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Bed-Stuy's Police Chief Highlights Community Partnership

By Camille Bautista | November 26, 2014 3:08pm | Updated on December 1, 2014 8:43am
 Police in Bed-Stuy's 81st Precinct worked with community members to celebrate seniors at an annual Thanksgiving event on Tuesday.
81st Precinct Thanksgiving Celebration
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BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — The commanding officer of the NYPD's 81st Precinct called for a greater community partnership in Bedford-Stuyvesant during an annual Thanksgiving celebration on Tuesday.

Addressing a room of more than 100 community members at a Halsey Street church, Deputy Inspector Scott Henderson highlighted the importance of bringing the neighborhood together with law enforcement for the greater good of residents.

“This is an example of when a community comes together — through that, we’ll always be a success,” Henderson said.

“We’re going to  bring it back to the old days. We’ve got to get back to community policing.”

Retired NYPD Sgt. Lawrence Boltwright also spoke of earlier times when police officers would engage with young men on the street, gathering in the afternoons to play basketball or baseball in an effort to promote positive relationships.

Linking the past and present, Henderson applauded the collaboration between youth, volunteers and the precinct’s community council, who worked together to host Tuesday’s senior luncheon. 

“Our youth could have been on the corners, hanging out, they could have been getting into mischief, but they came down here to help,” he said of the dozens of children serving meals to the elderly.

“Youth are our future and they need to see we can come together and do things that will keep you out of trouble.”

During Tuesday’s event, officers and residents served seniors with warm meals that included home-cooked turkey, ham, collard greens and desserts.

Members of the community council, along with those on the police force, also spent the afternoon traveling to the homes of more than 100 residents to deliver food to individuals unable to attend the celebration.

“I hope young people here see that this is our family and that there’s a value in making sure our seniors are taken care of,” said Daniel G. Fisher, vice president of the precinct’s community council.

The celebration also paid tribute to the late Catherine Arline, a community leader who passed away in October.

Organizers handed out pins adorned with Arline’s name and dedicated a spoken word performance to the former president of the 81st precinct’s council. Her family members held seats as guests of honor.

“When you talk about people who were rocks of the community, she was certainly one of them,” Fisher said.

“I like to believe we’re going to carry on the legacy that she and so many before her started and, hopefully, in many ways, improve it.”