Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald July 5, 2012

Our kids are out of control

To the Editor:

Simply put, enough is enough regarding kids in our village roaming the streets at night. As they say, nothing good happens when the sun goes down. It’s so true. I for one have been on the receiving end of obnoxious kids from the village spewing obscenities and anti-Semitic rants, drunken behavior and, one night, the theft of a car cover I had on a car in my driveway. That night I saw them do it, called the cops and they caught them within minutes.

I’ve called the police on more than one occasion over the years. Unfortunately, they rarely get here in a timely fashion because they’re overwhelmed with calls, especially on the weekends. I blame the parents, including even me, when my kids grew up here and I’m not ashamed to admit it. As I’ve mentioned so many times before, there is very little accountability any longer. As things get worse in the country, behavior follows right down the drain.

So, something has to be done about this once and for all. No more giving these kids a second chance. Lock them up until they exhibit the ability to behave themselves and have respect for people. But you see, in order to do that, they have to have respect for themselves. Where do they learn that? In the home! That’s how I see it.

This is what I’d do if I were in charge. If a kid is drinking or has alcohol on his or her breath and is out walking the streets, there’s no option: test them on the scene, arrest them, throw them in a police car and put them in jail at the Police Department. No favors, no giving second chances, no saying, “Just go home and don’t let me see you again.”

I’m just sick and tired of hearing these miscreants passing my house at 1 a.m., 2 a.m., 3 a.m., screaming at the top of their lungs, urinating in the street and behaving like savages. We residents have the right to live in peace here. It’s amazing to me how we can’t approach these human beings (if you want to call them that) and tell them to shut their mouths and get lost in fear that they’ll retaliate. Or we can’t speak that way to them because, you know, it’s not politically correct. I for one am not afraid of some 15- to 18-year-old kid.

Next is the issue with the police contract, or lack thereof, for three years now. In 2½ years they haven’t had a raise. But it’s just fine that they leave their homes every day not knowing if they’ll return in one piece, or worse. I don’t think that’s OK. The lack of a contract and a pay raise should not, and I’m sure does not prevent our police officers from doing the best they can. But these issues must be fixed immediately. All of us pay enough taxes, and the cops need a contract and a pay raise now! We need more police in this village, so when Radio Shack is held up or kids go wilding in our streets, they can get there at a moment’s notice.

If I were mayor, I would enact a mandatory Police Fund of $100 or more for the next 10 years to support the Police Department. It would be comparable to a yearly assessment. For residents who don’t want to pay, we can send all those out-of-control kids down your street at night. Let’s see how you like it. There may be a need for neighborhood watches to keep the peace. Whatever it is, it needs to be done now!

Burton Diamond

Rockville Centre

The village needs leadership

To the Editor:

This village has deteriorated to such a degree that it’s embarrassing to me. I’ve lived here all of my years and have owned two houses during that time. We now have a thunderstorm for half an hour and power goes out for three hours or more?

You can’t even walk around your own neighborhood after dark without falling victim to vicious beatings by thugs roaming the streets without consequence — the very offspring of your neighbors!

Try riding a bicycle on the sidewalk and you run the risk of getting a ticket, while these young adult criminals get off with a slap on the wrist.

All of this comes down to leadership, which is lacking in this town. Former Mayor Harry Lister and Captain Slade would never have tolerated all this lawlessness and the lack of services that have become commonplace in this once wonderful, safe, residential community.

John W. Ferrari

Rockville Centre

Impose a curfew?

To the Editor:

The Roxen Road thuggery committed by South Side High School senior classmen on a well respected and loved husband and wife last week should be an insightful wakeup call to the residents of our fair village on just how uncivilized our little darlings can be when the herd mentality of this generation operates.

The June 18 incident took place as an unbelievably despicable Internet video, in which 13-year-old middle school boys berated and intimidated a 68-year-old school bus monitor to the point of tears. The video, which went viral on the Internet, was as brutal as any physical beating I’ve ever witnessed.

In both cases, I’m sure many, like me, felt we would like to have been on site when these incidents occurred to give a sound thrashing to the miscreants who treated the victims with such callous and heartless disregard.

It’s time that we start treating kids as adults in these cases, and impose some harsh penalties on them so they’ll understand that whatever their actions are, they will receive just measure in return.

Maybe we should begin with an appropriate village curfew.

Mickey Clark

Rockville Centre