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Light Drizzle While in remission, pandemic concerns remain
Over the last three months we all faced unprecedented challenges. The personal, familial and communal impacts of the coronavirus pandemic were, in many cases, overwhelming. And it’s not over yet. The best we can say is that the situation is in remission.
Just as we began to see the light at the end of the quarantine tunnel, the fear of lawlessness, rioting and looting came on the scene. The images of wanton destruction and unchecked looting across the country were terrifying. Even the NYPD, the largest police department in the country, was unable to stop it.
In our community, business owners who are under enormous financial stress feared that their stores and inventories would be wiped out, effectively putting them out of business permanently. Residents were justifiably afraid that they, their homes and their property would be pillaged.
To be clear, we were not concerned that our Far Rockaway neighbors would seek to cause mayhem and harm. However, nearly every other protest that started out peacefully was hijacked by anarchists, criminals and looters who mixed in with the local protesters. The intel gathered for other protests nationwide could not reliably predict what would happen in Far Rockaway, although most sources believed it would be peaceful.
Realizing the existential threat we faced, the villages of Cedarhurst and Lawrence worked in tandem to enlist the help we needed to protect our community. We reached out to every branch of government that we thought could help, and they came through for us.
Whenever I called our amazing Police Commissioner, Patrick Ryder, he answered his cell phone on the first ring. He was never too busy to listen to our concerns and provide a solution. His assurances were not lip-service. They were backed up by every asset the NCPD had in its arsenal.
The commissioner’s unyielding determination to keep us safe was buttressed with an incredible show of force that thankfully was not needed because the protest march remained peaceful. He, together with our dedicated precinct Commander, Inspector Joseph Barbieri, personally directed the police force in place and they were on site long after the marchers disbanded and left the area.
It was very gratifying that all branches of government had our backs. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, was always in touch, directly and through the police commissioner. State Sen. Todd Kaminsky and Town of Hempstead Councilman Bruce Blakeman were personally instrumental in getting the New York State Police, the Metropolitan Transit Authority police and the governor’s Office of Homeland Security involved. Although we them thanked them personally, I want to thank them publicly through this letter. I also want to thank Deputy Mayor Ari Brown, Trustees Myrna Zisman, Izzy Wasser and Dan Plaut, and the men and women of our village family who worked tirelessly dealing with the pandemic and this immediate crisis.
Finally, we humbly acknowledge the hundreds of emails we received from residents of every part of the Five Towns thanking me, the trustees and staff of the village for our efforts. The messages of support and appreciation are overwhelmingly kind, heartfelt and gracious.
We wish everyone a safe and healthy summer.
