More cops are out on patrol in the 63rd Precinct, the station house’s top cop told community council members last week.
Speaking before the 63rd Precinct Community Council, Deputy Inspector Frank Cangiarella said that staffing inside the Brooklyn Avenue station house has been reorganized to ensure that cops in specialized and administrative positions are out on the street, looking for bad guys.
These steps are being taken as the precinct, which covers Marine Park, Mill Basin, Flatlands, Bergen Beach and Mill Island, is holding its own with a .97 percent drop in crime, as of June 1.
“Overall [crime] is down,” Cangiarella said. “But sometimes, we are the victim of our own success.”
According to NYPD statistics, 621 felony crimes were reported to cops from the 63rd Precinct in the first five months of 2007.
So far this year, 615 felony crimes were reported, officials said.
Cops are currently celebrating a 13 percent drop in robberies, from 95 in 2007 to 83 this year, statistics show.
Cangiarella said that he coordinated most of his resources to combat robberies.
“We don’t want to see anyone become a victim of a crime, but we especially want to focus on robberies, because there is a greater possibility that people could be harmed,” he said.
As they continue to ensure the safety of residents under their charge, Cangiarella bestowed “Cop of the Month” honors on two cops who thwarted a possible murder.
Sergeant Chris Quattrocchi and Police Officer Michael O’Donnell were honored for arresting a man driving through Marine Park with a gun.
Cangiarella said that the officers were patrolling the area back in April when they saw the suspect driving erratically through the neighborhood.
When they pulled the vehicle over, they reportedly saw a gun sticking out from under the seat.
The motorist was taken into custody, charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
“This just goes to prove that you have no idea what you are going to be facing during one of these car stops,” said Cangiarella, who credited the two officers for stopping a future shooting where someone could have been killed or injured.
Hoping to see an injury free year, cops are already putting out the word about illegal fireworks this summer season.
“Last year we led Brooklyn South in illegal fireworks seizures and we’re going to be doing it again this year,” Cangiarella said, who explained that his no-holds-barred crackdown even led to a father and son being arrested for shooting off fireworks this past Fourth of July.
“We don’t want to see anyone get hurt or get killed,” he said.
