Roosevelt Island Has Above Average Domestic Violence Issues Says PSD Chief During Community Engagement Meeting Earlier This Week - Also, Discussed Were Roosevelt Landings Package Thefts, Bicycle Patrols, 3 Robberies This Year, Illegal Promenade Driving, Illegal Parking, Homeless Camping Out Inside Buildings & More

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department (PSD) hosted their monthly Community Engagement meeting on October 17 at Good Shepherd Community Center. Given only one day notice of the meeting, about 15 residents attended to hear the presentation by PSD Chief Kevin Brown and ask him questions about community concerns.

Chief Brown began the meeting announcing that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness month. Chief Brown noted that Roosevelt Island:

... has above average domestic violence issues. Half of my complaints a year are attributed to some kind of domestic violence. It runs the gamut, partners, spouses, children, parents...

Chief Brown reported:

... as far as violent crime on the island, we've had three robberies this entire year. 

I've heard some people say that we've had a lot of crime issues. We've had three robberies and of the three robberies, two of them were young people, one was a student from the Child School and he robbed another student, took his Airpods. Another one was two kids from a a group home. Again they took the Airpods. The third one was a person that took some property from Wholesome. It was a larceny but turned into a robbery because they bit the person at Wholesome... Those are our most violent crimes on Roosevelt Island... 

Other issues discussed by Chief Brown included:

• Bicycle patrols from 7 am to 11 PM every day (particularly effective on the Promenade),
• Illegal driving on the Promenade (Wesview and Rivercross building management were told not to allow Maintenance workers to drive on the promenade),
• Illegal parking on Main Street (Cars are being summonsed and towed),
• 460 Main Street (problems starting up again),
• Homeless camping out in building particularly Roosevelt Landings,
• So far this year, there have been 26 crimes on Roosevelt Island, 14 of which are assaults,

Most of the question time centered around package theft at Roosevelt Landings. A resident asked Chief Brown for help stopping packages from being stolen in the buildings. Chief Brown said he did not think the thefts occurred as often as some residents do, but PSD will look into the matter and reach out to the building management.

Chief Brown was asked for updates about the May 2023 stabbing at Bread and Butter Deli and the May 2022 altercation between a Frito Lay delivery driver and PSD officers in the Deli. Chief Brown said the deli stabbing victim was uncooperative and no arrest has been made. Chief Brown added that regarding the Frito Lay delivery driver, there is:

... no outcome in her case yet, she's still in criminal court...

No mention of any internal investigation regarding the PSD involvement in the altercation with the delivery driver.

Here's video of the full meeting.

Mark your calendars tentatively for the next PSD meeting, scheduled for November 14th at 6 PM. It's an excellent opportunity to stay informed and contribute to the betterment of our community.

— Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@RIOCny) October 18, 2023

Roosevelt Island crimes this year not mentioned by Chief Brown during his presentation include:

• bloody stabbing inside the Bread & Butter Deli, 
• teenager stomped on and beat by a group of other teenagers,  
• hate crime assault arrest, 
• husband of a PS/IS 217 teacher assaulted outside the school with a knife, 
• man arrested with a loaded gun on Main Street,
• arson set in Roosevelt Landings AVAC garbage room
• Assault incident involving group of juveniles harassing an adult at Blackwell Basketball court.

UPDATE 10/24: 

Roosevelt Landings C+C building management spokesperson responded on October 13:

Roosevelt Landings is equipped with secure lockers in the lobbies to prevent package theft. If an incident of theft occurs, we advise residents to notify management and file a report with the Public Safety Department. We take all reports of such incidents seriously. It's of the utmost importance to us that residents feel they can securely receive their correspondences and packages at Roosevelt Landings.

The C+C spokesperson added that if the secure lockers in the lobbies become full, management contacts residents to pick up their packages in the office.