We suspected selective enforcement when PSD lazily put up barriers in front of a single fire hydrant on Main Street. Was it just knuckle-headed or something worse?
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Selective Enforcement?
When PSD Chief Kevin Brown was confronted over an ungainly barrier set up in front of Bread & Butter Deli, he admitted that he set it up to prevent parking in front of the fire hydrant.
That’s right. RIOC’s top executive in charge of safety figured that a permanent barrier in front of a fire hydrant was better than an occasional car parking there.
Then, just in case, Brown made the barrier even bigger.
Fact Checking PSD Claims
First, let’s all concede that this is stupid right outa the gate. After all, one thing PSD does really well is write out parking tickets. Why cut off revenue that might cover RIOC’s bloated payroll?
And how does this help anyway, replacing temporary violations with a 24/7 one?
That’s why we wondered about targeting. Does PSD have bug up its butt over something about the popular deli, Main Street’s longest standing business? Bread & Butter Deli is Muslim-owned and managed. Is that a factor in the targeting?
One good way of finding out how selective this is involves checking how other fire hydrants are “protected” in the canyon. Compare like for like. Here is what we found:
At the nearest fire hydrant outside Good Shepherd Plaza, no barrier was found. But a marked RIOC vehicle was illegally parked without interference from Chief Brown’s intrepid enforcers.
And it wasn’t alone.
A private vehicle, not ticketed, joined in the privilege.
Is it selective enforcement, targeted?
That seems clear, but what’s not clear is an honest explanation of why?
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- MTA Boosts 7 Train and LIRR Service for US Open Tennis CrowdsThe MTA is boosting 7 train and LIRR service for US Open tennis crowds, providing extra trains and on-site staff at Mets-Willets Point to handle increased riders during the tournament.
- 700,000-home housing gap mapped by neighborhoodNYC’s path forward: meeting the 700,000 home housing challenge offers a roadmap for closing the city’s housing gap, with neighborhood-level solutions and coordinated action.
- Building Queens conference on Long Island City developmentLong Island City’s rapid development is driving discussions at the Building Queens conference, where stakeholders will address construction, housing, and the changing skyline.
- NYC Small Business Grant Program Invests $8.4 Million in Local Community OrganizationsNYC launches an $8.4 million small business grant program supporting community-based organizations to empower local entrepreneurs and boost neighborhood commercial corridors.
- Hate-crime charges after Central Synagogue Shabbat disruptionA man was charged with hate crimes after disrupting a Shabbat service at Central Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan. The incident raised concerns about worshipper safety and led to increased police patrols and community care.
Old RIOC, New Lawyer
President Jones has become better at saying RIOC cares.
2 COMMENTS