Office to the quality of life on Roosevelt Island while remaining vigilant to any errors in judgment or abuses of authority.

Here's an example of the good work done by the Public Safety Department. The July 9 Public Safety report reported that:

Assault/Resisting Arrest/Harassment- Subject stopped by PSD in violation of Unlicenced TLC. Fled scene and charged and two Officers injured.

Public Safety Department Director Keith Guerra provides some additional information on the incident.

An island resident was picked up by an illegal taxi / livery cab at
COSCO. The driver tried to charge her $20.00 for the ride, stating he
had to go over a bridge. She told him she had never paid that much
money for the same trip she often takes. He started yelling at her, so
she called Public Safety. We responded and ascertained he did not
possess a valid TLC license and his vehicle was not registered properly
either. When the officers secured his paperwork, he pulled off and spit
at the woman who he had picked up. The officers chased him and when
stopped by the traffic at the Motorgate Ramp, he exited his vehicle and
moved aggressively toward the officers shouting. He was told he was
under arrest and resisited arrest. He pushed a Sergeant to the ground
and then the Deputy Director secured one of his hands. They fell to the
ground and the Deputy sustained a dislocated finger. {Name Deleted} was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Failure to Comply and Resisting Arrest. He was processed at the 114 pct.

And:

FYI I forgot to mention that when our officers brought {Name Deleted} to the 114 pct., they were told he had been previously arrested multipletimes for the same thing. (He faught with NYPD officers as well.)