PARK SLOPE — The NYPD is rolling out its highly touted community-policing initiative in the 78th Precinct by giving locals the chance to break bread with their beat officers and discuss a variety of problems plaguing their neighborhoods at an upcoming meeting.
Under the program, more than a dozen Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs) will be assigned to patrol four areas throughout the precinct, which covers Park Slope, Gowanus and parts of Prospect Heights and Fort Greene, said Sgt. Chet Wakie, who is in charge of the program.
The NCOs do not respond to 911 calls during a third of their shifts, instead using that time to attend community meetings and develop relationships with residents.
"We’re here for you guys," Wakie said at the precinct's community council meeting last week. "Whatever you need, we’ll get it done."
The NCO program assigns officers to four specific sectors in the precinct. (NYPD)
With another wave of NCOs slated to arrive in the coming weeks, the precinct will host a community meeting on October 17 for residents to discuss concerns with their sector's officers, said 78th Precinct Deputy Inspector Frank DiGiacomo.
The first patrol area, Sector Adam, is bounded by Union and 15th streets, stretching from Fifth Avenue to Prospect Park West in some areas, and includes the heart of Park Slope and South Slope.
Sector Boy includes the majority of Gowanus, covering the westernmost section of the precinct spanning from 15th Street to Flatbush Avenue at its farther point.
Sector Charlie is the most compact of the areas and covers a hunk of Park Slope, Prospect Heights and a sliver of Fort Greene.
Sector David is by far the largest, covering all of Prospect Park, Grand Army Plaza and portions of Prospect Park West, Eight and Seventh avenues. The park also has a detail of 14 officers at any given time, DiGiacomo noted.
"It’s the same cops, in the same sectors, getting to know you guys," he noted at the precinct council meeting. "They are there to serve you and solve your problems."
Eight of the precinct's NCOs have already begun disbanding rowdy packs of teenagers who harassed locals on Flatbush Avenue, working to crack down on drunken crowds spilling out of Flatbush Avenue bars, and finding creative solutions to mitigate noise from house parties.
The October 17 meeting will take place at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at 7 p.m. Attendees can RSVP tby emailing jerry.galante@nypd.org, brian.laffey@nypd.org and michael.joesph@nypd.org.
