National Night Out Against Crime 2009

By Sabina Mollot

The first week of August is normally one of the hottest and muggiest of the year and this week, so far, has been no exception. Still, even the weather didn’t keep the crowd away from National Night Out Against Crime, an event held every year on the first Tuesday of August for each police precinct and the area it serves.

National Night Out, now in its 26^th year, is aimed at increasing crime prevention awareness, although it also often serves as an opportunity for local businesses and organizations to promote themselves and for politicians and candidates to be seen before Primary Day.

For the 13^th Precinct, the event held at Peter’s Field on Second Avenue, drew its largest crowd in years, mainly neighborhood people looking for a place to bring their kids for carnival rides and clowns and some complimentary chow, courtesy of local restaurants. Local nonprofits like the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association and the Midtown East Stuyvesant CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) sought new members while Best Buy entertained kids with Wii games and a local chiropractor, Karl Bauer, offered free spinal exams.

At one point, Deputy Inspector Timothy Beaudette, commanding officer of the precinct, addressed the crowd to announce that crime was down overall in the city, as well as in the precinct by 4.8 percent. He also mentioned that the cops wouldn’t be able to have accomplished this without the help of the precinct’s Auxiliary Unit, which is currently in need of new recruits. The Auxiliary Police, who wear uniforms, but don’t carry weapons, are volunteers who act as the eyes and ears of the community, patrolling streets and reporting suspicious behavior.

“They donate their time and do a great job adding to our police presence out there,” said Beaudette.

He also thanked the main organizers of the event, members of the 13^th Precinct Community Council. Event sponsors included Associated Supermarket, Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden, 7-Eleven and Best Buy.

Source: Town & Village