ROSEDALE RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION
WEB: http://WWW.WPRRA.ORG
E-Mail: wprra@yahoo.com
 http://www.facebook.com/RosedaleWP/
PO BOX 199, White Plains, New York, 10605

Greetings RRA Residents,

For those of you who were unable to attend our Annual RRA Meeting on 5/16/23, or are just interested in what was discussed, below are the minutes from the meeting.  If you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the topics, please email us at wprra@yahoo.com.  You can also directly reach out to Commissioner Chong’s office at https://whiteplainspublicsafety.com/contact-us/

RRA Annual Spring
Membership Meeting
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 7:00 PM

Mike Sanchez, RRA President

• Welcome and introduction

David Chong, Public Safety Commissioner

• John Roland, Deputy Public Safety Commissioner
• Vincent Battaglia, Lieutenant
• Kevin Poe, Sergeant

Homelessness

• City is growing, new buildings bought out of affordable housing
• Average new apartment rent $4k+/month
• 60,000 people in city of White Plains
• City has 6 predicate homeless (5 males, 1 female), public safety knows them by name, they are approached every day and night
  • It is a crime to:
    • Threaten people
    • Block sidewalk
    • Aggressively panhandle
    • Urinate or defecate in public
    • Steal
  • It is not a crime to be homeless
• New York State bail reform, cannot look at past record
  • Arrested one person 40 times
  • Give ticket, let them go
  • Finally sentenced to 1 year in county jail
• Violations – Can only can issue summons if observed by police officer committing a crime
• Summons for disorderly conduct, can bring to hospital, then will be released
• County Shelter is in Valhalla
• Services are provided by Westchester County government in White Plains
• Working closely with WP BID (Business Improvement District), The Westchester Mall

Other Updates

• This year hired 3 extra police officers and 3 extra firefighters
• Board of Education hired 2 full time officers (SROs)
• City has no gangs
• Real Time Crime Center – providing information
• Immigration – no issues at this time, no hotels/capacity in White Plains
• Mayor, council against it, but County Executive can open County Center and put up tents
• Internet sale safe zone at police HQ, officer will monitor transactions
• Galleria parking garage will be fenced off for permit holders to park, with police patrols
• New buildings are basically fireproof, shut door and leave apartment, sprinklers come on and put out fire
• Fire response time average 3 minutes, safer to stay in apartment
• Every police car and fire apparatus has AED
• Every police car has shotgun and rifle
• Police department has a drone

Theft

• The Westchester Mall employs 2 full time police officers
• Store security will not stop or detain suspects
• Stores are not pressing charges for theft

Rosesale

• One of the safest communities in White Plains
• Rosedale had issue with Fire Station 7, now manned full time by 2 fire apparatus
• Sector 15
• North Car
• Emergency Services Unit
• Police Supervisor
• Plainclothes detectives

What is going on in Rosedale?

• 40% of people arrested are not from White Plains (from Bronx, Brooklyn, etc.)
• Residents don’t lock car doors
• Leave valuables, keys in car
• Stolen automobiles, gangs from other areas come to White Plains, try to open car doors
• Catalytic Converter theft, high resale value
• No crimes against persons in Rosedale
• Petty theft
• Automobiles being stolen
• Lombardo’s parking on streets in no parking areas, heavy enforcement with summons
• 2 Burglaries, one solved, one working with Greenburgh
• If going on vacation, have somebody pickup mail and newspaper
• Call police department, daily home checks day and night
• Have an alarm? Set alarm even if going out for 30 minutes
• Police respond to every single alarm/fire

Question as to why public safety does not put out police blotter

• Newspapers look at it, nothing makes the newspaper, shoplifting, DWI, larcenies, takes a lot of time to vet arrest. Victims do not want it known because of scams/fraud.
• Check public safety website, if pattern or danger, put out alert as education (schools out, be careful, summer BBQs, don’t leave windows or cars open with valuables inside)

Update on Gedney Farms Association, Farrell Estates

• 99 new homes, asking mayor for another police car, possibly another fire engine

Increase in electric ebikes/scooters in use, what is being done?

• Bicycle helmet law 4 years – 14 years, under 4 years  must have helmet and be with adult
• Enforced by taking bicycle
• Must have working brake light, front light, will stop and perform safety inspection, issue summons or take vehicle
• Drive on sidewalk, $100 summons
• Kids, ebikes, electric scooters, batteries very dangerous, cannot use water to put out fire, requires special foam
• Never buy cheap aftermarket battery from China, buy original manufacturer battery
• Don’t leave lithium batteries plugged in
• Rosedale had 2 fires, both minor, one caused by electric battery in garage

Other Resident Questions

• Nicoy – Inquiry about new leafblower law overturning
  • Contact the mayor
• Chuck – Public safety in private schools – Windward took 15 minutes to get police response to alarm and waited for supervisor to arrive
  • SROs are tactical officers
  • Didn’t want to alarm students/parents
• Joshua Pauling – Questions about safe gun storage, proper training, school resource officer training, all major cities except White Plains have SNUG funding, violence prevention
  • City has 3 shootings per year, would not be considered for this funding
  • Drug addiction and mental health cannot be solved by putting person in a cage
  • Gun laws are obeyed by good citizens
  • When re-applying for permit, take safety course
  • Criminals don’t care about licenses, training, laws
• Jeanene D. – homeless concerns, Stop & Shop, Target, City Center, Post Road, concerns about mental illnesses, protecting children
  • Call public safety
• Laurie Halstead – homeless camp with mattress setup between Eastview/Stop & Shop
  • Let lieutenant know, working with building department to remove

RRA news

Review of minutes from last two meetings

Nicoy Spence, Treasurer report

Septemberfest

• Vote to go back to last years Septemberfest budget of $6,350
  • Unanimously approved
• Septemberfest Committee First Meeting: June, 5th, 7:30 PM