WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. July 5, 2005: A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office when asked this morning if Mayor Joseph Delfino advocated the eventual closing of homeless shelters in White Plains, which include Open Arms Shelter and Samaritan House – the spokesman said, “That’s a real leap,” and declined to answer the question further. Asked if the city planned any closer scrutiny of homeless persons living in White Plains, the spokesperson after being verbally abusive to this reporter, hung up the telephone.

 Mayor Delfino advocated that Westchester County stop its policy of dropping off homeless persons in White Plains in a statement response to the last Thursday afternoon murder in The Galleria Mall Municipal Parking Garage. That killing was allegedly committed by a homeless person, and Level 3 Sex Offender, who was dropped off in White Plains by a county drop-in shelter van earlier that day.

The Mayor’s Office in a separate phone call  was also asked if any tightened security measures are being considered for the municipal garages in White Plains. The assault and killing of the White Plains victim took place on Level 7 of  The Galleria Municipal Garage. According to police was reported by a passerby by a cellphone, and not observed by  the Parking Garage Office Personnel who have television monitors observing the various levels of the garage.

In the Mayor’s statement he praised municipal garage security arrangements, though a homeless person  wandering in The Galleria Garage in February, 2005,  committed suicide by leaping from the structure undetected by Galleria Garage security.

Calls to the Mayor’s Executive Officer, Paul Wood, and the Department of Parking as to what measures might be considered to enhance Municipal Garage Security have been placed by WPCNR.

Calls to the Westchester County Department of Communications to see if the county plans tighter monitoring of the character of homeless persons the county drops off in White Plains and other cities have also been placed by WPCNR. The County was also asked if the Department of Social Serivices plans to register and alert police as to the identity of homeless persons being distributed to their community.