Black Rock & Riverside Residents Meet With Police to Reduce Crime
Patricia Abbatoy
Riverside ReviewApril 27th, 2000: Residents of Riverside/Black Rock and D-District officers rolled their sleeves up and began working productively on ways to reduce crime in the community.
Over 140 people packed the community room of the D-District station house Thursday night to open the lines of communication. The meeting was organized by the Concerned Citizens Group and sponsored by the Riverside Business Assoc., the Black Rock Business Assoc. and the Riverside Review.
Many of the residents who sat outside the police station prior to the meeting expressed skepticism, and felt this might be another gripe session with police. Most left the station a little over an hour later, however, feeling more hopeful.
Doug McKenzie, president of the Riverside Alliance told the Review after the meeting: "I think the community did a nice job in supporting the police." He was also "very happy that the business owners worked with the community" to support the event.
West Hertel Community Action Assoc. president Mark Brockmyre commented, "positive gets you things, negative gets you nowhere." Chief of Patrol Lawrence Ramunno moderated the meeting, and set the ground rules.
"We're not here tonight to be ragged on or beat up," he said. Since many problems facing the people in Riverside are universal, he and other officers discouraged people from "going off on a tangent."
Lt. Mark Taggart of the Narcotics Division, D-District Captain Thomas Krug, Lt. Duane Rizzo, Lt. Mike March, Gang Suppression Unit Officers Al Monteforte and Don Genovese and Community Police Officers Joe Luciano, Dennis Alessi, Dennis Kessler and Lynn Parker-Boyd also attended.
The number of people who came to the meeting impressed Chief Ramunno. "This is a tremendous turn out," he told the crowd. "It shows a tremendous commitment … You're showing me more than lip service, and it makes me want to give you my all when I see a commitment like this."
"The work they do is taxing," Ramunno said. D-District officers provide coverage to people living between Main Street and the river, and from Kenmore Avenue to the Peace Bridge on the West Side. They received 8,000 calls for service this quarter, and they report that arrests are up by 20 percent this quarter compared to the same time last year. The D-District Gang Suppression made 500 arrests last year.
Despite their hard work, Chief Ramunno says police officers often "get blamed for all of the social ills in a community" and that there's "a lot of cop bashing going on." He recognizes that there may be some cops who are "rude and lazy" but reassured residents that most are not. "Ninety-five percent are doing the best they can," he says, under difficult circumstances. "Don't let a few cops tarnish the rest of us."NARCOTICS
Drug activity is a major concern to the people of Riverside and Black Rock, and Chief Ramunno admits that at times "it's out of control." According to Lt. Taggart, when drug dealers were cleared out of the East Side, they found "fertile ground" in Riverside/Black Rock.
"If you put one out of business, there's always another waiting to step in," Taggart said. He acknowledged that there are some 'active, big drug dealers in this area."
"The big thing," Taggart stressed, "is to get rid of the customers." He also advised residents to "compile as much information as possible" when calling or writing to the Narcotics Division about suspected drug houses.
The Gang Suppression Unit officers and district liaison officers investigate initial narcotics complaints.
Farmer Street resident Donald Kellner asked what landlords could do about tenants who use or deal drugs. Taggart's advice is to put a clause in their lease stipulating that if a tenant is arrested on drug charges, he or she will be evicted.
One resident complained about drug activity and hypodermic needles in the area of Marion Street and Bridgeman. Lt. March promised to look into the matter. Another resident asked if the GSU would be patrolling the area around the lighthouse in Riverside Park. "They've been there already," Lt. Rizzo answered.
Residents gave both Lt. Taggart and Lt. March lists of suspected drug houses in the area.
PATROL
Police visibility and response times were high on the list of priorities. Ramunno told the crowd there are 132 officers assigned to D-District and at peak times there are as many as 9 cars in service (including the Gang Suppression Unit). He explained the number of cars assigned to a district is based on the "number of calls for service, type of calls received and officer safety issues."
As a result of cost costing measure implemented by the department over the winter, there is money in the budget to provide bike patrols during the warm weather months. The patrols are expected to begin this week. Inspector Degenhart will detail the patrols where they are most needed.
Many residents complained that their calls to 911 go unanswered. Ramunno told them that the department has a computer aided dispatch system. Some times, due to the shear volume of high priority calls, much lower priority calls never "reach the screen." The average police response times for most high priority calls is about four minutes.
One resident asked if radar could be utilized on Niagara St. to prohibit speeders. Ramunno explained that there is radar on Niagara St. and Vulcan on a "sporadic basis."
Finally, Chief Ramunno advised citizens to contact Insp. Degenhart if they have problems or questions about police patrols. "If Insp. Degenhart can't help, call me."
QUALITY OF LIFE
Kellner's complaints about "$100 cars with $10,000 stereo systems" brought the loudest applause of the night.
"Noise ordinance complaints are one of the biggest problems we have," according to Chief Ramunno. One thousand city ordinance violation summonses were issued last year. There is a common belief that summonses can only be issued for loud music after 11:30 p.m. This is not true. "There is no time frame," he emphasized. Basically, if the music can be heard three houses away or a certain number of feet from the curb, it's too loud.
The noise ordinance also applies to bars. It's a "pet peeve" of both Lt. March and Lt. Rizzo that bar owners ignore this. One resident complained about crime taking place in local bars and wondered if the State Liquor Authority (SLA) will work with police. Lt. Rizzo agreed with him, noting that the SLA has just closed down two bars in the district, The Well and Reagan's.
Police have also conducted "mini-raids" on other local bars, checking for underage age drinkers.
Others complained about "gang activity" on Tonawanda Street near Lier's Deli.
"How many years have kids been hanging out at Lier's Deli?" Lt. Rizzo asked. "That's been going on for a long time…if you're going make a complaint, make it a legitimate complaint." For example, are the kids engaging in illegal activity? Are they breaking the curfew? Using drugs? Drinking alcohol from open containers?
Chief Ramunno praised the work of the four Community Police Officers at D-District who handle quality of life complaints and frequently go to bat for the public on these matters. "They do a terrific job, and they're here to do your bidding and do your service."
Bonnie Eschborn of Beatrice St. asked about the department's dress code, while complimenting the officers present on their professional attire. "I'm a stickler for that," Ramunno replied.
However most people in the room applauded and laughed when another woman commented, "We don't care if they show up in their pajamas as long as they show up."
As the meeting drew to a close, Chief Ramunno reminded the people of Riverside and Black Rock "There is a lot of good, hard working cops out here. Give them kudos when they deserve it."
The members of the Concerned Citizens Group thank the following organizations and people for making last week's community meeting a sucess:
Grace Funeral Home; Copier Systems (755 Tona-wanda St.); Jolly's Restaurant; Bill Christy; Concerned Citizen Group President David Spinda; Riverside Review; Riverside Business Assn.; Black Rock Business Assn.; officers and staff of the Buffalo Police Department; North District Council Member Joe Golombek, Jr.
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IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES: D-District, 669 Hertel Ave. Chief of Patrol Lawrence Ramunno. Ph: 851-4527 |
Information on drug activity can be mailed, phoned or faxed to the Narcotics Squad. Give as much information as possible such as a description of the people coming and going, names, license plate numbers, whether the front door, back door or side door is used, and what time of day the activity is greatest.
