RIRA Public Safety Chair Responds To Transfer Of NYPD Officer Assigned To Roosevelt Island
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee Chairperson Erin Feeley-Nahem answers those who blame her for the transfer of the NYPD officer formerly assigned to Roosevelt Island. Ms. Feeley-Nahem's comment below responds to this post on the Officer's re-assignment:
To those of you who need to blame someone and choose to blame me for Officer Fernandez' departure, GET REAL!
If someone loves his job, even if hundreds of people complain, he stays and fights. If somebody feels misjudged, his actions misunderstood, or he feels misrepresented by the opinion of 2 of the 12,ooo people he serves, is it really logical to think he would throw in the towel and split?
I find your ignorance amazing.
Is it really that difficult for you to believe that a seasoned cop would want to further his career, choosing not to waste any more of his time here? Do you really think that the Commander at the 114th punished PO Fernandez because 2 people, out of 12,000 requested information? Guerra claims he knows everyone there. I can't see him letting that happen.
Fact: I said nothing derogatory to anyone at the 114th about Fernandez. Face it, he just smartened up and realized that staying in this "dead end" job, where there is no chance of moving up, isnt much of a dream for a seasoned cop. Think about it, how exciting can it be to pull in a "thug" for smoking weed, or drinking a beer in the street? Stop fooling yourself. If it deflects your pain at being abandoned, go ahead,blame me. Although many of you report only having had positive contact with Officer Fernandez, there are others in the community who do not feel the same way. Just as you can bring your concerns to the various RIRA committees, or post them on this blog, those individuals did, they brought them to us. It is the job of this committee to look into problems that individuals have with the Law enforcement officers on this Island, and that is what we did. This was not my unilateral decision. I have no vendetta against him. I didn't even know the man. Try and stop being so naive. It makes you too easy to manipulate.
30 comments :
Wow. The tone of this response speaks volumes. Aren't you supposed to have a bit tact when you are in public office - no matter what't thrown at you.
Public Office? Its a made up commitee. If you even care to call it that. Bunch of grumpy nitpicking folks.
I am human,and try my best, on a voluntary basis to serve my community. If my tone seems strained, or harsh, forgive me. At times, especially in the wee hours of the morning, my frustration at what I consider to be slanderous remarks, that are made without just cause, may be reflected in my responses. Since my initial statement upon hearing the news that Officer Fernandez had be reassigned, I have tried to avoid falling into a defensive mode, but as I mentioned, I am a volunteer, not a politician.
Erin, you are a politician. You were elected to RIRA, and hold an elected position on the common council. You may also consider yourself a volunteer, since you are unpaid for the time you dedicate to RIRA. But you are a politician, and at least on the Island, a public figure.
Given that fact, your message was a little over the top and more defensive than is appropriate given your role. The same is true Officer Fernandez's self-serving "goodbye" message. Let's move past this unfortunate, inconsequential series of events, stop the finger-pointing, and get back to business.
Erin claims that her actions could not have been the cause of Mr. Fernandez' departure yet Mr. Fernandez' himself wrote of his decision to request a transfer that "This decision was made by me after a series of calls were made to my command requesting a change of scenery. Apparently, two members of the RIRA Public Safety Committee felt they represented the entire community when they stated that there was a need for some "New Blood" on the island. So, to those who made the phone calls containing false allegations, I say, “Your malicious attempts to taint an officer’s career ended up doing a disservice to the community you were supposedly representing.”" Luckily, it does not appear that the hearsay resulted in any damage to Mr. Fernandez' career but it is not possible to state as Erin has stated, that her phone call had "nothing to do" with Mr. Fernandez' departure.
Erin writes that she was only helping community members who might have had difficulty expressing themselves - yet she evidently had no trouble understanding them; what makes Erin think Mr. Guerra would have had a problem understanding them. The criminal justice system is geared to understanding citizens by providing interpreters if needed and by being sensitive to cultural differences. After all, this is a city of immigrants, and let's remember that people of all ethnic backgrounds are also represented on the police force itself.
Erin writes that the community members who expressed their concerns to her feared retaliation. If anybody in our society feels the local police department is going to harm them for any reason, they should immediately bring their concerns to the Federal police (FBI) or the office of the DA. Again, both of these branches of the US criminal justice system have interpreters and will preserve confidentiality.
Since the 1980s the NYPD has seen a dramatic decrease in crime. This is mostly attributed to the attack on quality of life issues, such as the beer drinkers, public urinators, graffiti artists, drug addicts, emotionally disturbed people, etc. The way NYPD carried out this plan has changed over the years. NYPD Police Commisioner Lee Brown introduced community policing to the NYPD back in 1990 as a form of crime prevention. For years after that you would see more police walking on foot, patrolling on bicycles and interacting more closely with the communities they patrolled. It was considered a good crime fighting tactic, at the time. In the mid 1990s community policing was supplemented with beefed up street crime units. By the early 2000s community policing had already been phased out completely by new police commissioners and replaced with the IMPACT program. Instead of having 'veteran' cops patrolling specific communities on bike or foot, you now had 'rookies' swarm areas of high crime. I don't know of any other community in New York City besides Roosevelt Island that still had a community police officer still posted to it. I would think it is common sense to not jeopardize a good thing if you have it. I have been retired a couple of years already, but I assume the thinking is still pretty much the same as it was in the early 2000s. Asking the NYPD for a change, such as a reassignment of a community police officer (which should not still exist in current NYPD law enforcement strategies) can be equated to an ending of a specific post. Sure, Roosevelt Island will still have a police presence, in the form of patrol cars driving through or in response to calls. Roosevelt Island will not have a swarm of rookies patrolling on foot, like for example, Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, because of the low crime rate on the island. The difference will be seen in the NYPD's strategy on Roosevelt Island, crime prevention versus a 'quick' response to crimes. Luckily, the Public Safety Department uses a combination of strategies. That is why you see PSD officers patrolling the buildings, officers patrolling on foot, bike and segways on the street and patrolling everything else in cars. Community policing in such a small town is important. As residents of Roosevelt Island, we should have a better appreciation of the job the Public Safety Department does.
Anonymous comments containing speculative charges will be removed. It is simply not fair and wrong to do that.
The 1:37 PM comment was removed for that reason.
Every day I say enough, but this time, this is it. Say what you wish but I no longer see any purpose in continuing this dialogue. With that said my plan is to move forward. Calmly I say Anonyomous..you're right..and I'm getting back to business.
I think we all have the same goal, ie: for all the Island's residents to be safe, and that goal is what I will continue to work towards.
I say moving forward the commitee should have public polls. If you are not getting enough people interested in actualy meetings bring it to an even more open forum. Such as a blog. All every resident a say, I have been to a few meetings. Each time, sitting in the audience I had to strain to here what was being said, and each time when it came to "speaking our minds" it was mummbled them moved on no moment of silence so someone could speak. It was more of hey we have it in the minutes that we asked, but we are not interested in it so we very quickly moved on.
First off, Erin is not a bad woman. She just made a mistake.
She is, however, mistaken when she says sarcastically "Do you really think that the Commander at the 114th punished PO Fernandez because 2 people, out of 12,000 requested information?"
The Community got punished, not the Officer. His good record apparently landed him a better gig. We are the ones who will be without his presence here. Instead of defending yourself - just apologize for making a mistake. Then, and only then, will you (and the community) be able to "get back to business."
Call me crazy but whats the big deal with Officer Fernandez leaving?. Is it that we now feel less safe due to public safety being unarmed and Officer Fernandez was the Islands basic armed response or serious incidents?. I dont feel any more or less safe with an NYPD Officer assigned here.
The retired NYPD said it well: Although PSD does an excellent job of protecting RI using a combination approach, we had been lucky to have had Mr. Fernandez, an NYPD community policing officer, assigned to us. Mr. Fernandez is now gone, and because of RI's circumstances, i.e. PSD is considered sufficient protection for an area which, in comparison to others, has a low crime rate, Mr. Fernandez will not be replaced.
My question to the RI community: Why is less of a good thing something we should be thankful for? This apparently is what some folks would want us to think, but their reasoning does not add up. We cannot possibly thank Erin or whoever was involved in the phone calls, for their actions. Those who applaud Erin should have their heads examined.
When Erin made the phone call requesting the transfer of Mr. Fernandez - someone she did not even know - did she not think this might actually happen? Erin should let us know if she feels less security is a good thing, because that is exactly what her phone call produced.
If she is happy with the result of her phone call, many of us are not.
In fact, community reaction to the circumstances surrounding the departure and non-replacement of Mr. Fernandez could be confirmed at an upcoming general RIRA meeting if the question is put to a vote.
We accept the outcome of the phone call but it seems that instead of acting for the good of RI, Erin's call produced the opposite result.
psd only goes after people who are harmless. they never get involed with the real cons on this island
I am neutral and neither am pro or against PSD, but I have been up to date with the blotters and they have some pretty interesting arrests. Some violent and some not so violent. Gang assault, gun arrest, assaults. Its not so much of a resort this island but I cant say they dont anything.
I would love to know who from public safety said they don't need firearms. People stop Monday quarterbacking. We have our own police force already intact we cry for police presence but we dont support our own officers. What does NYPD do that public safety doesn't? In fact public safety goes beyond the call of duty for this place and all we do is throw them to the wolfs. I would like to see you guys respond to domestic dispute, robbery, burgarly, assault, or any crime in progress without a firearm and see how you would feel being in there shoes, any law enforcement officer would tell you they would never do that job without being properly equipped not even the other public safety department that are in NYC .. So I say stop complaining and help fight for your officers to be armed and you have your own police force to count on 24/7 ... Does anyone know that public safety has been fighting to get armed why don't we as a community step up and fight for them. Be realistic here people it's not like there just going to give them a firearm without having to be trained or qualified. So keep hope alive because NYPD will not place someone else here. Start supporting your own troops them ones right at 552 main street . The ones that respond to those calls and the noise complaints or the vehicle that drive recklessly.. We fight to equip our officers better then there won't be a need to have NYPD here at all...
Jean would you go after a real con.. Not being properly equipped and making $15 an hour .. I don't think so
Its not $15 per hour, its about $22 and hour from FOIL request a couple years ago. No idea what it said for Sergeants and others. The above 2 posters have a point. I would not go after a con without having protection. I say give them what they need to better protect us. I am on board for this to become reality for them. Why have a NYPD cop here for $95,000 a year fighting crime, as opposed to have $45,000 a year officers fighting this island crime, which we already pay for.
I agree that the NYPD will not respond to youths in the hallways, staircases or just noisy neighbors all day and night as these guys do. They will laugh in your face and do a 180 away from your door. Also, which is quicker? calling the PSD number with a direct link to officers in the field, or 911, which on average takes about 4-5 minutes from the time the 911 operator gets the call, to the time it gets dispatched and to the time a nypd police officer gets the call and drives over the bridge, gets in an elevator and makes his was to the confusing buildings of landings or the other buildings on the island. Why doesnt RIRA and the public safety committee work on fixing public safety? Typical political fashion of screwing the good things up.
Some of you are missing some big points. If you read everything, you will see that yes, Erin made the call to the precinct, but so did Romaino. And, who is he?
Also, the notes from their meeting were shared on this Blog. That's where everyone got to comment. So, it wasn't just the phone calls that gave PO Fernendez the impression that he was not wanted, it was also this Blog too.
I bet nobody thought he would leave. The sad thing is that he's not being replaced. Erin and the Public Safety Committee think they're going to work with the next one.
Personally, I don't think there will be a next one. But, even if there was, don't you think the new officer will consult with Fernandez to get the jist of how the assignment is. When the new Officer gets wind of how wacky the people are here - he or she will ask to be gone as well.
What a terrible response from someone that is supposed to be chairing a committee on Public Safety matters for the benefit of the residents here.
Is this who you have selected Matt? Come on, you can do better than that. She should step aside and that Romaine guy too.
Assign someone who knows diplomacy and reality.
11:10am, that was the best post yet.
People , Let's get real. In my 59 years of living and 31 years on Roosevelt Island, I've learned belive very little of what we hear and NONE of what we see ! We only know of 2 phone calls made.That is not a suffice number to have a office reassigned. Furhermore ,We need to ask ourselves How many residents called before these 2 were made?? Now, We all need to be thankful of a resident group that addresses complaints regarding Law enforcemnt..Again , I state Let any resident try to go into PSD and lodge a complaint againt an officer and see how far we get..Yes The Public Saftey Committee is not perfect but they are trying !!!
As quiet as kept there maybe a new NYPD officer coming to the Island real soon !!!!Everyone stay tuned .....................
That was the old public safety chief who swept things under the rug. With a new law enacted and will be evolved shortly, a complaint can be filed with the state and they will follow up on all complaints against all state law enforcement officers.
Well people the chicken has come home to roost...All those crazy accusations made by J.M that there were 2 people that caused officer f. to leave the Island was not only wrong but J.M was known to be fabricating the entire event.All this time everyone thought it was Erin and Rlomaio.It was proven by the Commanding officer when he visisted Noboby got this officer into trouble.(JM) has -No- credibility anymore !!!
I totally agree !! All that smack by jM..If she made that up i can only imagine what she was telling this officer..I received a phone call last night ,I was told she displayed inaappropriate behavior at the council meeting they threw her out !!!
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