Police Presence

Also, as someone (perhaps ParadeRest or maybe KWAC) recently pointed out on another thread, the police force now has a fresh group of academy graduates, and perhaps many of those have been directed to initial assignments in areas that have requested greater presence, temporarily adding to existing presence on the ground.

Or something like that.

Personally, I'm glad for extra police presence whenever and wherever it's needed. However, I find it troubling that Crown Heights south has been flooded with patrols, while my block, which witnessed a murder not even a week ago, at 9:30 in the evening, has seen no increased patrol. Two days after that murder, there was nary a cop to be seen in or around my block or the park, but there was a virtual substation on Eastern Parkway. On the other hand, plenty of people witnessed that murder and yet there were no "witnesses." So, I guess I get why the police aren't here. No one cooperates, whereas the Hassidim are the squeakiest wheel in the city. Hence, they get the grease. Sad state of affairs, really.

I wondered about exactly what you point out, homeowner. The placement of the presence seems odd. But it is pronounced and, because it's all along one of the busiest streets in Brooklyn, it won't go unnoticed.
Brower could always use more attention, I guess, but I go there a lot and haven't ever seen any signs of tension. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I have seen some really encouraging interaction at both Brower park and the post office on St. Johns. I once watched (six years ago) as a bunch of young, African American and Caribbean American boys helped a Hassidic boy to learn how to shoot hoops. They were all around twelve years old, and the Hassidic kid had a serious limp. In other words, the regulars on the court had virtually stopped their game to help the Hassidic boy out. I've also seen Jewish and African American kids playing pick-up baseball games together. At the post office, which might be one of the worst ever, everyone stands in line forever, talks, gives pointers on how to get the stamp machine to work, etc. I really want to believe that the recent incidents are isolated and that the most recent one was not racially motivated; a kid on a bike at the corner of Albany and Empire after midnight is kind of a mark.
I guess having more police in the vicinity does mean that if something happens response time will be faster.