The 45th Precinct is going to benefit from the police academy’s largest graduating class in several years.
The precinct recently received 10 additional officers who will be coming out of Operation Impact areas, higher-crime precincts where rookies are assigned when they complete the police academy for further training, as the officers from the graduating class are deployed. This should be a net gain of approximately eight new officers at 45th Precinct, given retirement and attrition.
Captain Russell Green confirmed at least eight new officers have been assigned to the precinct. This is in addition to another four officers who joined the precinct towards the end of 2010. Green stated all the new officers will work patrols.
Councilman Jimmy Vacca said that the he is impressed with the work of Captain Green, as well as Captain Kevin Nicholson of the 49th Precinct, in terms of their willingness to work together with the community and elected officials to foster better relations and aggressively work to reduce crime.
“This allocation comes after the restoration that we did in the City Council of the mayor’s budget from last year, because without that funding there would have not been a police academy class graduating,” Vacca said. “No one can deny that this type of increase is good for local communities in terms of maximizing visibility and getting police officers on the street to fight crime.” Vacca said that there are still not enough police officers in the 45th Precinct and elsewhere because the total amount of officers and supervisory personnel in the NYPD is down about 7,000 since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011. Commissioner Ray Kelly is doing a great job under some very difficult circumstances, Vacca said.
The allocation of the officers was also the result of lobbying on the part of the Bronx Borough Commander, assistant Chief Carlos Gomez, said 45th Precinct Community Council president Robert Bieder. In total, the 45th Precinct will have around 189 officers and supervisors, Bieder said.
“This is the first time that we have gotten such a big boost in years,” Bieder said. “The more officers that we have out there, the more likely that we will be in the right place at the right time to stop criminal activity. We are grateful to Chief Gomez who making sure the Bronx is getting what it needs in terms of manpower. He has been very responsive. We are also thrilled about Councilman Vacca’s participation. Captain Green has also been fighting for new officers.”
Green has been a driving force in reducing crime and getting the precinct new officers, and has been working diligently since his appointment, Westchester Square B.I.D. steering committee chairman John Bonizio said.
“I am very happy that the City of New York and NYPD is giving Captain Green the resources that he needs to continue the fine work he is doing in this community,” Bonizio said. “We are encouraged by the fact that perhaps now the proper policing strategies will be employed to secure the safety and security of people in our area.”
Throggs Neck Merchant Association president John Cerini said that Green is a young and energetic captain. Cerini hopes that with the allocation of new officers will come the return of a “beat cop” to East Tremont Avenue.
