By Ivan Pereira
The residents of Laurelton, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens will soon be taking to the streets to curb the growing crime that has been hitting their neighborhoods.
In an interview with TimesLedger Newspapers last week, City Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton) said he is in the process of setting up a citizens block watch program that will involve his office and the local development corporation of Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens and other community organizations.
These neighborhoods have seen a surge in violent crime, including murders and robberies, and residents have been living in fear and frustration, according to the councilman.
“We will go in cars and create a patrol,” Sanders said. “We will not have arrest powers and not have police powers. Our purpose is that if we do see a crime, we will alert the Police Department.”
The 105th Precinct, which covers the areas, has recorded 15 murders so far this year, double the number during the same period in 2009, according to police statistics. Robberies and felony assaults are also on the rise compared to the same time last year, statistics show.
The precinct, which is the largest in geographic area in the city, runs from Glen Oaks in the north along the Nassau County border to Brookville.
Sanders has been pushing for the city to create a new precinct to alleviate the 13-square-mile coverage range of the 105th, but due to a tight budget, that plan is not happening, according to the councilman. The block watch was the next best thing, Sanders said, and he is working to have it vetted by the NYPD and looking for residents to lend a hand.
“It’s not enough to wring our wrists and say someone else should solve our problems. We need to do this ourselves,” he said.
The councilman wants to officially launch the group in the beginning of January.
For more information, call Sanders’ district office at 718-527-4356.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
