Friday, July 13, 2007

Guardian Angels Coming to Carroll Park After "Hooliganism" Controversy

Carroll Park

The tales of "hooliganism" in and around Carroll Park continue to reverberate. This morning on his WABC radio talkshow, Curtis Sliwa said he would be sending Guardian Angels to patrol the park. One of the issues raised by parents that related the tale of teen "hooligans" in the park and by GL readers is a slow police response to calls and complaints by residents and what has been described as a lack of concern by responding officers.

In the meantime, Borough President Marty Markowitz has also taken note of the Carroll Park "hooliganism" episode. He emails a Carroll Garden resident to say:
We have spoken to the Commander of your police precinct and to the Chief of Patrol Brooklyn South.....I am confident that you will hear directly from them and I sincerely hope that will help....Marty
The story, of course, got more traction today when it appeared in the New York Post with the headline, "Park Punks Amok, Bklyn Parent Outrage." (Writer Patrick Gallahue notes that GL first reported the story.) It describes the situation thus:
A gang of teenage hooligans has turned a quiet Carroll Gardens park in into a war zone for Brooklyn brownstone parents.

For two straight days, bands of teenage terrors have run wild in Carroll Park, cursing at grown-ups and nearly catching innocent little kids in the crossfire of their rock-throwing and slap-boxing matches, several parents told The Post.
One of the parents whose emails in the Bococa Parents Yahoo Group sparked the story, wrote yesterday:
I became involved because of the teenagers' angry and aggressive reaction to the very nice lady who first asked them quite politely to move over just a bit so as not to injure our children. I might add, our children had been standing next to us for quite some time and the teenagers came over to them, not the other way around. The park, in my view, belongs to everyone, not just a couple of unruly teenagers. It isn't some sort of Hobbesian arena and we don't visit it at their pleasure...

Did I believe these teenagers would respond so badly? No. Should we have walked out of the park without saying a word to them? It certainly would have proved easier and safer. But I don't doubt some other family would have drawn their attention quickly enough.

I called 911 because these teenagers continued to seek us out and to escalate the situation. I also believed, because of their reaction, that they were likely a danger to others in the park, even if we left.

I stuck around because I was told by dispatch to "wait" at the park and that officers were "on their way." I called them twice again because the police were apparently not on their way, I didn't particularly want to stick around forever, and the situation was getting worse. Once we left the gated children's area and had to move through this gauntlet in order to head home, I believed it was quite possible someone -- either one of our children or one of these teenagers -- could wind up hurt while accomplishing that goal. I did not want that to happen.
GL is going to now go out on a limb and guess that one probably won't be able to bend over and pick up a toy in Carroll Park in coming days without seeing someone in an NYPD uniform. Or a Guardian Angel. Or both. We'll also guess that if someone unfortunately has to call 911 from the park again there will be a somewhat faster response. Now, if someone can address the issue of setting up more constructive activities for neighborhood kids and providing them with more places for supervised recreation, we'd really be making progress.

UPDATE: WABC's George Weber, who anchors the news in morning, emailed to say that it looks like there are eight police officers in Carroll Park as of 3PM. He writes "I walked thru carroll park at 3pm and they had...four cops (this never happens), two community service cops (in white shirts) and two uniformed cops patrolling the park." Plans to send the Guardian Angels are on hold given the, uh, police presence in the park.

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25 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This story shows the power of blogs these days. Got picked up by several then the NYPost.
Am sure they are bit hopping mad at the 76 precinct. They don't like bad publicity.
Glad people stand up for their rights.
Good going!

12:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love GW, but I have no doubt the post's author - a photojournalist - fed the story to the press.

Excuse me while I continue laughing over the use of the word "hooligan". Can they also be "juvenile delinquents"?

This whole "controversy" makes me want to see "West Side Story" all over again. Or "Hot Rods to Hell"

2:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just read about this in the NY post today.
I lived right near Carroll Park for 3 years now and to this day I have not really seen any of this or had any idea it was going on. But Ill tell you one thing....If any of these little punks tried to step to me they better bring their A-game because I wouldnt tolerate any of their bullshit.
Violence is the only language these kids understand.
Thats the only solution unfortunately.

2:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Miserly Bastard...where are you!? Come out to play you punk a$$ beeyotch! Your pal Sliwa and the Poat seem to totally disagree wid youse, ya two-time loser.

4:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I saw a circling patrol car, 3 cops, including 1 captain, 4 park employees.

All this because one friggin' overentitled helicopter parent INSTIGATED an incident. The kids DID NOT bother the child or the parent.

I need to move, and quick.

4:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey 76 precinct- a little embarrassing huh?..got called out by the people...all you had to do was send 2 cops 3 blocks away, the first time you were called, you didnt, even after 0ver 5 calls, now i bet half you cops are reasding these blogs...the community is watching you

4:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

can someone pass on the information to the guardian angels that they are welcome on sackett street any time?

5:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is a helicopter parent, anyway?

Two words: corporal punishment.

I know I'd like to see the kid who wanders up and down 1st Place singing at the top of his lungs (off-key and horribly) get a severe caning.

Given Bloomberg's authoritarian tendencies, I'm surprised he hasn't imported a little Singapore justice to NYC.

6:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

this whole thing pathetic, INCLUDING the big bad "photojournalist," i.e. vulture, or in this case, just another Carroll Park RAT. sure, the kids could be jerks but they're KIDS-- what's the excuse of all the histrionic parents again?

anyone giving props to Curtis Sliwa are so beyond ignorant about his history it's unbelievable, although in the virtual reality of arriviste blogs nothing should surprise me anymore. but hey, his politics today are TERRIFIC...
aren't they? (aren't they?)

the power of blogs? the power of WHITE blogs-- for WHITE people with A LOT of green, baby-- & that means $$$, not the bike lanes in Brooklyn Heights (which I love just because it annoys them.)

ya'll wanna bitch to create a virtual South Brooklyn gated community, go right ahead but please, stop deluding yourself about what you "know" about your little patch of the 'hood, what you THINK your "power" is, and what that represents across Brooklyn & across New York City.

power to the people-- how much do the police officers in the 7-6 make again? patrolmen, sergeants, & detectives for starters, we'll deal with brass later. the good parents of "Carroll Gardens" (fake racist real estate name) haven't used their "power" to lobby for decent contracts for the cops... or have they?

now, tell us the median income of the loudest complainers. it might also be VERY interesting to find out the immigration status of the workmen they hire for all their various renovation projects.

Q1: will big bad Curtis Sliwa whip off his bowling jacket & make a citizen's arrest if he finds out of any of them are illegal? how about that Salvadoran nannie? hey, ** i ** think she's GREAT, make no mistake, but Curtis... i dunno. (& most people can damn well afford to pay her more also.)

Q2: has there been a bigger ruckus over SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN in recent memory? remember that the next time any non-white, non-rich person is attacked, or dies in a work-related accident, or is severely injured in Brookyn, if you even hear about it, which is certainly NOT a given.

OF COURSE I remember all the good rich white people of 11231 raising an outcry when that girl in Red Hook was struck & killed by a Dept of Sanitation snowplow a cpl years ago... don't you? ALL of the parents were furious, marching on City Hall, demanding an explanation becuase they KNEW-- they KNEW-- it could happen to anyone, anytime, & just because that poor girl was on the wrong side Hamilton Avenue...

oh wait, that didn't happen did it? huh.

where were ya'll then? & where are ya'll with regard to garbage transfer facility on Court St, a block-- ONE BLOCK-- from where some of those kids might live?

thanks in advance for your thoughtful answers.

wwib

p/s: if any cops DO read this, sorry ya'll gotta deal with THIS nonsense & hey, fuck Popeye too.

8:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On the way home from the F train I saw two uniform cops on Smith Street near the park, and two more on Court Street near Kane. I haven't seen that many just hanging out ever before (unless there was a parade or something).

9:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

p/s: hey-- apologies for typos, there is something about this font that messes my eyes up (for real) & thanks to GL for at least being a forum in this controversy.

in short: nothing should have happened & thankfully, nothing DID happen.

ya'll should think about A LOT of others much less fortunate in EVERY regard (not just $$$) next time. doesn't mean ya'll don't have rights-- everyone does-- but PERSPECTIVE.

pps: "Hot Rods to Hell"? AWESOME! where did you pull that from? should be shown as part of Carroll Park film fest.

wwib

11:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So now the Police have to come to the Park and supervise your children. Why not just send them directly to the Pct, we will set up a jungle gym and do the parents work for them. But god forbid the police use the tiniest bit of force to arrest one of these so called "Holligans" the same people that are crying for police protection will be the first ones to look to hang the Cops.

10:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I will go out on a limb and say the GL hit the nail on the head - where are the older CG kids supposed to go? Many of these kids have probably been going to Carroll Park since they were babies. My kids and their friends try to get pick up baseball games going provided and yes the kids that are being labled "hooligans" are invited to join in. The big problem they have is being kicked off the field by an adult "team" that has a "permit'. Remember, one day today's current crop of Carroll Park toddlers will be pre-teens and teens.
I agree with GL that there are many larger issues at play here. I will go up to the park now and see if I feel safe sending my kids today with the police/GA presence.

The Trust for Public Land did a gorgeous reno of the PS 32 playground and that could provide an alternative but it is rarely open to the public.

11:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WWIB,

We were all over it when that little girl got run over by the san truck in Red Hook.

We rallied on the steps of City Hall for that girl and quite a few others who were hit by cars.

Where were you?

10:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You get what you ask for. It's funny. when the police are proactive and even arrest an individual who is not quite the saint, for even a small charge, the liberal community is all up in arms. However, once there is a late police response for a bunch of rowdy teenagers, whose acts amount to nothing more than harassment, then CG wishes to hang the NYPD for not being so aggressive against crime. Make up your friggan minds. Unbelievable!

11:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You get what you ask for. It's funny. when the police are proactive and even arrest an individual who is not quite the saint, for even a small charge, the liberal community is all up in arms. However, once there is a late police response for a bunch of rowdy teenagers, whose acts amount to nothing more than harassment, then CG wishes to hang the NYPD for not being so aggressive against crime. Make up your friggan minds. Unbelievable!

11:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You get what you ask for. It's funny. when the police are proactive and even arrest an individual who is not quite the saint, for even a small charge, the liberal community is all up in arms. However, once there is a late police response for a bunch of rowdy teenagers, whose acts amount to nothing more than harassment, then CG wishes to hang the NYPD for not being so aggressive against crime. Make up your friggan minds. Unbelievable!

11:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey 11;48, after you learn to use the computer, how about i spit in your hair, then you can make up your mind

10:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

10:03 you are probably the whiny little out of towner original poster. Again stop wasting the cops' time with your minor idiotic problems. If the cops would have saw the kids and chased them you would have been up in arms if this chase would have inconvenienced you i bet mr tough guy.

10:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sadly, many of you have missed the point.  The kids involved in the original incident were not typical teenagers screwing around in the park.  Their behavior crossed the line and was dangerous and threatening.

I do not know how anyone, in any neighborhood, would feel it is appropriate for a group of individuals to harass and intimidate others just for kicks.  It was completely appropriate for the police to be called.  

10:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The 76th Precinct doesn't get up unless they are prompted. They have been unresponsive to 5 years of complaints to the drug dealing on Sackett St.

10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No the point is well recieved. IF the kids' actions constitute a crime then call 911. Should carroll park get numerous police resources, a NY post article, etc. while larger, as documented, problems are happening elsewhere in the neighborhood.

1:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Miserable Bastard:
STFU! You can't hide behind the anonymous postings you gun-sucking, conservative f*$k.

2:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey wwib:
STFU! you who are terminally angry at those who are more fortunate than your lame-ass complaining self and who dislike people with children you liberal f*#k!

5:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who Walk - Get a job.

2:34 PM  

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