New York, NY – Calling the cops? Good luck getting through.
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A Daily News survey found it’s nearly impossible to reach anyone at the front desks of many precinct stationhouses across the city.
The lines are busy. The phones ring off the hook. Or, even worse, cops pick up the phone – and slam it back down.
As part of a month-long probe, The News telephoned all 76 neighborhood precinct stationhouses across the city at least seven times at varying times of day.
The results are a wakeup call.
More than 40% of the stationhouses were found to be “unacceptable.”
For an “acceptable” rating, cops had to pick up in fewer than 10 rings on at least five out of seven calls.
The News also went out to precinct stationhouses to observe the front desk in action – or, in some cases, inaction:
At a Bronx stationhouse The News caught a uniformed officer twice pick up the phone and immediately hang it up after a reporter discreetly dialed from the waiting area.
“I’m 72 and I’d be there till I was 82 if I waited around for them,” said Diana Cubero, a writer from Kensington, Brooklyn, who last year spent 30 minutes trying to reach the 66th Precinct stationhouse in Borough Park, Brooklyn – the worst in the city, The News found.
“They have great cops in there,” added Cubero, who had to call back several times to lodge a noise complaint. “But they can’t pick up a phone.”
Transfers were also a problem.
At the 104th Precinct stationhouse in Ridgewood, Queens, when The News asked to be transferred to Community Affairs, the phone rang 175 times before a reporter gave up.
“You hold on while it keeps ringing because you’re hoping, please, somebody pick up,” said Queens shopkeeper Constantine Kalpaxis, 56, who had to wait and wait to reach the 104th last summer to complain about idling in front of his Fresh Pond Road store.
Meanwhile, cops at the 102nd Precinct stationhouse in Richmond Hill, Queens, said their out-of-date phones couldn’t transfer a call. At the 22nd Precinct stationhouse in Manhattan, which covers Central Park, a cop said only one out of four lines could transfer.
“We need new phone systems in our precincts. They are outdated,” said Maria Thomson, president of the 102nd Precinct Community Council. “Everything gets through eventually, but unfortunately, it’s not usually through the telephone system.”
The best way to report any issue is by calling 311. When you call 311 the precint gets an automated message, and the precint must report the resolution. Even if you do manage to get through, nothing will ever get done with your complaint.
Even if u did get thru -They won’t help u anyway over the phone ! Get in to your car and walk in there ! The only way !
Last week my car was towed. I called the 66th and they gave me a number to call. Wrong number. I called again and after 5 minutes the call was answered but they again gave me the wrong number. I tied a third time and after waiting 15 minutes again got a wrong number from them. Great precinct. Not that 70th is much better.
the last 2 lines are typical to govt workers, blame it on the phone system, I agree that the system might be outdated but why in the case of officers slaming down the phone is that the fault of an old system? the answer is that there is now accountability everything is enternal investigation which basicly means that one hand washes the other
They should merge with the Kensington Post Office on McDonald Ave in the 66 Precinct where the service is horrendously similiar.
Wecome to New York if it is a goverment office the service is the same all over
When you can the police in New York for a noice complaint at 1:00 am they give themselves 24 hours to respond. This is especailly true at the 71st Precinct. Good Luck sleeping New york.
hey the best way is to call in ; there is a ‘double-parked car…no doubt they will be there within seconds to ticket him!!!!
Here’s what happened with me once.
I got a parking ticket even though I was parked legally. I called the precinct and asked to speak to a sergeant. The operator said that the sergeants have better things to do than speak with someone who got a parking ticket and hung up.
The next day I walked into the precinct and asked to speak with a sergeant. The lady at the desk told me that sergeants don’t have time for little things like parking tickets. A sergeant who happened to be nearby called me over and asked what happened. I showed him the ticket and explained why I felt it was undeserved. The sergeant told me that I should have called immediately since once the citation is transferred to the Department of Finance only the Commanding Officer can void it. When I told him what happened when I did call right away he said in a loud voice (meant for the lady at the desk to hear), “Well that’s what you get when you pay a civillian $20,000 a year”.
The sergeant then looked up the name of the officer who issued the ticket (his name on the ticket was illegible) and told him to come to the front desk right away (even though he said he was on lunch break). The sergeant asked the officer to explain why the ticket was given. When he couldn’t give a legitimate reason the sergeant handed me a civilian complaint form and asked me to fill it out and return it to him.
(I fought the ticket and won.)
Post Office problems is FEDERAL government issue not NYC government problem. Do you people expect fast food service from NYPD when their numbers are critically low for past 5 years? Some precincts have 3 patrol units available at night and you expect them to pick up your noise complaint calls when some 911 calls are back logged for 30 minutes or more.
If you want improvement demand it from your city officials and representatives for changes in the NYPD. The only precincts that have good services are the ones in tourist areas or wealthy areas in the city. The rich people would destroy city council if their precincts were bad.
Mr. Bloomberg is the mayor. What is HE doing about this? He also can’t seem to get the transit authority to stay clean and work properly and to be on time. He also wants to get his hands on the Bd. of Ed. again. Watch out when that happens. Then, he’ll control the buses, trains, traffic, parking tickets, garbage tickets, police precincts, and education. He loves the control thing, but he will have to prove he can handle it.
I don’t only want a mayor who is honest, I want a mayor who is honest and competent.
Welcome to Boro Park. Not a single patrol car a whole shabbos and every week another few houses and cars are broken into. Remember CRIME IS DOWN.
Its time to wake up and start complaining and let our voices be heard.
Tomorrow, starting at 6pm is “Night Out Against Crime” in front of every police station house. The 66 is held on 16 Avenue and 59th Street, lets all come and tell the police what we expect from them every day of the week.
Enough is enough, we need more patrol at night instead of having police search where they can give another ticket.
On shabbos afternoon a few weeks ago I observed someone punch a car window and taking out stuff from the car, so I follow the guy from behind and he happen to pass by the 66pct station house. I go into the pct and let the desk sergeant know what I saw. He then tells me he has no cops he will have to radio in a car to come to the station……. anyway I’m still waiting for that car to arrive. At the end of the day I do not blame the cops, it’s Bloombers cost cutting and crime is down BS.. and our pct is understaffed for years…
“We need a new phone system”
And what would that do?
Thank you for calling the xxth precinct. If this is a true emergency press one. If this is somewhat less than a 75% real emergency press two. If this is less than 50% emergency please call back during our slow periods on Friday night.
(press one)
For homicides press one, for rapes press two, for armed robbery press 3, for non-armed robberies press 4, for vehicular homicide press 5, for all others press 6, or please call back during our slow periods on Friday night.
(press three)
For assailants armed with guns press one, for assailants armed with knifes press two, for assailants armed with clubs or baseball bats press three, or please call back during our slow periods on Friday night. If you are already dead please disregard this message.
My kid was beaten up a few years ago =we called the cops, nobody came, we went to the 70th Pct. == filed a report== nobody followed up== somebody dumped it into the round file because when I called back nobody knew anything about it == I went back and spoke to a supervisor— NO HELP!! You have to be lucky!! It’s hit and miss!!