Drug Dealing Hotspot in Crown Heights?
This was recently posted Brooklynian.com: Is it me, or is the drug dealing on St. John’s and Franklin out of hand? Perhaps it is me, because I am around during the day and I see it. But as clear as day I see hand offs, and guys going to their stash in nearby garbages. I…
This was recently posted Brooklynian.com:
Is it me, or is the drug dealing on St. John’s and Franklin out of hand? Perhaps it is me, because I am around during the day and I see it. But as clear as day I see hand offs, and guys going to their stash in nearby garbages. I guess I am just surprised by how obvious it all is. Are the cops on the take or just don’t care?
A number of follow-up comments suggest this is indeed a hot-spot. Anyone have anything to add about the history and current status of this location? This is the 77th Precinct’s turf: What have people’s experiences been with them? Maybe these new streetlights will ameliorate the problem.
I don’t think it’s appropriate to cherry-pick your drug dealers. You can’t separate the pot dealing in Park Slope from Franklin Ave, and it’s only a ridiculous sense of entitlement that would make one try. If you buy illegal drugs, you’re supporting the illegal drug trade. Period. That means you’re supporting blight like this — even if it isn’t in YOUR neighborhood.
In my younger days, I always thought drug dealers made excellent neighbors, because they didn’t want any trouble. I’m no longer convinced that’s true — not sure if I’ve gotten older and stodgy (possible) or if the trade is in fact more violent and random than it used to be.
Back to the Franklin Ave topic: I seem to remember reading some broker copy about Franklin Ave being the “new” Bedford Ave. Thoughts?
Ok here is one part of this that was ignored. The police usually don’t respond or do anything about drug dealing unless someone has a gun. They have to actually catch someone in the act of dealing to really arrest them. They are business people and have figured out how to do their business. They get sloppy now and then, but they are fully aware of how to play the law. If you call 911 about drug dealing, they will ask you if anyone has a gun. The gun part will seal the deal for them and they will make a move. Here is my theory. Everyone’s gotta eat. There are people that have jobs and get paid and people that hustle and get paid. The cops know this. The city knows this. My experience in Brooklyn shows me that in any given neighborhood the MAJORITY rules. If the majority is Hasidic Jews, they dictate the behaviors and rules, In white neighborhoods, people sip wine on their stoops. In the Lower East Side the cops have been told not to respond to noise complaints because Bloomberg has declared it a “party zone” and it would be bad for business to tell the bars to keep the noise down. In poor and working class black neighborhoods there is a percentage of people that have to hustle to make a living. As long as that hustling is not hurting anyone, causing other crimes or drawing large numbers of complaints, then its business as usual. It keeps things status quo, people eat and no one gets hurt. Clampdown and well, what will folks do? Especially with high unemployment levels. The cops know its happening, but unless its really causing a problem to surrounding businesses and threatening people’s lives they do nothing really. They can’t, its majority rule basically. So until the majority swings the other way and people keep complaining, the 77th probably can’t do much.
Was at Franklin Park two nights ago. I like that place a lot.
“Triffle presumptious, no?”
probably, but seriously its a blog comment, try not to be so sensitive I obviously have no clue who you are in real life so what difference does it make and why get so bent out of shape – its more about interesting discussion than anything else
i was hoping to actually talk about the state of crown heights? surprisingly, no one has yet mentioned franklin park…
wow, is it a full moon or something? Breath deep.
Okay – now you are being boorish, FSRQ. First you think I am a DA and tell me what to do, now you know I am a public defender and tell me how to feel about my work and my clients. Triffle presumptious, no? Tend to your own gardening, thank you.
fsrq–somehow I dont think Putnamdenizen is in need of your advice about how to do his job. I get the sense from him that he is pretty damn good at it.
Putnamdenizen – nothing wrong with being a public defender – you dont have to justify yourself – but if you are LAS heres a bit of advice – stop being such a ‘believer’ some (most) of your guys are guilty and you do them a disservice by ALWAYS waiting for a “better” plea deal – sometimes all that comes is a prepared DA who realizes he/she has got a slam dunk conviction and doesnt need to plead it out…….