BRONX BUSINESSES HIRE PRIVATE PATROLS TO COMBAT CRIME

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

AS WE HAVE RECENTLY REPORTED, SHOPLIFTING HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN NEW YORK CITY, CAUSING BIG NAME RETAIL AND DRUGSTORES TO LOCK UP THEIR INVENTORY BEHIND PLASTIC CASES AND LEAVING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR STORES TO PETTY THEFT.

WHILE THIS HAS LED SOME NEW YORKERS TO CALL FOR POLICING, ONE COMMUNITY IN THE BRONX IS TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

THE FORDHAM ROAD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, RESPONSIBLE FOR STRENGTHENING THE OVER 300 BUSINESSES ON FORDHAM ROAD, HAS LAUNCHED A NEW INITIATIVE CALLED THE PATROL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.

AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, FIVE PAID AND LICENSED SECURITY GUARDS WITH TIES TO THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN HIRED TO PATROL FORDHAM ROAD, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE SHOPPING CENTERS IN THE NATION.

THEIR GOAL IS TO USE A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO DISCOURAGE CRIME BY ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SET OF EYES TO REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY OR CRIMINAL ACTS TAKING PLACE.

AND JOINING ME NOW WITH MORE ON THE PATROL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, AND IF COMMUNITY BASED GROUPS LIKE THIS COULD BE THE ANSWER TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEM ARE COUNCILMAN OSWALD FELISE AND ALBERT PHILIPE.

GENTLEMAN, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU BOTH TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU AND YOUR AUDIENCE.

>> OF COURSE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE AS WELL.

>> YES.

COUNCILMAN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU, AND JUST ASK, IF YOU COULD QUICKLY IF YOU CAN, SORT OF PAINT A PICTURE OF FORDHAM ROAD FOR THE HANDFUL OF NEW YORKERS THAT HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF SHOPPING THERE.

>> WELL, FORDHAM ROAD IS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

IT'S A COMMUNITY OF WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.

IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY TRAFFICKED COMMERCIAL STRIPS IN THE ENTIRE BRONX, AND PEOPLE RELY ON THE BUSINESSES FOR SO MANY THINGS, INCLUDING TO PURCHASE LOCAL GOODS.

WHATEVER YOU NEED, YOU CAN FIND IT ON FORDHAM ROAD, AND WE ALSO RELY ON FORDHAM ROAD FOR LOCAL JOBS.

IN FACT, MY FIRST JOB WAS ACTUALLY IN FORDHAM ROAD.

SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GETTING THEIR FIRST JOBS AND GAINING EXPERIENCE THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO USE IN THE FUTURE, SO WE'RE PREPARING THEM FOR THE FUTURE.

SO SO MUCH, WHATEVER YOU NEED YOU CAN FIND IT ON FORDHAM ROAD, AND IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE BRONX.

>> SO, ALBERT, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THIS -- THESE SECURITY PATROLS.

SPECIFICALLY, THIS SEEMS LIKE THE KIND OF SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS SO OBVIOUS, AND YET SOMEHOW REVOLUTIONARY ENOUGH TO MAKE NEWS.

HOW DID THIS -- HOW DID YOU COME TO THIS IDEA?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMED WITH THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT WE'VE GOTTEN LAUNCHING THIS.

WE NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BECOME A NATIONAL HEADLINE AS IT HAS, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS SOMETHING SO OBVIOUS.

EVERYTHING WE DO HERE WE TRY TO DO IT BASED ON DATA.

THE FORDHAM ROAD BID, WE WERE FOUNDED ON THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES TO CITY ORGANIZATIONS.

WE WANTED TO CREATE PROGRAMS THAT HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SUCCEED, GROW, AND THRIVE.

IN DOING SO, WE LAUNCHED SURVEYS TO STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN 2021 THROUGH AN AVENUE NYC GRANT THE BID RECEIVED THROUGH THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS VISES, AND WE CONDUCTED 600 SURVEYS THAT INCLUDED PROPERTY OWNERS, BUSINESSES, CONSUMER, AND STREET VENDORS.

SOME OF THE PARALLELS EVERY STAKEHOLDER MENTIONED WERE SAFETY AND SANITATION WERE THE BIGGEST NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE ALREADY HAVE A SANITATION TEAM THAT CLEANS THE DISTRICT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PRACTICAL FOR SAFETY.

WE THOUGHT, WHY NOT CREATE A PATROL AMBASSADOR TEAM TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES TO THE NYPD, THE SAME WAY WE'RE PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION?

>> I WANT TO BUILD ON WHAT YOU DESCRIBED AND ASK, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT THE PATROL SERVICE CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CAN'T DO?

AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT POLICE OFFICERS.

>> CORRECT.

SO, THEY'RE PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES TO THE POLICE.

THEY DON'T REPLACE NYPD.

NOBODY CAN REPLACE NYPD, BUT SORT OF JUST HAVING MORE EYES AND EARS ON THE GROUND.

AND THE REASON WE CALL THEM PATROL AMBASSADORS IS WE DIDN'T WANT TO CALL THEM SECURITY GUARDS OR PATROL OFFICERS.

WE SPECIFICALLY CALL THEM PATROL AMBASSADORS BECAUSE PART OF THEIR DUTY IS ACTUALLY TO SERVE AS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS BESIDES THE PATROL THEY'RE DOING AND LOOKING OUT FOR CRIME, THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING DIRECTIONS, INTERACTING WITH THE HOMELESS, LOOKING OUT FOR LOADING ZONES FOR MAJOR RETAILERS.

THEY'RE REPORTING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES TO 31 IS.

THEY'RE PROVIDING RESOURCES TO SHOPPERS AND BUSINESSES.

THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST PATROL, RIGHT?

THEY'RE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS IN THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE TAKING PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO OUR BUSINESSES AS WELL.

>> COUNCILMAN, I'M WONDERING WITH ALSO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE MORE TRADITIONAL APPROACH OF ADDING POLICE, WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS ALSO INCLUDE SECURITY LIKE I'M WONDERING IF THE PATROL IS ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A PROBLEM OR, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID ACTUALLY PETTY THEFT OR SOMETHING IN ACTION.

HOW DO THEY THEN INTERACT WITH THE POLICE SO IF CHARGES WANT TO BE FILED, THEY CAN?

>> THESE -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE PROGRAM IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE DIFFERENCE SERVICES OR CITY PROVIDES, INCLUDING POLICING AND ALSO SANITATION AND SO MUCH MORE.

WE NEED MUCH MORE.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF RESOLVING LOCAL CHALLENGES, BUT I THINK WE NEED MUCH MORE.

WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT.

THERE ARE SOME AREAS, NOT ONLY AT FORDHAM ROAD, BUT I THINK EVERYWHERE IN THE BRONX, THAT ARE BEING USED AS GARBAGE DUMPING ZONES, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT TO INSTALL CAMERAS IN THOSE LOCATIONS SO WE CAN HOLD PEOPLE WHO TREAT BRONX AS A DUMPING GROUND, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF HELPING RESOLVE LOCAL QUALITY OF LIFE CHALLENGES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY OTHER DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE DOING TO ALSO TACKLE THOSE PRABS.

PROBLEMS.

>> THIS MIGHT RING TO NEW YORKERS WHO REMEMBER THE GUARDIAN ANGELS.

IS THIS PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THAT, AN IS IT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?

ALBERT, I'LL START WITH YOU.

>> THERE ARE OBVIOUS SIMILARITIES, FOR SURE.

SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM WAS THAT ALL FIVE AMBASSADORS WERE PREVIOUSLY UNEMPLOYED, RIGHT?

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY LIVE IN OR THAT THEY SERVE.

SO FOR US, THAT MEANS -- THAT MEANT PARTNERING WITH A WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

WE WORKED WITH GRAYSON.

THEY PROVIDE TRAINING FOR JOB PLACEMENT.

ONE OF THE GOALS WITH THE PROGRAM EVENTUALLY, BUT HOPEFULLY IF WE'RE ABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDING FOR IT IS EXPAND IT IN THE SENSE THAT WE CAN HAVE A CORE GROUP OF PATROL AMBASSADORS AND ALONGSIDE HAVE AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WORK AS AMBASSADORS ONE TO TWO MONTHS AND BE ABLE TO GET PERMANENT JOB PLACEMENT, IDEALLY AT ONE OF THE STORES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, OR A SECURITY JOB WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

THIS WAY WE CAN HAVE A TRANSITIONAL WORK FORCE PROGRAM ALONGSIDE THE PATROL AMBASSADORS, AND I THINK THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE UNIQUE IN COMPARISON TO THE GUARDIAN ANGELS.

>> YEAH?

>> I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, FORDHAM ROAD IS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HELP THE SMALL BUSINESSES INSIDE THEIR BUSINESS.

BUT WE ALSO NEED HELP WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE OAF THEIR BUSINESSES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FORDHAM ROAD IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO COME TO TO SHOP AND TO SO MUCH MORE TO, EAT AND SO MUCH MORE.

AND THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, INCLUDING OUTSIDE OF THE BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FORDHAM ROAD CAN BE THAT PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO TO SHOP, INCLUDING MAKING SURE THAT OUR STREETS ARE CLEAN, MAKING SURE THAT CITY AGENCIES ARE PROMPTLY RESOLVING LOCAL QUALITY OF LIFE PROPS.

SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S GARBAGE IN OUR STREETS, IN OUR SIDEWALKS, IF THERE'S GRAFFITI, WE WANT THAT TO GET RESOLVED FAST, AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT THESE OFFICERS ARE ALSO HELPING WITH.

>> WELL, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT ALBERT BROUGHT UP THAT I THINK YOU MIGHT ALSO WONDER ABOUT, OF COURSE, IS FUNDING, IF ENOUGH FUNDING COMES THROUGH.

DO YOU SEE THIS FIRST OF ALL AS A PROGRAM GETTING FULLY FUNDED?

SECOND OF ALL, DO YOU SEE THIS PERHAPS BEING SOMETHING THAT COULD BE SCALED UP FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, FORDHAM ROAD IS ONE COMMERCIAL STRIP IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL STRIPS WITH THE SAME CHALLENGES.

THE MAYOR CALLED THE PROGRAM INNOVATIVE.

I WOULD ALSO CALL IT INNOVATIVE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF POSITIVE RESULTS FROM IT.

SO I COULD DEFINITELY SEE THIS PROGRAM CONTINUE -- I COULD DEFINITELY SEE CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND I COULD ALSO SEE FUTURE EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM AND SEEING OTHER COMMUNITIES TAKE SIMILAR STEPS TO RESOLVE LOCAL CHALLENGES.

>> BUT JUST TO SORT OF BUILD ON MY QUESTION, I MEAN, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE PATROL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS ONLY BEEN IN EFFECT FOR A FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE CURRENT FUNDING RUNS OUT, SO THE THERE, I GUESS, A POLITICAL APPETITE TO FUND A PROGRAM LIKE THIS THROUGH THE CITY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE FORDHAM BID IS A GREAT PARTNER.

THEY ARE LIKE LOCAL MAY YOURS OF THE FORDHAM ROAD COMMUNITY, AND DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK ON EVERY ITEM, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY LOCAL QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.

I HELP THEM WITH DISCRETIONARY CITY FUNDING EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND I PLAN TO CONTINUE TO DO SO SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO RESOLVE -- GET CREATIVE IN RESOLVING LOCAL QUALITY OF LIFE CHALLENGES.

SO ABSOLUTELY ON MY PART, AND I COULD ALSO SEE OTHER COMMUNITIES DO THE SAME.

>> OKAY.

>> JENNA, IF I COULD ADD TO THAT AS WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED WAS SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED US AS WELL WAS WE WANTED TO CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD MODEL FOR OTHER BUSINESS CORRIDORS TO FOLLOW.

I GOT SOME WORD TODAY THAT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SIMILAR KIND OF PROGRAMS ALREADY ABOUT TO START IN CERTAIN CORRIDORS, INCLUDING THE GARTMAN DISTRICT, FLAT BUSH, AND STATEN ISLAND SOME THAT'S INSPIRING TO US.

WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SET THAT PRECEDENT FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS TO FOLLOW.

RIGHT NOW, THE PATROL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS ONLY FUNDED UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH, SO WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING, YOU KNOW, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO NOT JUST FUND THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND IT AS WELL.

>> OF COURSE.

AND LASTLY, BECAUSE WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.

COUNCILMAN, DO YOU SEE THIS AS PERHAPS ALSO BEING AN ANSWER TO THE COMMUNITY SAFETY ISSUE THAT ALL NEW YORKERS FEEL AND HAVE BEEN FRAUGHT WITH FROBS WHEN IT COMES TO TRADITIONAL POLICING, LET'S SAY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK FORDHAM ROAD AND COMMERCIAL AREAS IN GENERAL, WE RELY ON DIFFERENT CITY AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS, WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, SANITATION DEPARTMENT.

BUT OF COURSE THE MORE EYES WE HAVE IN OUR STREETS, THE MORE EFFECTIVELY WE COULD CONNECT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO THE SERVICES THEY NEED, AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S SANITATION SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, AND SO MUCH MORE.

SO ABSOLUTELY, I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THIS AS THAT.

>> WELL, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF MY GUESTS FOR JOINING ME TONIGHT.

OF COURSE COUNCILMAN OSWALD FELICE REPRESENTING THE 15th COUNCIL DISTRICT WHICH INCLUDES FORDHAM ROAD, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO ALBERT DEPHILIPE.

GENTLEMAN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT ON "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

HONORED TO JOIN TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PLEASURE TO BE HERE.