NYPD Tightening the Squeeze on Squeegees & Other Petties

NYPD's Chief of Department Joseph Esposito brought in the heads of station-houses from throughout Manhattan and the Bronx into One Police Plaza to re-up the Department's effort in making sure that officers are going after the smallest of crimes. With summons numbers down in each of the last two years, the Post says that police are trying to refocus their attack against quality-of-life crimes with a source coming out of the meeting telling them, "If you have a homeless person on your street, that's a threat." The station heads were shown photographs taken by an NYPD scout of problem areas in their neighborhoods: the "aggressive beggars, squeegee men, hookers and illegal peddlers." A source came out of the meeting telling the paper, "They want to get a hold of these quality-of-life problems. They really want to go back to basics." NYPD spokesman Paul Browne says that the effort was nothing but routine and one official told the Post the lessons were rudimentary saying, "If you know your squeegee men by first name, you're on top of this."

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By Billy Parker in News on February 15, 2009 12:03 PM

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nycnewsjunkie

Every other day the same exact people on the same exact subway lines asking for the same exact thing...

"Ive been laid off and I have hungry children", "I'm asking you for money because I want to stay straight and do right" and the old "Please I'm hungry can you spare anything."

Yes, I am Human and I do have a heart but its getting out of control. Its really irritating working all day and then have a cup of coins being shoved in your face. Ticket and get these people off the damn train.

SohoTimmy

LOL #8. Completely true. It's as bad as the 1st precinct's ability to do something about all the illegal vending in Soho and lower Manhattan.

Snoopy

Zey are artistes (said with a pseudo French accent) zat is vy they are not bothered.

Trotter

Oh. My. God. It's 1994 all over again.

Does that mean I've got my hair back???

Snoopy

Well kind of if you don't mind wearing a dark colored rug on your head. Or do a great comb over.

Snoopy

Giuliani was such a brave individual in his fight against those individuals that created this mess that we are in today. Maybe he should run for public office. Maybe community board member, or assistant adviser to the boro president nomination committee?

Giuliani was one of those kids that lived in an Italian neighborhood while growing up and the other kids use to beat him up and steal his lunch money. Along with his buddy Joe Bruno, former fire commissioner and now head of OEM. The two of them are pathetic.

Toby von Meistersinger

I guess it is Giuliani Time 2.0.

Snoopy

In other news... residents of the West Village are complaining of the high traffic of prostitutes, drug dealers and other undesirables haunting their neighborhood, yelling and screaming in the late evening / early morning hours.

Sixth Precinct Captain Blah Blah Blah says they are doing all they can, but due to lack of overtime and needed coffee breaks his officers' hands are tied. Hopefully with extra funding from Washington he can fill in the number of officers that could solve this problem. Or he could spend it directly by issuing more overtime to the officers in his precinct so they can bloat their pensions.

rikomatic

I hope this doesn't mean the return to the hyper-aggressive ticketing of bike riders again. I paid more than my share of fines during the Guiliani years.

I'm all for going after turnstile jumpers though.

NannyState

"If you have a homeless person on your street, that's a threat."

Well they had better prepare themselves to be severely "threatened". In this terrible economy the homeless population will soar -it already is soaring. Not all homeless people are alike so the NYPD's cookie cutter appraoch will lead to huge abuses. If the cops can't find a sophisticated way of dealing with the fallout of a depression/recession, then they should at least realize that they are one pink slip away from their very own squeegee bucket.

handsomedevil

Yes, but still, the homeless in your hood are a potential source of serious crime. (For example, this guy was apparently homeless.) You certainly want the NYPD to be paying attention. I like the final quote - "If you know your squeegee men by first name, you're on top of this."

But I agree, that doesn't mean harrassing people who aren't bothering anybody. Just keep tabs on 'em.

NannyState

That's the problem. Intermingled with the entrenched bums, crazies, and sex crimminals on the lam will be many ordinary people that lost their jobs, their homes, and their lives. By now the cops should know the baddies but when those newly homeless people pick up a squeegee to do anything for money, will that cop care about the difference? There will be abuses.

fakenewyorker

round them up and make them pull carriages in central park.

Jesse

Maybe they should do something about the gypsy cab drivers at the Jamaica LIRR station who harass every person who tries to get on the subway. Last I checked, in NYC it's illegal for a cab driver to hail you.

jaycjay

"gypsy cab drivers at the Jamaica LIRR station who harass every person who tries to get on the subway."

Yeah, it's horrible! You walk through and they actually say "taxi" to you! Terrible levels of harassment. You actually have to go so far as to just ignore them and walk by... it makes NYC life unbearable.

Snoopy

Obviously it's OK with the glorious Port Authority cops at JFK. There are three illegal cabbies soliciting riders every two feet in the baggage claim areas. But then again it's the Port Authority, a mindless organization that rapes New Yorkers every chance they get.