New York – NYPD Offering Free Security Assessments For All Non-Public City Schools; Greenfield Says Not Adequate

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    FILE - A NYPD officer looks form his booth as he checks the security in New York June 04, 2014. ReutersNew York, NY – New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton announced today that the NYPD is now offering free security assessments and walk-throughs to all of the city’s non-public schools.

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    Bratton said the initiative is aimed at “ensuring that all city schools, both public and non-public, are able to provide a safe, secure environment for their students and staff.”

    Through a press release, Bratton extended an invitation to “the principals, or other appropriate members of the leadership teams of private and parochial schools to contact the NYPD’s Crime Prevention Division if they would like to arrange a security survey.”

    Bratton said officers conducting walk-throughs will “make recommendations for enhancing the safety of the physical plant, as well as providing advice on any improvements that should be made.”

    “This crime prevention service is available to all residents and businesses located in New York City, but we are extending a special invitation to non-public schools to ensure that they are aware of our program,” Bratton said.

    Bratton’s announcement drew a quick response from New York City’s Jewish community, with many praising the NYPD for their efforts in taking steps to ensure that safety in the community’s private and religious schools is a priority.

    Rabbi David Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America and Chairman of the Committee of New York City Religious and Independent School Officials, called the initiative a “meaningful contribution,” while stating that, “The NYPD’s generous offer to conduct security assessments for non-public schools that request them should prove extremely valuable for those schools and their constituencies.”

    Rabbi David Niederman, President of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn, said, “No one parallels the NYPD when it comes to protecting the City’s institutions. We are grateful to Mayor de Blasio and his administration for their innovative programs to protect residents and school children of the greatest city in the world.”

    “Today’s announcement will ensure that all of New York City’s children, at both public and non-public schools, can learn in a safe environment,” said Rabbi Moishe Indig, Founder and Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Williamsburg. “I applaud Commissioner Bratton for his leadership and tireless commitment to the safety of all New Yorkers.”

    However, not everyone in the Jewish community was as impressed with the announcement, most notably New York City Councilman David G. Greenfield, who immediately fired back through a press release of his own.

    “I appreciate that the NYPD is finally publicly acknowledging the serious security needs of non-public schools,” Greenfield said. “Unfortunately, the administration’s approach treats non-public school students as second-class citizens. While every public school gets a security officer, non-public schools get the offer of walk-throughs and assessments.”

    Greenfield added, “These are nothing new and are already available to non-public schools. This approach is an unacceptable substitute for a trained, properly equipped security officer at the front door of every non-public school that wants one. When the safety of our children is at stake, there is simply no justification for distinguishing between public and non-public schools. With 44 co-sponsors, the most of any City Council bill, the vast majority of my colleagues join me in recognizing that it is now time to enact Intro. 65 and extend the promise of genuine school security to all New York City children and their families.”

    A security bill sponsored by Greenfield currently before the City Council, would provide security guards for non-public school students, on a basis comparable to that provided in public schools.


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    8 years ago

    Greenfield says we need “properly equipped security officer”, but he fails to mention that the public school safety officers are not equipped with any type of police equipment

    8 years ago

    I like Councilmen Dovid Greenfeld a lot. I think he is a fighter for our community. But I do have to say that it seems like every time mayer blazio does something for our community everyone supports it and says thank u and greenfeld is always the only one coming out saying that it is not good enough.

    albroker
    albroker
    8 years ago

    greenfield is right its similar to what Cuomo did regarding tuition relief when he just released money that was ALREADY OWED to the yeshivas and then as now the ultimate appeasers Agudath Israel were jumping for joy.

    8 years ago

    Yeshivas hire known child molesters and move them from school to school once a complaint has been made. Greenfield should question this policy instead of security! Greenfield should insist on background checks for Yeshiva teachers which will never happen.

    8 years ago

    To all those attacking police Commissioner Bratton and mayor Blasio that this nothing new and that it is already available to our schools. Please do your research. As someone that has personally applied for Federal Homeland security money numerous times for my own yeshiva. I also helped many other yeshivas apply. It is not true that this service is already available to the yeshiva system. We in fact have to go out and hire a private security company and those assessments are not based on the security threat level a yeshiva may have. Those assessments are based on particular needs that a yeshiva may lack. Like surveillance cameras or locks etc. The security companies already know what the Homeland security department is looking for in these applications. This announcement looks more like a general assessment of a security threat that the yeshiva may have. I am not sure why people are attacking this. I am saying thank you. Who knows maybe one of these assessments will even save one life. For that we should say thank you