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A New Avenue to Prior Notice To The City?

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Lina Maini

A while ago, we first broke the news to  our readers that the NYPD was developing a technique for crime video and picture submission directly to the police. The delivery system is now fully operational. However, these report hotlines and avenues are not for criminal activity alone. Quality of life issues can also be reported (potholes, poor parks conditions….) At the end of the News article, however, we ask questions regarding how this information can then be used in the private sector.

DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Now you can send images and videos from your phone to cops regarding crimes, and to 311 regarding quality of life issues. Picture this: You e-mail a photo of a fleeing crook that you took with your cell phone to cops, who use it to bust the bad guy in a flash.

Now it can happen.

Callers to 911 can send photos and videos to NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, where images are used to crack crimes or respond to emergencies, Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday.

“This technology should scare every would-be criminal because the chance of getting caught in the act is now better than ever,” said Bloomberg.

All callers have to do is tell the dispatcher that they have a picture that could be useful in the emergency. The information is provided to cops, who contact the callers and give them an e-mail address to send the photo to.

Bloomberg, however, warned aspiring crime stoppers to exercise common sense when taking pictures. “As helpful as your photo or video image is, do not put yourself in harm’s way to obtain them,” he said. “Your safety is paramount.”

When callers say they have a crime photo, the 911 dispatcher enters a special code in the NYPD’s internal system that provides cops with the good Samaritan’s phone number.

“It’s another building block in our partnership with the public,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, noting that last month, the NYPD started accepting text-message tips.

But photos aren’t just for combatting crime.

New Yorkers can also send photos and videos – to 311 or http://www.nyc.gov – concerning quality-of-life issues like potholes, dirty parks or broken pay phones.

As with the protocol for 911, callers to 311 have to alert operators that they have a photo of the offense. Callers are directed to http://www.nyc.gov, where they can directly send up to three photos.

“All of these things add to the quality of life in this city,” said Bloomberg.

Bloomberg said he wasn’t worried about the system being flooded with photos, but urged the public not to “cry wolf”. I think the problem is reverse,” he said. “That people don’t call us enough.”

From our perspective, the quality of life reports (potholes, dangerous intersections, cracked sidewalks…) raises all sorts of issues re: notice to the City. And, will these reports, if founded, be channeled to private organizations such as Big Apple? Can copies of these reports be FOILed? Viz. the criminal reports: can we now identify high-crime areas that should have been more aggressively patrolled?  It will be interesting to see if this data can be accessed in preparation of litigation and if so, how it may be used in such capacity.

Our Operatives: Street smart; Net savvy.

As always, stay safe.

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Filed under: . potholes, crime report, criminals, foil, nyc, nyc government, nypd, pictures, quality of life issues, video | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Emergency Info and the Hollaback Girls

Posted on October 20, 2008 by Lina Maini

I couldn’t settle on one topic this week, so I went with several info bytes:

International emergency numbers

We’ve become a global society, with many of us traveling overseas for business and vacationing. The international emergency number to dial from a cell phone is NOT 911. For all GSM cell phones, (82% of cell phones worldwide operate on the Global System for Mobile communications platform), the international emergency code is 112. This applies to all EU members, South Africa, many other African nations, India, Israel, Indonesia, Iran (not sure if dialing the gov’t is a good idea here), Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For a complete listing, check wikipedia’s emergency telephone numbers entry.

FLASHERS EXPOSED

Several fed-up NYC women, tired of the flashing phenomena, especially underground, set up a website to post pics of the offenders that have been taken with cell phones – HollaBackNYC. This site has now blown up to a HollaBack site for nearly every state. These photos are also being posted on Flickr and YouTube (if video captured). Well, the potential violator is now aware that the consequences of his actions rest firmly in his own hands. If you’re of the inclination, help support the cause and buy a unique Hollaback product (like the above Hollaback Girl’s Tee) or just donate. We generally don’t plug causes but well, you know, someone’s mother, sister, daughter…

NYPD ONLINE CRIME REPORTING UPDATE

The NYPD online site for submitting crime videos and pics is now open for business: www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. There are also instructions on how to text crime reports via mobile.

BNI Operatives: Street smart, Web savvy.

Stay safe,

Lina

Filed under: 112, 911, crime, crime stoppers, flashers, hollaback, international emergency phone number, nypd, pics, videos | Leave a Comment »

Accessing Potentially Helpful Video For Your Case

Posted on August 24, 2008 by Lina Maini

With 72 hours of the above video’s YouTube posting, the vicious assailant on the video was identified and is now being actively sought for the horrific assault he perpetrated on his helpless, elderly female victim. Now, these types of videos can be submitted directly to the City’s police. Coming to you soon, the NYPD’s video submission network: BlueTube.

Blue Tube

Scenario: Average Joe/Jane is minding his/her own business (or not), filming around town and captures potentially criminal activity on video. He or she may be aware of the video’s contents at the time or connect it with a news report.

Quandary: What to do with the video??

Solution(s): a)Delete it, b) show it to the retired cop neighbor, and follow his/her advice, c) wait and see if a reward is mentioned or d)submit it to the NYPD and let them determine the vid’s use and viability.

We’re hoping most people will go with at least response (d). The NYPD is putting the technology in place to receive the public’s videos as noted in this recent NY Post article.

Until the official NYPD site is up and running, we suggest dropping off videos of potential criminal activity (with relative information, i.e., time, location, focus of video) to: NYPD, One Police Plaza, New York, NY 10038. Mark the package “Video Evidence”.

When the official site does become available, we will bring you that information. It is our hope that this information will be available for the public under FOIL. Perhaps that activism should begin now through local bar and community board associations.

BNI Operatives: Street Smart; Web savvy.

As always, stay safe,

Lina

Please visit our new, proprietary information company: www.geopointdata.com, where we specialize in the toughest locates, searches and other must-have case information.

Filed under: assault, blue tube, crime, nypd, tape, video, youtube | Leave a Comment »

Talking To The Most Important Cop At The Precinct – The TSO

Posted on June 11, 2007 by Lina Maini

For personal injury attorneys, generally, the most important cop at any precinct is the TSO – the Traffic Safety Officer.

Data for New York City indicates that 26.7 percent of total statewide annual traffic fatalities, and 43 percent of total statewide crash injuries occurred within city limits.
In an effort to reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and overall costs associated with motor vehicle crashes in New York City, the New York Police Department (NYPD) developed TrafficStat in 1998. Modeled after the highly successful crime-reducing system, CompStat, the objectives of the NYPD’s TrafficStat program are to:

A – Identify locations throughout the city where crashes are most likely to occur

B – Design an effective crash analysis program to determine the primary factors that contribute to traffic crashes at these locations

C – Develop effective countermeasures to correct hazardous conditions

D – Implement a public information and education campaign, to help the public avoid traffic dangers and crash risks.

The first step though, in any accident investigation, especially one suspected of having occurred in an accident -prone location is to talk to the local precinct’s Traffic Safety Officer (TSO). The TSO generally has more direct knowledge and information regarding the precinct’s traffic “hot spots” than any other officer assigned to that specific house. We also suggest calling before 2 p.m., weekdays, regardless of the PD or precinct involved.

Below please find the direct phone numbers to the Queens NYPD TSOs (except where so noted, wherein the main precinct number is then provided). (For Albany PD, the main TSO’s number is 518/458-5676.) (Also let us know if you would like TSO info from other boroughs.)

NYPD

PCT TSO
100 718/318-4230
101 718/868-3422
102 718/805-3246
103 718/657-8806
104 718/386-3004
105 718/776-9160
106 718/845-2211*
107 718/969-5771
108 718/784-5405
109 718/321-2273
110 718/476-9311*
111 718/279-5200*
112 718/520-9311*
113 718/712-5299
114 718/626-9300*
115 718/533-2018

* Direct precinct #

Filed under: accident, compstat, nypd, personal injury lawyer, police, precinct, stats, traffic, traffic safety officer, trafficstat | Leave a Comment »

Towed, Moved or Stolen? Finding/Recovering a Missing Vehicle in NYC

Posted on January 22, 2007 by Lina Maini

It’s 6 a.m. You’ve circled the block several times, almost certainly during a torrential downpour or unexpected snowstorm and finally you’ve come to the conclusion that your vehicle is gone. This happens to hardcore City dwellers and unsuspecting visitors alike. Unlike an intriguing “how did this happen” Lost episode, rarely is this situation amusing. Our purpose this week is to cut through the labyrinthine process of vehicle location and redemption in NYC.

The first thing you need to determine if your vehicle was towed, removed for parade, dignitary or other details or stolen.

Towed: Go online to: NYC Serv – New York City On-Line Payment Services. Check for both outstanding parking and red light tickets. The information is in real time and will reveal  if your vehicle has been towed and to which impound lot.

If your vehicle has been towed, it is important for you to know whether it was a Violation Tow or Judgment Tow:

Violation Tow: (by the NYPD): If your vehicle was booted or towed because it was illegally parked and you owe no unpaid parking tickets in judgment, simply redeem your vehicle directly from the NYPD impound lots (locations in all boroughs, except Staten Island). If however your vehicle was illegally parked and you owe more than $101 in outstanding tickets that have gone into judgment, your tickets must be paid to the Department of Finance Paying a Parking Ticket before your vehicle can be redeemed. When you have resolved your outstanding parking debt, obtain a Vehicle Release Form. Take this form to redeem your vehicle to an NYPD impound lot.

Judgment Tow: (by Sheriff or City Marshal): The vehicle’s registered owner has outstanding parking tickets of $350 or more on any vehicle registered to his/her name. To redeem a vehicle towed by the Sheriff, pay the outstanding debt online at the NYC Finance Center NYC Serv – New York City On-Line Payment Services. If the vehicle was towed by a Marshal, go to the Marshal’s office and pay the tickets. City Marshals

Moved or Stolen: If you do not locate your vehicle through this system, it has either been moved by the NYPD (for a parade, motorcade, safety… detail) or stolen. Contact the NYPD: 911 if you believe it stolen, otherwise call or go to the precinct of jurisdiction: NYPD Precincts.

There are also situations wherein a vehicle is removed and secured by the NYPD for evidentiary purposes in criminal investigations. This requires a more specialized search. Consult with an experienced investigator – she should know the more direct routes of cutting through the bureaucratic red tape and not only locate the vehicle, but the reason for seizure.

Park legally. Be safe.

Filed under: impound, missing, nypd, parking, stolen, ticket, tow truck, vehicle | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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