Forum focuses on police and village codes

Trustee Vincent Grasso, at left, held a question-and-answer session at Sip This on Sunday. Grasso addressed the unrealistic idea of a village police force, but methods of funding more Nassau County police patrols in the village were discussed.

Nick Ciccone/Herald

About 20 residents attended Grasso’s forum, the highest turnout yet. The trustee started holding the public meetings last year.

Nick Ciccone/Herald

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Village trustee Vincent Grasso met with about 20 village residents at Sip This on Jan. 31 for another question and answer forum, this time focusing on recent crime trends and village codes.

Grasso opened the meeting by talking about what he called an uptick in crime. He laid out the crushing costs of creating a private police force, which would necessitate an estimated 50 percent increase in village property taxes, Grasso said. He criticized the Lynbrook Police Department for issuing a high number of citations, posing the question: “Do they start writing tickets to justify their existence?”

Regarding the knife-wielding robber who has struck 21 times in the area in the past year, Grasso said that although the Nassau County Police Department may not appear to be out in full force on Valley Stream’s streets, it doesn’t mean they don’t have operations in place. He said that village officials are in communication with police, adding, “Sometimes it works best if the police don’t tell the robbers exactly what they’re set to do.”

While it’s still unclear how increased police presence would be organized, the need for it was voiced by many residents in attendance. Grasso maintained that the village is a safe place.

“I would disagree with the assertion … that Valley Stream is a dangerous place to walk around at night,” Grasso said. “Here’s something about crime that I’ve learned over the years … Crime, particularly things like violent crime, is not often random.”

He mentioned that home invasions, for example, often occur in conjunction with other crimes or drug-related offenses — most of which, according to Grasso, are subject to larger and more complicated socioeconomic conditions.

David Sabatino, owner of Sip This, offered alternatives to a costly private police force. “Since Green Acres is expanding and there’s the prospect of video lottery terminals at Belmont, the police resources are going to be spread even thinner,” Sabatino said. “The village can advocate to the legislature that we want additional patrol sectors in our community.”