After a record low year in crime, Canarsie cops are poising for the challenge of keeping the downward trend on track.
Overall, crime in the 69th Precinct was down just over 11 percent for 2009, according to Captain Milt Marmara, the precinct’s commanding officer, who gave members of the Friends United Block Association (FUBA), gathered at Temple Shaare Emeth, 6012 Farragut Road, an update on the precinct during that group’s January meeting.
“Statistically speaking, 2009 was the best year on record since 1993, when we began recording statistics,” noted Marmara, who told the group that, of the seven major crime categories, the only one that showed an increase last year was robbery. But, he added, to some degree, that reflects the success the precinct had the previous year, when it scored a record low number of robberies.
Indeed, the year 2009, Marmara pointed out, was the precinct’s “third best year” for robberies; nonetheless, the precinct was up 11 robberies for the year, compared with 2008.
All in all, there were 1,062 major crimes committed in the 69th Precinct in 2009; that number includes not only robberies, but also murders, rapes, burglaries, felonious assaults, incidences of grand larceny and incidences of grand larceny auto (GLA).
That means, said Marmara, “You’re maybe getting three crimes a day at this point.
“Ideally, I’d like to get it down to zero,” he added, noting, “There are still things we can do to reduce crime now. We don’t rest on our laurels. We will continue to work harder in 2010.”
As 2010 gets underway, there is still an issue with robberies in the precinct, Marmara said.
Specifically, he cited a pair of “early morning robberies near South Shore,” in which people waiting at the bus stop were “mugged,” as well as “a couple of robberies involving young male blacks, accosting older women, grabbing their bags and knocking them down.”
What can residents do to assist the police in bringing crime down even further?, one man wanted to know.
Let the police know if you’ve witnessed a crime or any untoward behavior, Marmara advised. A quick call from a bystander, he recalled, helped the precinct nab three perpetrators who had robbed an elderly woman on Election Day.
“The best advice I can give you is look out for your neighbors and if you see a suspicious act, let us know,” Marmara told the group.