By Daniel Massey
The private Lindenwood security firm that failed to report last month’s barrage of anti-Semitic graffiti to police in a timely manner has been replaced, but the change was already scheduled to take place before the bias incident occurred, a security official said.
Phoenix Services Protection Agency, a fledgling Manhattan security company run by former Lindenwood security worker Harry Rodriguez, took over from the Men in Blue security outfit Aug. 5.
Rodriguez, who worked with a private security agency in Lindenwood before Men in Blue was hired, said the change was decided on by Lindenwood’s Neighborhood Crime Prevention coalition before last month’s bias incident.
On July 11, residents of 84-12 155th Ave. woke up and discovered their building, sidewalks and garages had been defaced with anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Prompted by the graffiti assault, which is being investigated by the Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force, Rodriguez said his outfit would focus on combating vandalism.
“We’ll be concentrating on off-hour increased patrols, he said. “Basically that’s where we have most of our problems.”
Rodriguez retained five Men in Blue supervisors who were with him during his previous tour of duty in Lindenwood, but replaced all other staff.
–Daniel Massey
