WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. April 14, 2006: Police Chief James Bradley, with Commissioners Straub, Jennings and Jackson absent, introduced Lieutenant Kevin Christopher, Commander of the Department of Public Safety North Area, Lieutenant Elizabeth Seit, Commander of the South Area and Captain Paul Lundin, Commander of the Central Business District to the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday evening at the CAN monthly meeting.

Chief James  Bradley, foreground with Assistant Chief Anne FitzSimmons, to his right said reorganization of the Police Department into three distinct areas of responsibility with officers Lt. Kevin Christopher, (far left,) Lt. Elizabeth Seit(second from left) and Captain Paul Lundin (far right), with Sergeant Wade Hardy (his Executive Officer) directly accountable for dealing with situations in their three “precincts” was an effort to bring the concept of “community policing” to White Plains. Bradley encouraged Neighborhood organizations and residents to contact the three “Commanders” directly with any matters of concern. “There is nothing you can’t tell us that we are not interested in,” Bradley assured  some 15 Neighborhood association representatives. Photo, WPCNR News.

Bradley explained that Christopher, Seit and Lundin would, using intelligence communicated from the neighborhoods would be responsible for addressing concerns in their areas, and ordering in the Public Safety “assets” they feel best suited to address and neutralize any threats, conditions, or concerns of the neighborhoods. “They would be coordinating all efforts of the department (in their areas),” Bradley said.

From Bradley’s remarks it became clear that the  Detectives, Patrol, Traffic, the Neighborhood Crime Unit, Narcotics would remain as independent teams of specialists, much as they are now, not under direct control of the Commanders, but to be called in by the Commanders as needed and operate at their direction. There would be at this time no dividing up force assets evenly among the three districts.

To Come to Neighborhood Associations 

Chief Bradley said the three commanders would be attending neighborhood association meetings regularly to increase police availability and two-way communication between neighborhoods and the police. Bradley said crime was down an additional 20%, and by developing a more two-way communication between residents and police, the department’s new organization would reduce crime stats even more.

“They (the commanders) are all respeonsible to know what’s going on in their area and how we can bring our resources to bare (on the problems),” Chief Bradley explained. He said they would be at all neighborhood association meetings (“They’ll always be there, hearing what’s going on. Each part of the city will have its own advocate (Commander).”)

The Chief noted that the Commanders will now be able to address problems in their areas faster. “We have a lot of trust in our commanders, and now (they can act) without having to run to my office all the time. They will know the resources available to you and plug it in.”

The Commanders were introduced, but did not address the Council of Neighborhood Associations on the state of their districts as they perceived them at the present time, or  any situations presently affecting the North Area, South Area and Central Business District.

The Three Precincts. Photo, WPCNR News.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

South Area constituents living in neighborhoods South of Maple Avenue, West of Bank Street and South of the Bronx River Parkway  may contact Lieutenant Elizabeth Seit, Commander of the South Area at 914-422-6258, or by e-mail via eseit@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

Central Business District residents and business owners ( South of Hamilton Avenue, East of Bank Street, North of Maple Avenue and West of Broadway, and East along Westchester Avenue to the NY Hospital property), may contact the CBD Commander, Captain Paul Lundin at 914-422-6220, or via e-mail, plundin@ci.white-plains.ny.us. Lundin’s executive officer,Sergeant Wade Hardy may also be reached at 422-6220, or by e-mail at whardy@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

North Area residents and businesses, including neighborhoods North of Hamilton Avenue, the Bronx River Parkway and North-Northeast of Broadway,  may reach their area Commander, Lieutenant Kevin Christopher at 914-422-6258 (a temporary number), or on e-mail at kchristopher@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

Assistant Chief Anne FitzSimmons who supervises the three Commanders, may be reached at  914-422-6258, or by e-mail at afitzsimmons@ci.white-plains.ny.us.

 Commissioner of Public Safety Dr. Frank Straub, First Deputy Commissioner Dr. Charles Jennings, and Deputy Commissioner Daniel Jackson, did not attend the meeting, though they were expected to be in attendance by the CNA.

Scanner Chatter

The neighborhood association representatives in attendance did not express any crime concerns, but did raise these questions

Bradley, taking general questions from the audience noted that shoplifting was the number one crime in the city, primarily due to the fact that the city has 2 million square feet of retail space.

He said in response to a question on teen drinking that the police periodically conduct sting operations at stores suspected of selling alcoholic beverages

to teens, and cooperate with the District Attorney’s Office on joint operations of that kind. He also said the police make “plainclothes” visits to establishments on a random and targeted basis. The Chief did not address police response to teenage drinking parties in residences.