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EDGEMONT, N.Y. – Crime rates in Edgemont are either concerning or encouraging, depending on whom you ask.
While Greenburgh police are touting progress, community leaders say fears continue to linger.
“Unfortunately, burglaries in Edgemont persist and there are continuing concerns about police patrol,” Edgemont Community Council president Geoff Loftus said last week in an open forum with Greenburgh town representatives.
Greenburgh Police Chief Joseph DeCarlo, however, noted his department saw a 25 percent decrease in burglaries in 2011 compared to the year before, adding his department has seen similar trends so far in 2012.
“I think we've really made progress,” he said. “I’m very pleased. Recently we’ve made several arrests on suspected burglaries.”
In 2010, there were 20 burglaries in Edgemont, a number of which targeted Indian and Asian families who were thought to have expensive jewelry in their home. In 2011, there were 15 burglaries, according to Greenbrugh police statistics.
Many of those burglaries the past two years are concentrated in the Greenville section, which is a disturbing trend, Loftus said.
“Thirty-five burglaries in two years time affecting one single section of Edgemont shows a continuing problem that the town has not been able to address,” Loftus said in a recent email.
Loftus also raised concerns about the 108 Edgemont larcenies in 2011, up from 90 the year before.
“Burglaries and larcenies affect the quality of life in Edgemont -- the fact that there are so many such incidents occurring on a regular basis is extremely troubling,” he said.
Larceny aside, serious and violent crimes – homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, felony assault, motor vehicle theft – saw a nearly 10 percent decrease in the neighborhood in 2011 compared to the year before, according to Greenburgh police statistics.
Less serious offenses, such as criminal mischief and public order complaints, saw a 19 percent increase in 2011, up to 192, reports show.
DeCarlo told community members his department continues to take proactive measures to deter crime in the area, including the addition of plainclothes officers surveying the neighborhood.
“We’ve tried to put more people in Edgemont,” he said.
Comments (2)
Edgemont/Greenville has been short changed in police patrols for years.
The fire dept doubles as parmedics 100% of the time in Edgemont but if you live in Hartsdale, they get the police as paramedics. Edgemont/Greenville pays extra taxes for that same level of service.
Now, I ask you, is this the kind of story that will lead people to buy homes in Scarsdale rather than in Edgemont? Feiner needs to send the "Intern Police" to The Daily Greenburgh offices or at least stop his own blogging, tweeting to crooks who rob homes in Edgemont because: that's where the bond rating is earned.
And naughty, naughty Chief of Police DeCarlo who told Edgemont residents at the ECC meeting with the Town Board (less Sheehan, Jones and Juettner) last Thursday that the EMS vehicle serving Edgemont (which often doubles as THE patrol unit) is driven by a civilian policer as though that meant there was one less uniform available to act instead as CRIMESTOPPER. What he didn't say is that enroute to the hospital with the patient is a second, more highly paid person -- a uniformed officer who arrives, parks his car and boards the ambulance for the ride to the hospital (two police presence required; one to drive, one to attend) and say goodbye to both for the subsequent hour or so of waiting and paperwork.
And, what Greenburgh homeowners should fear most is the occasional car accident which takes three to four units out of action: direct traffic around the accident from both directions, fill out the paperwork and one to screw in the light bulb (new, low energy variety). Perps know to listen to the police band radio and strike when half of the patrol sector is rushing to the scene of the accident or other police get together. Don't be confused by the spin. SOLVING ALREADY COMMITTED crimes is a leisure time activity; a Police PRESENCE AS A DETERRENT is another matter. In this area, Edgemont and Greenburgh is woefully lacking.
Hal Samis