Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Upper East Side Joins National Night Out

By Amy Zimmer | August 2, 2011 4:20pm
The Upper East Side is stepping up festivities for National Night Out on Aug. 2. Many locals have been focused on the string of gropings in the area. A woman was groped on 88th Street and First Avenue on July 16, 2011.
The Upper East Side is stepping up festivities for National Night Out on Aug. 2. Many locals have been focused on the string of gropings in the area. A woman was groped on 88th Street and First Avenue on July 16, 2011.
View Full Caption
Paul Lomax

MANHATTAN — Almost three decades after other communities across the city began hosting National Night Out events, to bring together residents and police in an informal setting to promote crime prevention, the Upper East Side is joining the party.

The nationwide gathering, which kicks off Tuesday night, didn't get much attention on the Upper East Side, where in past years the festivities were limited to some members from the NYPD's 19th Precinct Community Council and officers handing out bottles of water and public safety materials at a subway station.

But this year, the volunteer group decided to change its format as way to step up its outreach, according to Community Council President Nick Viest.

This is the man wanted for a string of gropings on the Upper East Side beginning June 5, 2011.
This is the man wanted for a string of gropings on the Upper East Side beginning June 5, 2011.
View Full Caption
NYPD

They'll be hosting a party on Tuesday night in Carl Schurz Park on East 86th Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with free sandwiches, pizza and popsicles. There will also be face-painting and live music from the French Cookin' Blues Band.

"It's a big deal," Viest said. "We want people to come and meet police officers. We want people to reach out more to us with their issues. This is really trying to do more outreach and foster relations."

Overall crime in the neighborhood has fallen by 13 percent over the past year, with the exception of rapes (which were up 50 percent, to 9 from 6) and felony assaults (which were up 35 percent, to 66 from 49).

Many in the neighborhood have been worried about the string of at least 10 gropings of young women on the East Side, with the latest incident happening Sunday in East Harlem.

"I've spoken to the police about it, and I know it's a priority for them," Viest said.

19th Precinct Officer Chris Holmes said they've deployed extra plainclothes cops in response to the incidents.

"We have more people out there than usual," Holmes said. "He'll get caught eventually."

The event will also feature members of the neighborhood's Community Emergency Response Team to help educate residents about disaster preparedness.