(l-r) Councilman Mark Mayoka, Supervisor Frank Petrone, County Executive Steve Levy with officers at the Community Outreach Center
Huntington’s Community Outreach Center is open for business. As of today the center, which is strategically located at 5 Loundes Avenue in Huntington Station will be a place where community members can stop in and report any illegal activities. There is also a town hotline where residents can anonymously report a crime. The center will have four code enforcement officers, about half of the overall town code enforcement team, regularly stationed here. One will remain on the phones while the other officers go out on patrol. The Outreach Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 to 4, any issues that come in after those times will go directly to the 24 hour hotline set up at Town Hall.
Levy, Petrone and Mayoka work the books
County Executive Steve Levy , Supervisor Frank Petrone and Councilman Mark Mayoka all expressed optimism that with the town and county working closely together, residents will quickly see a decrease in criminal activity. Levy feels that this new outreach center in the heart of the high crime area will be highly effective when it is used in conjunction with other initiatives that have recently been put in place. “We are continuing our commitment to ridding the community of gangs, guns, drugs and random violence,” said Levy. “Our police presence at the Outreach Center exemplifies the very visible approach we are taking to preserving the quality of life in this community.” By enhancing police tours of duty until the wee hours of the morning and establishing a Code Violations Bureau, our officials believe law and order should prevail.
As a next step, Levy would like to see the Town operate its own code violations bureau or court. Such a bureau could handle any code violations that affect the quality of life of community residents. He pointed out that “Babylon was given the governmental tools they needed to have a community court, why not Huntington?”
The Brave in Blue
Supervisor Petrone has tried in the past to implement a code violations bureau but was blocked by the State. A new bill been has submitted to the Legislature to establish this Bureau with the full support of County Executive Levy. The Town is hoping for the bill’s approval when the Legislature is back in session this fall. Instead of waiting weeks for a trial, code violations could be dealt with expeditously. In the meantime, Petrone will be frequenting the new Outreach Center himself in order to have direct contact with the residents and keep his finger on the pulse of what is occurring in the neighborhood. He also pointed out that at the suggestion of the police a ’privacy’ office is part of the center for those residents who would like to speak with the officers confidentially. A side benefit is it will also give code enforcement a place to work without being overheard on sensitive issues.
The Huntington Housing Authority enthusiastically made space for the Outreach
Levy commended the Town of Huntington on their quick dispensation of justice when they brought Salvatore Napoli to court yesterday. Napoli is the owner of a house identified by the town and neighbors as a den of drugs and prostitution on Norton Drive in East Northport. The town had asked the presiding judge, Steven Hackeling, to evict Napoli and board up the house. The house would then be seized and sold, with the equity returned to Napoli. The Town’s goal is to rid the neighborhood of a public nuisance and improve the quality of life. Judge Hackeling did not reach a verdict but will continue court proceedings with a hearing next Friday to decide on the fate of the Norton Drive house and Napoli. In the meantime a restraining order has been placed on Napoli restricting him from having any form of contact with his neighbors who signed affidavits attesting to the drugs, prostitution and other illegal activity happening on the property.
To report any crimes, the Town’s Hotline Number is 631-423- STOP (7867)
This is okay for a first step, but what we really need is to reopen the police annex. I know Jon Cooper is pushing hard for this and I hope Petrone and Levy will support his efforts.
I’ve had it with halfhearted attempts to fight crime in Huntington Station. Are our elected officials going to commit their full resources to making our streets safe or not??
Petrone looks like he is retired and just walked back from beach in Florida. He does not even wear a suit or tie.
Thanks to the Federal Reserve Bank and the financial industry, Mexicans living and working in the U.S. transfer about $25 billion to the Mexican economy. In addition, Mexican criminals and moochers cost taxpaying citizens and legal immigrants almost $350 billion per year, according to syndicated columnist Frosty Wooldridge.
I wonder if there will be any enforcement pertaining to immigration?
Thank you Mr. Mayoka for getting involved with this and showing that you do care about my neighborhood of HS!
This is a joke and should be insulting to the people of HS. We need police patrolling at night.
Well this is certainly a wonderful first step, and I surely hope all of us make use of it and start complaining about illegal apartments, suspicious activity and code violations. Let’s see how this works out, if our complaints are being addressed by this center. Let’s give it a try and go from there.
I just added the hotline number to my cell phone contacts.
This sounds awesome! I hope people take advantage of this opportunity to hold government accountable – the town has made the first move, so it’s up to us.
Isn’t it strange that of all the problem houses in the Town of Huntington the Town finally gets tough with a landlord in Pleasantville (E. Northport) because of a few minor arrests?
What about the guy who owns virtually every house on Alison Court, Tower, Academy and Church Street near JAI where all the serious daily violence is? Why don’t the seize his houses?
Simple fact is Potter owns the Town and until they get tough with him, all the cops in the world won’t fix a damn thing.
@HS Landlords,
The Town is trying to get tough with him but people are also trying to interfere with the efforts. If you look at the TOD map, you will see that the majority of the houses in the circle area are owned by rental slumlords! So people should stop being so fearful of the TOD concept being put forth.
Kim, Kim, Kim,
When will you ever learn? TOD: BAD Avalon: BAD
Need me to draw a picture? Oh, that’s right, you are blind. I forgot.