After the NYPD agreed to do temporary baffling on Rodman’s Neck back in February, the 45th Precinct Council followed up last week with a letter of questions and concerns.
On July 1, the council addressed a letter to Deputy Inspector Joseph Notaro, commanding officer of the facilities management division. They thanked them for coming in February but sent a list of suggestions and queries.
Concerns
- Notify NYC should add a notification for when explosive devices are en route to Rodman’s Neck. Bombs throughout the city are often detonated there and it would be good for residents to know about them and street closures.
- Heavy shooting schedule – As the police train there often, the hope is the schedule can be released online.
- Redefine the shooting schedule – The shooting schedule hasn’t changed in the last 20 years. They shoot from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and one Saturday a month. With the range soon to be enclosed, the council asks the hours to be reduced to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Modernize the public announcement system – Many residents have complained that they can hear the announcement system from the shooting range in their home. These announcements are often as early as 7 a.m. The hope is the NYPD can find a way to update officers without disturbing the community.
- Work with the Mayor’s Office and Office of Management and Budget to accelerate any work orders associated with the temporary baffling. The quicker the baffling goes up, the better it will be for the community.
Questions
- How does fully enclosing the range affect the cost, design and scope of the project? At one point, the community was told this would increase the total cost by 33 percent due to mechanical ventilation demands. Has the NYPD minimized these costs?
- In 2017 there was found to be lead exposure at the range. They want to know which agencies, federal, state and local have jurisdiction over Rodman’s Neck, particularly as it relates to the environment?
- The Monitoring Committee wants to know which agencies use the range besides the NYPD?
- Past efforts to FOIL documents related to sound have produced a one page “redacted document. Can the NYPD provide any more detailed sound readings?
- Going forward, can the NYPD have the project manager, Hussein Taimur of the NYC Department of Design and Construction and representatives of Sound Seal at the meetings?
- Since the meeting in February, the council has reached out to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection to find out more about the monitoring wells at Rodman’s Neck. They were referred back to the NYPD, but would prefer to speak directly to the NYPD, as officers offered to help with these requests at the last meeting.
