English and Spanish Fliers List Different Precinct Council Meeting Dates

The two fliers, seen here at 142 Laurel Hill Terrace, list different dates for Wednesday night's precinct council me...

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DNAinfo/Nigel Chiwaya

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — The 34th Precinct Community Council is investigating an error that may have led residents who speak Spanish to miss Wednesday night's public meeting.

Fliers printed in Spanish to advertise the monthly community council meeting listed the wrong date — even though posters written in English included accurate information.

"We're going to look into it and address it immediately," said George Espinal, president of the community council.

Fliers promoting the meeting were posted in apartment buildings around Washington Heights in  both English and Spanish.

DNAinfo.com New York found two fliers hanging side-by-side at 142 Laurel Hill Terrace. The English flier correctly listed the meeting date as Wednesday, Feb. 27, but the Spanish flier told readers the meeting would take place on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

"That's confusing," said community member Cecelia Araujo. "Because it's taking place at Yeshiva University, a lot of the community members think that it's only for the Yeshiva students, and also supposedly it already took place."

The classroom where the meeting was held at Yeshiva University on West 185th Street Wednesday night was filled to capacity as the 34th Precinct's commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Barry Buzzetti, spoke.

He warned residents to be vigilant about keeping windows and doors locked, explaining the precinct has been hit with recent fire-escape burglaries.

"The heat will be on so you'll leave the window open, and these people will come in and take property," Buzzetti said.

One speaker during the public comment section criticized the NYPD's stop-and-frisk policy, and raised questions about the discrepancy between the two fliers.

Espinal said it wasn't the council that printed the fliers and he's working to find out what happened.