QUEENS — A watchdog group responsible for monitoring the NYPD will hold a series of meetings to hear from Jamaica residents about how police are performing in their neighborhood.
The Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD is expected to hold discussions on March 30 and April 9 to gather input from residents, which will then be analyzed and compiled into reports “aimed at creating more effective police-community relations,” said Nicole Turso, a spokeswoman for the agency.
The overall goal is “to get at the heart of what people like and conversely do not like about policing in their neighborhoods,” she said.
Representatives from the watchdog group have been spreading the word about the discussions in precincts all around the city, including the 103rd Precinct community council meeting on Tuesday night.
“We would like to hear your perspective on police activities," representative Nicole Hanson said during the meeting. “We’ll be asking questions about your feelings and thoughts on policing in your community, types of police activities that you would like to see in your communities, the things that you think work very well for your neighborhoods as well as any concerns that you may have,”
Over the past few weeks, members from the agency have also visited the 25th Precinct in Harlem and the 40th Precinct in the Bronx.
The Inspector General's office for the NYPD was created in 2013 by the City Council and is independent of the NYPD. Unlike the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates the conduct of individual officers, the OIG-NYPD has been charged with making recommendations related to overall trends within the department, especially police policy.
Those interested in participating in the March 30 and April 9 discussions can call 212-806-5200. The discussions will be held at J.H.S. 8 The Richard S. Grossley School at 108-35 167th Street. Each session will last about 90 minutes. Participants must register with the OIG-NYPD office before the meeting. Only those who live within the 103rd Precinct can participate.
