County cuts hit 5th Precinct POP unit

For nearly two decades, the 5th Precinct’s Problem Oriented Policing unit has generally consisted of a group of four officers, who the community has become comfortable working closely with and, most importantly, trusted. That relationship changed severely last Monday, when three of the unit’s officers were reassigned to the 5th Precinct’s patrol unit, in compliance with a plan created by County Executive Ed Mangano to reduce the county’s costs and prevent further tax increases.

“My administration has worked tirelessly to rein in government spending and protect residents from a property tax increase,” Mangano said. “I advised county unions that labor savings were necessary for 2011 and that if they were not achieved voluntarily, I would have no choice but to achieve these savings with layoffs and other actions. Because additional concessions have not been volunteered in 2011, it is necessary to issue formal layoffs and redeployment of police. Simply put, if everyone gave a little, no one would give a lot.”

Mangano’s Police Redeployment Plan, which is proposed to save taxpayers more than $9 million, restructures the Nassau County Police Department by redeploying 166 employees, including 109 officers, 19 supervisors and 38 civilian employees. In addition to designating only one POP officer per county precinct, the plan redirects the police department’s commanding officers to attend community meetings, and assigns supervisors as liaisons to villages and community groups.

According to Mangano’s office, the department will have the flexibility to use directed patrols to address problems that have been previously addressed by POP officers, and to redeploy personnel to the POP unit. However, some community leaders say it won’t be the same.

Valley Stream Mayor Ed Fare said the POP unit has been extremely helpful to the village over the years, helping bust a drug home on Forest Avenue last year and dealing with issues of large groups of youth on Sunrise Highway.

“They are extremely helpful in resolving the issues,” Fare said of the officers. “The POP unit was a steady, reliable group that knew the residents, knew the community.”

Fare added that because Valley Stream does not have its own police department, it relies on the 5th Precinct. The POP unit was a direct way for village officials to reach out to the police department to have crime and quality of life issues addressed, he said.

District 24 schools Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale said POP unit officers have regularly met with members of the community to talk about issues, ranging from small items like trespassing to major crimes. He also said that officers have done child and Internet safety presentations for the community. “Cutting the services of the POP unit would have a negative effect on the safety of children in Valley Stream,” he said.

Fale, who said the POP unit officers are “outstandingly helpful,” also noted that they have helped curb issues with people hanging out on school property after hours.

Pat Nicolosi, president of the Elmont East End Civic Association, said he doesn’t believe that having only one officer in the 5th Precinct’s POP unit is sufficient. He said that having the POP unit has created a more fluid, trusting relationship between the police and the community.

Nicolosi said that the POP unit’s response time will likely be affected by the county plan. “They will take care of it, but when is it going to get taken care of?” he asked. “Instead of that little problem getting taken care of right away, it’s like cancer — it grows.”

The 5th Precinct’s POP unit cracks down on sales of alcohol to minors through Project 21, a program that uses underage agents to catch store owners in the act of selling to a minor. The POP unit also works to stop the sales of pornography and cigarettes to minors, gang participation, neighbor disputes, and events and issues at local schools, among other community-related problems.

Kevin Smith, detective lieutenant in the public information office at headquarters, said that although the POP unit is an important community tool, the cuts to it were difficult to avoid. “This is because of the economic times,” he said. “Rather than cause shortages in our roll calls and have to fill that with overtime, a prudent thing would be to put officers back into those positions. If we had 10 officers in the POP unit, obviously, that we be a lot better … but it’s about being fiscally responsible, and trying to attain a balance.”

Established in 1993, the police department’s POP unit has generally maintained four officers per precinct, Smith said, but has varied in size throughout the years due to budgetary cuts similar to those in the county’s plan.

Brian Nevin, a spokesman for Mangano, said that under the county plan, public safety will be maintained, if not improved. “To suggest otherwise,” he said, “is a joke.”

Andrew Hackmack contributed to this story.