Police: Crime In Suffolk At All-Time Low

Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart joined, from left, Chief Stuart Cameron, County Executive Steve Bellone and First Deputy Commissioner James Skopek, to detail record-low crime rates in Suffolk County during 2018. Photo/SCPD

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Crime in Suffolk County reached record-low numbers last year, according to statistics released by Suffolk police at the end of December.

Suffolk County officials announced at a Dec. 30 press conference the county has seen a 12 percent drop in total index crime from 2017 to 2018. Violent crime fell 22.2 percent countywide, and total property crime fell 11.2 percent, according to Suffolk police.

“This county remains and is now safer than it has ever been before,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said.

Bellone said crime in Suffolk remains at “historically low levels,” following a reduction in crime numbers each year since 2014.

Bellone credited the police department’s community outreach programs with creating a sense of trust between the community and police.

“We understand that in order to continue to drive crime down off of these historically low levels we need the cooperation and assistance of the people in the community to help us in this effort,” Bellone said.

Crime in the Second Precinct, which incorporates the Town of Huntington, also decreased in 2018. Between 2017 and November 2018, total crime fell 19.6 percent, violent crime decreased by 28 percent and property crime was reduced by 18.9 percent in Huntington.

Statistics from the Second Precinct show there were 43 robberies, 59 aggravated assaults, two forcible rapes and no murders in Huntington in the first 11 months of 2018. The only crime statistic to increase from 2017-2018 was sex offenses other than forcible rape.

There were nine of these crimes in 2017 and 12 in 2018.

Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said “intelligence led policing” allows officers to concentrate patrols in the areas most affected by violent crime.

Hart said the work of specialized units like the firearms suppression team and human trafficking unit has enabled the department to target and investigate the most serious criminals.

The commissioner’s office has also brought on a Hispanic community liaison assistant to help conduct outreach to Spanish-speaking communities, Hart said.

Both Bellone and Hart praised the work of Suffolk police officers in keeping county residents safe.

“There are a number of reasons we are experiencing these record low numbers,” Hart said. “The number one reason is the men and women of this police department.”

Statistics for the Second Precinct show total crime in Huntington has decreased by 40.8 percent since 2008.

Christmas Gifts Lost, Found, Returned

After Christmas gifts fell from a car on Woodbine Avenue, a group of Good Samaritans picked up the packages and brought them to police who were able to reunite them with their owner. They also took to Facebook in hopes of locating the owners.

By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com

Thanks to some of Santa’s helpers, Christmas gifts that were lost on Northport’s Main Street have been reunited with their owner.

It was just past 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Christmas night, when the presents tumbled from the back of an SUV traveling south on Woodbine Avenue. The vehicle’s hatch opened as it was crossing Main Street and several Christmas presents came tumbling out, according to Northport Village Police. The driver was apparently unaware of the mishap and the SUV continued on its way.

As it turns out this was all caught on the Northport Police Department’s video surveillance system. The cameras were rolling as several cars passed by the packages, but within one minute a vehicle pulled over.  Three people – two men and a woman – got out of the car and rescued the packages from the street.  After collecting them all, they brought the gifts to Northport Police station where they turned them over with an explanation of how they had been found.

The anonymous finders also put a post up on Facebook detailing the find, and explaining that the gifts had been turned over to Northport Police.

Not long after, the owner of the gifts (the nephew of a Woodbine Avenue resident) called the police station to report the loss and was informed the packages were waiting for him.

They were picked up later Wednesday morning.

Although the finders of the property wished to remain anonymous, Northport Police Chief Bill Ricca commented, “It’s apparent that these were elves who were on their way back to the North Pole when they stopped to spread just a little more Christmas cheer for total strangers.”

Amnesty Period Set For Parking Scofflaws

Drivers with unpaid, past due parking violations can pay up without penalty under an amnesty program approved by the town board.
Long Islander News photo/Connor Beach

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Drivers with outstanding parking fees will get a break if they pay their fines in the new year.

The Town of Huntington unanimously approved earlier this month an amnesty program for outstanding parking violations issued between Jan. 1, 2013 and June 30, 2018.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Councilmen Mark Cuthbertson and Ed Smyth.

The amnesty program will provide drivers with a 40 percent reduction in the cost of all parking ticket fines and additional surcharges if the ticket is paid before April 1, 2019, according to town documents.

Huntington last held a parking amnesty program in 2013, when violators were similarly offered 40 percent off their outstanding parking tickets.

According to town documents, there is in excess $1.5 million in fines and surcharges still unpaid from parking fines and surcharges issued by the town’s Traffic Violations Bureau since Jan. 1, 2013.

The Maryland-based Brekford Corporation has administered the town’s parking ticket management system since 2013, and the company submitted a plan to implement the amnesty program to the town at the end of October.

The town will mail letters to people who qualify for the parking ticket amnesty program, and payment can be made either online or by mail, according to town documents.

The Huntington town attorney is responsible for the administration of the Traffic Violations Bureau, and will oversee the amnesty program along with the director of public safety.