Monday, December 31, 2007

Cops told to look the other way

There were 5 or 6 people playing paint ball in the north end of Basin 3. I could hear machine gun-like noise and splats from pretty far away. As expected, they were trashing the place. I called 311 to report the incident, which the operator referred to as "Criminal Mischief". I call it trespassing and vandalism of city property. Within about 20 minutes an unmarked police van with 4 officers arrived. They were quickly followed by a patrol car with 2 officers. I pointed them to the area of the basin near the pumphouse next to the Jackie Robinson. I was a distance away and watched as they disappeared around the corner. A few minutes later they all emerged, but without any of the guys with the paintguns. As I walked towards them I heard the sound of the paintball guns starting up again.

Trespassing & Vandalism Supported by 104th Precinct

The officer who appeared to be in charge was a big guy with a shaved head, Officer Solomon, from the 104th Precinct. He told me, "We know these guys, they're good kids and we were told to leave them alone. Better they do it down there than on the street where someone could get hurt." I replied that I had been to meetings and had phone conversations with the Queens Commissioner of Parks, Dorothy Lewandowski, as well as Highland Park Administrator, Debbie Kuha. Both said that the paintball players vandalized the fences and trashed the forested basins, but that they've had trouble catching and stopping them. Officer Solomon replied, "I don't know what to tell you, we've been told to leave them alone."

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is nothing surprising about this report except that the person who wrote it actually seems to believe that this type of police reaction was something other than standard procedure.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I see now why crime is down...

Anonymous said...

Aren't paintball guns dangerous?

Anonymous said...

A lot of paintball guns look like real guns! Why are these kids shooting at each other in a public park?

Anonymous said...

This may be part of Bloomberg's "Operation Take No Action"

Anonymous said...

"Better they do it down there than on the street where someone could get hurt"

So doing it in a public park is better than doing it on a public street? What kind of asinine logic is that?

Anonymous said...

One day, a kid's going to get shot by a cop responding to a call that there is someone walking around the park with a gun.

Anonymous said...

"Officer Solomon replied, "I don't know what to tell you, we've been told to leave them alone.""

By whom? Gallagher? On behalf of his developers who want that property?

Benepe? On behalf of his concrete and artificial turf friend$?

Bloomberg? To further destroy the morale of the NYPD and to impress on the park-owning public that they can just go shit in their hats? While Bloomberg is emperor, just pay up then shut the hell up!

Anonymous said...

a previous poster had the right idea. Whenever you call the police to report an incident you have to exagerate to get them to respond, in this case telling them that a bunch of people were getting their heads blowing off with sawed-off shot guns, in the park. Then maybe, just maybe, they might go over and investigate.

Anonymous said...

All part of the plan......
the police follow orders....
the place gets paint splattered,
grafitti covered, vandalized and totally ruined.

So, when Parks Commissar Benepe
takes his tour and says.....
"This place is badly in need of a redux....
just look at the disgusting conditions
that exist here".....
nobody is supposed to object!

Now the NYPD has been directed
to join the service of the tweeders!

If just one of those cops
had been hit by a paint ball....
they would have been dragging the perp's ass
into some quiet bathroom for a beating!

NY-stapo!

Anonymous said...

Were these kids "Black"?

I doubt it!

If that were so.....
and they happened to be scratching
their noses or opening up
some silver packaged "Snickers" bars
for a quick snack.....
it would have "gone down" like this:

"GUN.....GUN" !

And they would have been shot dead on the spot.....
at least 15 rounds apiece!

An NYPD cover-up would soon follow
in accordance with "proper police procedure"....
eh....Commish Kelly? !!!

Anonymous said...

Oh....how stupid of me.....
for not realizing the obvious.

Benepe is now going to call
for the building of a new paint ball gun park
so that these "underprivileged" vandals
can have a nice legal spot
to vent their violent desires!

Hey Pete "junior" Vallone.....
you're always coming down on grafitti vandals.
How about going after these dangerous paint-ballers?

It is a matter of public safety!
(Oops....sorry I woke you up from your nap).

Anonymous said...

Maybe those were actually cops
honing their marksmanship skills....
using it as a paint ball combat range.

I was told by a retired cop that an "officer"
is required to qualify on the police firing range
ONLY THREE TIMES A YEAR!

No wonder they have to "spray and pray"
when they open fire on an assailant.

By G-d they're lousy shots....
and can't hit the broadside of a barn!

Welcome to "safe city" where the perps
appear to practice better gun safety!

Anonymous said...

The kids who play there aren't exactly wealthy and that paintball equipment is expensive, as are the ATVs that run roughshod all over the park.