NEWS FROM
ASSEMBLYMAN DOV HIKIND
February 19,
2014
Contact: Yehudah
Meth For
Immediate Release
718-853-9616 (office)
973-945-4903 (cell)
HIKIND UNVEILS
FIRST WAVE OF 320 CAMERAS
TO BE INSTALLED IN MASSIVE SECURITY INITIATIVE
HISTORIC
$1M PILOT PROGRAM, NAMED IN MEMORY OF LEIBY KLETZKY,
PLACES NEXT-GENERATION SECURITY CAMERAS IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS
HIKIND: “OUR
RESIDENTS CAN SLEEP EASIER NOW KNOWING
OUR STREETS ARE WATCHED”
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) has unveiled Brooklyn’s
much-anticipated security initiative—an expensive, state-of-the-art system of
surveillance cameras designed to protect residents of Borough Park and Midwood.
Assemblyman Hikind was joined this morning by elected officials and community
leaders as the first cameras were demonstrated live by SecureWatch24.
“The Leiby Kletzky Security Initiative utilizes the newest
advances in surveillance technology to safeguard community residents,” said
Assemblyman Hikind. “The pilot program places high-tech security cameras in
strategic places throughout our community allowing for a wide blanket of
surveillance.
“As I pointed out when we first secured the funding for this
initiative, our community is often a potential target for attacks. The new security-surveillance
system that we are now putting in place will not only decrease the chances of outside
attacks, but it will also enormously enhance law enforcement’s ability to solve
and prevent local crimes. If any person were to go missing, G-d forbid, we will
have exponentially increased the ability
to locate and recover that person. If there’s an assault on someone in our
community, we will have increased our chances of catching the criminal.”
“Some have questioned the need for these high-tech
surveillance cameras in the community,” said Senator Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn)
who joined Hikind for the demonstration and ribbon-cutting event. “My response
to the naysayers is that we must assist law enforcement in doing everything
humanly possible to prevent terrorism and other crimes against New Yorkers. I
want to thank and commend Senate Republican Majority Coalition Leader Dean
Skelos and Assemblyman Dov Hikind for their leadership on this issue. I am
proud to be part of this initiative.”
“Providing safety to New York’s residents is a key concern
that all of us share, and when it comes to crime, security cameras are a
proven deterrent,” said Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein. “I am delighted that my
constituents will directly benefit from the presence of these new cameras. I
will keep working with Assemblyman Hikind to expand this crucial program and
deliver greater security and genuine peace of mind to residents throughout the
borough.”
Working with the NYPD and community leaders, Assemblyman
Hikind’s office identified key locations throughout the Borough Park and
Midwood areas that would offer the broadest surveillance coverage. These
include commercial districts, schools and institutions, as well as residential
areas. The area is bounded by 60th Street to McDonald Avenue, 9th
Avenue to 20th Avenue in Borough Park, McDonald Avenue to Ocean
Avenue, and Foster Avenue to Avenue R in Midwood.
80 units containing 4 (four) cameras each, for a total of
320 cameras, will work together to create a security blanket—a virtual eye that
can see what has occurred on the streets of the community in the event of a
crime.
“This is a historical moment for our community,” said
Assemblyman Hikind who thanked Senator Dean Skelos, majority leader of the New
York State Senate, for helping secure the funds for the security initiative.
“The achievement of this initiative demonstrates the importance of partnering
with our government,” said Hikind.
Assemblyman Hikind also thanked Agudath Israel, and in
particular both Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel (who was on hand for the security
initiative unveiling), as well as Dovid Tannenbaum, for partnering with his
office. Assemblyman Hikind also thanked both the Flatbush and Boro Park Shomrim
for their work in helping secure the communities. Representing the groups were
Yanky Daskal, the head of the Boro Park Shomrim, and Bob Moskowitz, head of the
Flatbush Shomrim, as well as Naftali Rosenberg from Flatbush Shomrim.
Assemblyman Hikind also thanked JP Morgan-Chase, which was represented at the
event, for their role in advancing funding for the initiative; as well as SecureWatch24
and their President/Founder Desmond Smyth for their technical guidance and
expertise in creating a system and topography that would best serve the
community;
Joseph Palmieri,
Brooklyn Borough Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation; and the
NYPD, in particular Commander Mike Deddo of the 66th Precinct and Commander
Eric Rodriguez of the 70th Precinct.
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| SecureWatch24 demonstrates the new security system to Senator Felder, Assemblyman Hikind and Rabbi Zweibel. |
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| Senator Simcha Felder, Des Smyth (SecureWatch24) and Assemblyman
Dov Hikind |
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| Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel (Agudath Israel), Senator Simcha Felder, Des
Smyth (SecureWatch24) and Assemblyman Dov Hikind |
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| Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein and Assemblyman Dov Hikind |
