Murder on Putnam: Will The Cops Show Up Now?
Long one of the biggest drug spots in the borough, the corner of Putnam and Grand has remained a big problem even as the values of the surrounding brownstones have tripled over the past 5 or 6 years. Living in the area for the past year, we’ve been amazed at the almost complete lack of…
Long one of the biggest drug spots in the borough, the corner of Putnam and Grand has remained a big problem even as the values of the surrounding brownstones have tripled over the past 5 or 6 years. Living in the area for the past year, we’ve been amazed at the almost complete lack of police presence on the block. So it was not a huge surprise when we heard 10 or 12 gun shots at around 7 pm on Monday. Turns out that one of the frequent dice games which the drug dealers and their hangers-on play on the corner had gone bad. Three people were shot and two of them killed in the incident. We gather that two of them were from the immediate neighborhood and one from a little further out in Bed Stuy. We can only assume that the lone candle on the sidewalk is for one of them. We’ve been unable to find any mention in any of the local papers about the shootings.
When called about the incident, Letitia James has given her stump-speech line about how there are undercover cops on that corner all the time and that they’re on the case. Right. How about a consistent uniformed police presence? We also realize that it’s hard to make drug charges stick (a valid point someone made the last time we brought this topic up). Not to pick on Ms. James, who has done a good job in some other areas (she’s certainly stuck by her guns on Atlantic Yards and has been very helpful to some neighborhood business owners we know), but she has failed quite miserably in marshalling the necessary resolve and resources to solve this particular problem. We doubt it’s from lack of concern (heck, she lives within four blocks of the shootings) and suspect that she just has no sway or leverage over the police in her district and not enough pull in the Bloomberg administration to go over the precinct’s head.
We are curious to hear from readers how they have addressed these kinds of problems in their own neighborhoods. It occurs to us that a good place to start is to contact Councilwoman James’ office at 67 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217. You can also call her at 718-260-9191 or email her at james@council.nyc.ny.us. If you’re feeling a little bolder, why not give Captain John Cosgrove at the 88th a call? He can be reached at 718-636-6511. And if you know anyone else in the press or in the Bloomberg administration, please forward them the link to this post.
Pivotal Condo Project for Clinton Hill [Brownstoner]
Also, Anonymous posted above that the corner there is ot necessarily a drgug corner and I would like to echo Anon’s sentiments there. I lived there when that was indeed a very busy drug corner. They had lookouts, scouts and the whole bit. Seems to me the action for drug deals has moved a few blocks further ino Bed-Stuy. This change was indeed a direct result of increased police presence on that corner.
The spot of the shooting is moreso a loitering/hangout spot. Mostly they just stand around and there’s also the occasional CE-LO or chess game going on. To be honest, I don’t even mind so much that they all hangout there. In three years, I’ve never had a single problem with any of the cats who loiter on that corner and I walk by them at least a handful of times every day. I’m not saying I feel obliged to hang out with them, but they have always seemed content to let me mind my own business.
Hi neighbors:
I moved to Downing/Putnam 3.5 years ago. It took me 2 months to get mugged in front of the Met and it was maybe another few months before there was a shooting on Cambridge Place, not even 100 yards from last Monday’s shooting. So to my knowledge, this is the second shooting on that corner within three years.
Having witnessed the aftermath of both events, I can say there has been a palpable change in police presence following each of them. After the 2003 shooting there were squad cars on every corner along Fulton from Downing to Vanderbilt for about a month. Additionally, there was a community anti-violence meeting/speak-out of some nature.
I believe it may be chronicled in one newspaper or another that the undercover agents who were in the neighborhood at the time of the first shooting were corrupt, as I understand via word of mouth that they were asked to tender their resignations in the summer of ’04. In fact, one of my friends told me that a couple of the dealers were brashly celebrating one day and handing out clippings of the newspaper article — could be rumor or embellishment.
All the rumor and FYI info aside, I can say that between these two shootings it really felt like the neighborhood had calmed for a long while. Only early this spring did it start to feel “lawless” again. Although I think “a little on the edge” is a more apt description than “lawless.”
My block is particularly family oriented, with the schoolyard being a constant draw for children. Even there, however, we have been victim to a break-in and a few minor “crimes of opportunity”.
I guess my point is that police and community, while influencial, do not address the underlying socio-economic factors. To read the blog entry about last Monday’s shooting, one would think there has been zero or ineffectual community and police response over the past several years. While the neighborhood certainly has a long way to go, I can say from firsthand observation that this is not the case. The drug action on the corner of Putnam and Cambridge is visibly far less than it was three years ago. In terms of observable street deals, it’s comparatively nil. I agree whole-heartedly that it would be nice to see the city take more interest in the goings-on of Clinton Hill, but it’s also important to recognize that the neighborhood has gotten much safer even just over the past few years and that deep-rooted socio-economic issues don’t vanish over night.
I dunno, food for thought or whatever I guess.
Also, I am interested to know where the 411 for this post came from, as I have heard differing accounts of the shooting from both of the local bodegas and yet a different account from the New York Post police blotter, which claims the shots were fired from a moving vehicle.
To the poster above, i don’t think people feel threatened by younger people moving into a new neighborhood and I definitely don’t think older residents have become oblivious to these happenings. What I think is happening is that with the influx of newcomers(mostly whites with money) comes this attitude of this is unnacceptable or outrageous. When their outcry’s for help and resolve has fallen on deaf ears. This type of attitude, I think to most people who have lived in these communities for generations comes across the wrong way. They’ve lived in these neighborhoods when they were crime infested and now when they are somewhat better.
As someone else mentioned, the value of black life is unfortunately less than that of whites. I don’t think anyone wants to live in a neighborhood where there is crime, regardless of what it is, but for all you newcomers, be a bit more sensitive to the this topic. I’m not saying to be accepting of this sort of behavior, but you knew what type of neighborhood you were getting into when you invested, so understand that change has to come from within the community. Also for those who don’t believe that this is a racial or class issue, think again. As long as you live in the US of A these issues will be present!!
Most of these guys on the streets, first of all don’t have an education, aren’t able to work, or have no desire to do so. Opportunities are quite minimal for them. In fact most black males aren’t suppose to live past the age of 21, which is a sad but realistic fact.
Now, just because you move into an area, doesn’t mean that the area is suppose to just up and change for you, life doesn’t work that way. You have to work to get anything done.
Unfortunately, and I hate to say this but it is true that less attention is placed on situations like these when black life is involved. Why this happens, I don’t really know, but it seems as though safety comes with the financial make-up of class and race in a neighborhood. And for those of you who don’t believe different, look at neighborhoods such as Bedstuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Bushwick(certain parts), Newark, etc..
I think the problem here is much deeper and i think Brownstoner, with the voice you have, as one person mentioned before, you shouldn’t be hiding behind this little blog.
I’m sure if I were to ask anyone else on this board if they would be willing to lend themselves to also caring about changing other neighborhoods that many of you despose. I’m sure no one would do such a thing!!! Unfortnuately if problems as these affect us or are within a small radias of where our homes that are valued at 1-3 million are then we start to want to care, but as for the rest of brooklyn, the slums, the hood as referred to on this site, where people die every damn day, where poverty and education standards are such big problems, who cares?? We have our own problems to worry about. Remember people, criminals aren’t just born and raised, they usually have no disdain for life because no one cared or was able to show them something different. So to all you gentrifiers, ask yourself this question?? Would you be willing to go outside of your neighborhood to help circumvent the problems that seldom frequent your quaint lifestyles?? Life is funny, isn’t it??
I’m sorry older residents feel threatened that younger people are moving in… NEWS FLASH that would happen anywhere else (maybe not Ft. Lauderdale).
For the person who said “murders happen everyday, move on”: what are you trying to prove, your callousness? I do not know of anyone of any age, race, culture that approves of murder close to home. I’m sorry you feel so defeated that you can accept such a low life standard that murder is an everyday event.
People are willing to make a positive change in the standards now… sorry it didn’t happen 15 years ago, but as many of you like to bring up- us young newcomers were only 10 years old, so we couldn’t help you then, we are willing to promote a change for the better now. Does our age, race, money matter enough to prevent improvement?
Just for the record dice games are gambling and the police have every intention of breaking it up. There was one in front of my house 10 days ago. Bunch of kids, very loud, though not violent. It was making me f****ing nuts. I couldn’t hear myself think and my kids were going to bed (this was about 10). I called 311 not expecting much (after I asked them to keep it down, btw. they were polite, but didn’t move). 311 took it very seriously and patched me into 911 because of the gambling. As I was on the phone, my husband walked in and told them to move it and they listened without even a sneer (sigh, the feminist in me heartbroken). Took off in their car and were gone. So, let’s not be so complacent and we should complain all the time about what we don’t like. And for the record, I’ve lived here 18 years — longer than some of these punks have lived period.
Linus, I’m dissappointed. You’re comments are usually so Poignant. Just to enlighten the group that’s unaware. The Dice game (Called CE-LO pronounced SEE-LOW)is an act of gambling. As far as I know unsanctioned gambling is a crime. So a crime of passion that comes from a crime of gambling could have been stopped in the first place if the crime of gambling was stopped!!! So as far as I’m concerned, I’ve never seen a Ce-lo game with a cop nearbye.
This spot isn’t a Drug spot… It’s where unemployed cats hang, and some live. And they all carry “heat” If a cop was posted there every day, for every day he stood there, there wouldn’t be ONE crime committed. I drive down the block no less than 5 times a day. And I’m always amazed that people call this the DRUG spot. No exchanges going on there. Just cats you probably wouldn’t want to live amoungst. It’s bad guy vs bad guy. I rolled head crack…. Pay Me!! etc.
Right on, Anon 8:21! I couldn’t agree with you any more! Tish James is a huge problem! She’s all form and no substance. Only interested in sugarcoating CH while ignoring all of its real problems. The sooner she’s out of office the better. Totally ineffective!
“All you do is complain about the neighborhood – but it’s only about the people who have long lived here before you came, or all the hipsters before you. Ranting about a neighborhood that you recently adopted doesn’t cut it for me. ”
Just because long term residents (and not all mine you) have readily accepted and condoned the criminal element in CH doesn’t mean that new residents must adopt their low standards. How long does one have to live in CH before one has the right to complain about poor neighborhood conditions? 10, 20 or 30 years?
“I have the luxury of air conditioning at home; if not, I’d be outside looking for someone to bullshit with a lot more than I do in the summer.”
Regarding hanging out on the street corners and the lack of A/C, give me a break. This is 2006, not 1950 when an A/C unit was considered a luxury item. Do you really want the public to believe that folks can afford $200 sneakers and $200 jeans but can’t afford a $200 A/C unit (new or used)? What about the guys who park their vehicles (SUVs) on the corners, whoop it up with their homeys and blast music all night long? I’m sure that they can’t afford A/C either….
Hey everyone…Tish James was put in her job because the Councilman before her was SHOT! Did we all forget???
That’s right, he was shot. He was also very effective on speaking out on violence. The irony. Although the race discussion does make me nauseated, w/t/f/ he was black, she is black. I am white. OK now that that is off my chest…he fought for safety and children and non-violence and he was killed by another stupid jealous non effective politician. Ms. James likes to wage her wars against white people (she hates to admit it) and of course some real stupid white people on the pretty blocks held pot luck dinners to get her in office in the first place. They are also the people who like to hold house tours. They are also the people who hate Ratner. Tish knows her job is to promote their interests while pretending to keep housing affodable for blacks. She however and I repeat got her job when her predeceesor was SHOT! Stick to calling the police and doing something and stop blaming each other for your skin color you are all getting me BORED>