By:Amy Schoenberger
Residents came out to East Meadow town square on Tuesday, Aug. 5 to take part in the 20th annual Night Out Against Crime, a community safety program put together by the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations (CEMCO) and the Nassau County Police Department.
During the event, police officer Glenn Carpentier spoke about a program geared toward young children called "Stranger Danger," in which police go into local schools and discuss what children should do if they're approached by strangers.
The program also offers parents tips on how to teach their children what to do in dangerous situations. Carpentier recommended that parents always take the time to ask where their children are going and know what they are doing.
Rich McCarrick, deputy inspector of the 1st Precinct, echoed Carpentier, urging community members to use resources such as the police and local task forces "as efficiently as possible."
According to McCarrick, gang activity is low in East Meadow, and the crime rate is about the same as last year. The number of house burglaries, however, has increased in recent weeks. McCarrick urged people not to hesitate to call 911 if they see suspicious activity.
Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes (R- Levittown), who has served as chairman of the Nassau County Graffiti Task Force for almost a decade, offered brief comments on crime and graffiti issues. He encouraged the public to be as involved as possible.
Police said they are planning to set up an explorer post in the neighborhood with the Problem Oriented Police Unit, otherwise known as POP. Details on the post have yet to be finalized, but police said the post will be aimed at getting high-school students more involved in crime issues. Anyone interested in learning more about the explorer post should call (516) 573-6170.
Representatives of the auxiliary police were also on hand at the event. "Everything we do is for the community," said Phil Aievoli, an auxiliary police officer, explaining how the force patrols the community at night.
Toward the end of the event, CEMCO seized the opportunity to ask those in attendance to join its crime watch program, begun about 15 years ago by Nassau County Legislator Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow). The program is made up of volunteers who patrol the neighborhood, serving as the eyes and ears of the police and acting as a visible deterrent to crime.
Gonsalves said it's not usually easy to get volunteers, but this year about 12 college students and their parents joined the program. Those interested in in can call Gonsalves at (516) 481-0824.
The Night Out concluded with a candlelight vigil. When asked why such an event would end with everyone lighting candles, Gonsalves said, "As part of crime prevention, we encourage people to leave lights on, and that is why we light the candles."
