This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Tish James Says NYPD Should Have Consulted with Community on Barclays Policing

A police annex at the Barclays Center and a collaborate effort between police precincts would have been more effective, she says.

Earlier this week, the NYPD chose the 78th Precinct to keep order at the Barclays Center because of it’s station house’s proximity to the under-construction arena, but Councilmember Letitia James, D-Brooklyn, says there should have been more of a discussion between the police, elected officials and community groups before the decision.

The Barclays Center is , but it is a half-mile away from the precinct’s station house in Clinton Hill, while only a block away from the 78th Precinct’s station house on Sixth Avenue in Park Slope. 

“Police precinct boundaries are required to be coterminous with local district boundaries,” James said, in a statement. “The NYPD unilaterally making decisions regarding the alignment of police precinct boundaries might then call into question other local governmental agencies that are similarly subject to coterminality requirements.”

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to James, her solution would be to “place new officers in a police annex dedicated to the Barclays arena site,” with the 77th, 78th and 88th precincts working collaboratively. Developer Forest City Ratner, she says, should underwrite the cost of security. 

“There is no reason to cherry-pick from one precinct over another, and no reason to take vital resources from any precinct,” said James. "The most important factor is ensuring that the officers in these local precincts remain dedicated to community policing.”

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Prospect Heights-Crown Heights