RIOC Explains Why Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department Did Not Respond To Report Of Lewd Incident At Subway Platform Mezzanine And Reason For PSD Officers Stationed Inside Duane Reade Store

A Roosevelt Island resident reported on January 17:

Who should we call when there are people on our subway platform that need help? This morning as you get on the mezzanine my husband sees woman pulling down a guys pants to his ankles. Have some drug paraphernalia. Woman looks up at him and asks what are you looking at. Go to work. 

Called the public safety and they said we don’t have jurisdiction there and our radios don’t work Another guy called and he was told to call the cop in the booth.

I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels if RIOC had any comment on the matter.

Mr Daniels answered:

It's correct that we don’t have jurisdiction on the subway platform, the NYC Transit Police do. In those non-emergency instances like a lewd incident, the best thing for subway riders to do is dial 911, which is the fastest way to get those who do have jurisdiction on site, or alert the MTA station attendant. PSD will obviously respond if it’s a life-threatening emergency, but we still don’t have jurisdiction in the subways. 

What we mean about the radios is that PSD is not hooked into the NYPD radio system, so we can’t radio them for assistance.

Another resident asked:

I'm flabbergasted that PSD is in charge of Duane Reade's safety. I always thought they hired their own private security staff, but indeed, I paid attention to the uniform today and it's PSD. Why are public resources used for a private business? No bad faith on my part, just genuinely curious. I'm sure there is a reason

During the January 14 RIOC Public Public Safety Department Community Engagement meeting, PSD Chief Kevin Brown reported on the stationing of PSD officers inside the Duane Reade. According to Chief Brown in 2023 there were 161 Petit Larcenies at the Roosevelt Island Duane Reade. Chief Brown added:

... That's a lot no matter how you slice it. We put an officer specifically in that area and we went down in 2024 to 31. That is a dramatic decrease. That means that we're being proactive.

There were some people who say that that PSC resources are going to that area but this is what I can say about that. There were other things that would happen with these Petit Larcenies down there. Our neighbors, our residents ...  are being harassed by the people who are also committing these crimes so the officers being in the area are small deterrence.

Going down from 161 to 31 is a dramatic decrease, almost 80%. This is something that as a community that is the best way to go forward...

Here's the Duane Reade discussion.

Restart the video from beggining to watch the full January 15 PSD Community Engagement meeting.