The 49th Precinct station house just doesn’t look like it is part of the NYPD, its new captain said, and many people who pass by are not even aware that it is a police precinct. Now the commands’s new leader is calling on the artistic skills of the community to create a sign welcoming the public to the precinct, which should be large enough to alert people that there is indeed a police precinct on Eastchster Road.
Captain Kevin Nicholson, of the 49th Precinct, located at 2121 Eastchester Road, about one block south of Pelham Parkway, is looking for the public to submit designs for a sign to be placed on the outside of the second floor of the building in the near future. People who are artistically inclined can submit their designs to Community Affairs officer Victor DePierro and at the next 49th Precinct Community Council meeting to be held on at the precinct on Tuesday, May 25 at 7 p.m.. Captain Nicholson said that a new sign is important to improve the appearance of the outside of the police precinct.
“We want community input for the sign, and for people to bring their submissions to the community council meeting on May 25,” Nicholson said. “If you look at the front of the precinct right now, small lettering is the only marking that the building is a police precinct.”
Nicholson said that the size of the sign has yet to be determined, and the material to be used are also up for consideration, but that the precinct has been in touch with a contractor for the project. It should be large enough so as to be seen easily on Eastchester Road.
“There has got to be a lot of people in the community who are artistically inclined and have some ideas for what this sign would look like,” Nicholson said. “Maybe the sign could have a background with police cars, or the names of all of the different communities.”
Nicholson said that he does not feel that the way the precinct currently looks, in part because its a a modern building, looks to many people like a police precinct. Often, when police cars park in the parking lot and are not out in front, passersby who are unfamiliar with the 49th Precinct might not even realize it houses some men and women who make up New York’s Finest. Some of even said that the building looks like a jail, Nicholson said.
When I became commanding officer of the 49th precinct, I looked at the structure of the building,” Nicholson said. “Its current physical appearance is not worthy of New York City Police precinct and needs to be improved.”
Nicholson said he must share credit for the idea of involving the community in designing the new sign with Officer DePierro.
For more information about community input regarding the precinct’s new sign, please call the 49th Precinct Community Affairs office at (718) 918-2032.
