Just days after we published our story about PSD misconduct, a report in the Roosevelt Islander blog exposed more frustrations. Folks are mad at RIOC’s biggest, costliest and least effective department.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Everybody’s Mad at PSD
Let’s be clear. It isn’t personal. Everybody I know likes Kevin Brown, Public Safety’s Chief. Everything about him vibes good guy, caring and sensitive. But something is missing because despite that, Roosevelt Islanders are increasingly pissed at PSD.
The Roosevelt Islander piece covered reactions to the covered benches along Main Street in front The Landings being removed. The feelings were mixed, but whether a resident liked the action or not, one sentiment rippled through…
“Public safety has had years to do their jobs and clear out the overnight loud partying on those benches and they haven’t…despite being 100 feet away in their HQ. It’s a shame we can’t rely on PSD or RIOC to do the bare minimum on this island, but tenants shouldn’t have to suffer because of it,” one resident wrote.
It wasn’t isolated.
Commenters were universally upset by noise and drug use on the benches, but another wrote this.
“The problem is that PSD doesn’t intervene- I live above the 560 benches in a street facing apartment and I’ve called PSD countless times at 2am for loud partying on those benches… PSD comes over, gives them a fist bump, chit chats, and heads back to their HQ- they don’t issue tickets, they don’t break up the party- they just go over, say hello, and leave.”
Frustrated for a Long Time
Almost since we launched The Daily, we’ve fielded complaints and observed PSD’s careless ineffectiveness. Briefly, changes appeared after vigorous shaming but never lasted. When he still talked with us, we confronted Chief Brown about traffic safety. His main defense was that the offenses were no different than in Manhattan. “We’e not Manhattan,” I told him, but he apparently disagreed.
The Trouble With PSD
Most of us don’t understand this. For the most part, there is no reason for PSD’s existence on Roosevelt Island. That’s because we pay our taxes. We pay a significant chunk in city taxes. We pay for the services everyone else gets in every neighborhood. Most of what public safety claims they do we already pay for with NYPD.
Why do we need extra protection? Well, we don’t and RIOC’s own statistics show us why.
In year-to-date statistics reported in May, PSD notes 9 total “crimes,” none of which resulted in an arrest. This hardly calls for a 50-member force that includes 4 earning six figure incomes.
So, what do they do to fill the time? Nothing much really, except ride around with their official vehicle windows rolled up. Farther down the report, it registers 1,105 Calls for Services/Responses. Assuming 40 active officers, that boils down to 27.6 calls for each of them – in 150 days, roughly one every 5 and a half days.
WTF?
Over 80% of the activities involve these…
- 40% – “Aided EMS.” That’s directing traffic around ambulances, an unneeded nonemergency service that doesn’t take place in the rest of the city.
- 16.11% – “Investigations (Non Crim)” whatever on earth these would be. If they’re not criminal, why are we investigating them?
- 20.09% – “Found Property.” Really?
- 5.6% – “Disputes (Verbal)” PSD rushes in when a couple of guys yell at each other.
This is a far cry from the situations related by Chief Brown in meetings. He talks about domestic disputes that, according to PSD’s own reports, never happen.
Is It the Culture?
Somewhere along the line, it got into people’s heads that we needed extra security, but nothing bears that out. PSD is RIOC’s largest department and takes in more than 10% of its total budget, and for what? Not much if their own statistics are to be believed.
On the Other Hand
If people are mad, sometimes it isn’t justified. For example, a major surprise in their report is that they take no credit for permitting.
“It’s a bear,” one RIOC manager says. The manager is describing the permitting process. This process allows the use of tennis courts, athletic fields, and indoor spaces used by nonprofits. Because competition is fierce for some of the assets, other RIOC departments augment PSD’s efforts.
But PSD tackles this 365 bear only because it willingly took over responsibilities when misappropriation of funds was suspected elsewhere. That was circa 2020-21, and new systems had to be created as public availability returned after the pandemic.
One of PSD’s longest tenured officers, Wanda Coleman, sits as the head of the permitting process. Although there were some bumpy moments at the start, the general consensus is that it operates effectively now. The bear is subdued so far.
Finally…
In every operation there’s a mix of good and bad, of appreciation and frustration. Nobody scores 100%, but the weight against PSD leans heavily toward mad and/or disappointed. Overstaffing for nonexistent needs plays a role as does a near total absence of transparency. Accountability is skewed as well with silences in the face of serious incidents and a refusal to answer tough questions.
An overriding concern is that PSD operates in a bubble, and RIOC executives stay out of their way. Any department with so much leeways and so few guardrails will provoke distrust. Roosevelt Islanders paying the bills need clarity or, at least, trust that someone oversees PSD from outside. Clearly, we don’t have that.
So, now, everybody seems mad at PSD about one thing or another. It’s time for an objective review that determines needs, proper staffing and behavior. Until then, the mad will repeat, and no one will benefit. Once more, it’s time that RIOC’s board roused itself from slumber and did its work in overseeing operations.
As the Dust Settles
The way the wind cuts across the river this time of year. The way older buildings hold heat but never quite hold air. I told myself that was why my chest felt tight again on certain mornings. Age, perhaps.
The reason we don’t need PSD is because we have PSD. We needed PSD until we got it and if it’s taken
away we’ll need it again.
Not buying that. PSD’s an expensive accessory that does little or nothing for us. Maybe a much smaller version, but what we have now is a senseless waste of money.