Town Hall Looks At NYPD Training, Pay
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Last December, less than a month after five police officers fired 50 shots into a car outside a Jamaica strip club killing Sean Bell and wounding two other men, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced the council would hold a series of town hall meetings citywide and public hearings at City Hall to address police training.

"One of the reasons the Speaker wanted to have these meetings is to really and truly work at developing ways the relationship between police and community can be strengthened," Councilmember Helen Sears said at a neighborhood forum held February 13 for the Patrol Borough Queens North command (104th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 114th and 115th precincts).

Councilmembers Peter Vallone Jr. and Hiram Monserrate, and NYPDs Chief Douglas Ziegler (Community Affairs) and Chief James Tuller (Patrol Borough Queens North commanding officer) were also present for the two-hour forum at Elmhurst Hospital Center that was notable for its civil tone.

"Obviously, this is a very important issue in the community, to make sure that another Sean Bell doesn't happen," said Jenny Fernandez, representing state Senator John Sabini.

"The Sean Bell case is troubling because it seems to continually happen to people of color," said Danny Drumm, a district leader and a member of the gay and lesbian coalition in the community.

"NYPD needs to improve. Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima, Sean Bell, these names are forever linked to the police department," said Ellen Kang, a local resident.

"There is nothing wrong with our police department," said Lucy Schilero, president of the Coalition of United Residents for a Safer Community and a member of Community Board 4. "The big problem is enforcing laws on the books," she said noting that violations at Club Kalua in Jamaica, where Bell was shot and killed, should have closed it.

"I have a question about profiling in Latino and African-American communities. Our young men are stopped and frisked," said Ruby Muhammed. "I want to know why. And whether that club [Kalua] was closed or not closed, Sean Bell should not have been killed. It was wrong."

"The largest city in the world underpays their new [police] recruits," said Nick Pennachio, a member of Community Board 4. "What college graduate wants to go to work for $25,000 a year?"

"Everyone knows we're in the most ethnically diverse part of the world," said Tony Moreno, a member of Community Board 4. "Many crimes are not reported in this area." He called for a greater police presence along Queens Boulevard.

"Clearly, our police force is undermanned and underpaid," Vallone Jr., chair of the Council Public Safety Committee said. Vallone Jr. said there has already been one public hearing before his committee as a result of the Bell incident and there would be at least three more held on the topics of stop and frisk, oversight and community policing.

"I know as well as anybody there are some police officers out there who shouldn't be out there," said Vallone Jr. indicating it was a small number, one percent out of 37,000 police officers. "We have the best force in the entire United States of America and we can't lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of our police are doing a great job."

Chief Tuller suggested that enrolling in the Citizens Police Academy would help citizens gain a better appreciation for the job police do. "I think that will give you an understanding of what we do and why we do it," he said. Tuller also recommended coming to a roll call or signing up for a police ride-along at local precincts. "Community policing is still here," said Tuller, saying the police were sometimes negligent in "putting the word out".

Chief Zeigler called the forum "a civil meeting and exchange of ideas" compared to those he had attended in other boroughs. "You have to be interactive with the police on a regular basis to understand what we do," he said. "I think we can serve you better if you understand us better."

Monserrate, a former NYPD officer, agreed the majority of police, "go out and do an outstanding job every day". "But we have to realize that there are some cops who don't do what they're supposed to be doing," he said. Citing recent data on racial profiling, Monserrate said, "There are issues that exist and there's no denying that these concerns occur primarily in communities of color."

Sears closed the forum by urging people to stay involved. "I think we are very blessed to have a police department that is as committed to the city of New York as all of you are to your community," she said.