Dawn of a safer J’Ouvert

For decades, men, women and even earlyrising children from New York’s Caribbean community have marched down Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway at 3 a.m. Labor Day Monday for the pre-West Indian Day Parade celebration called J’Ouvert. Alas, in a city which has seen murder and shootings plunge to record lows, J’Ouvert has been a tragic exception.

Two years ago, Carey Gabay, a counsel to Gov. Cuomo, was caught in gang crossfire and killed. Last year, even with the NYPD enhancing security, two more people were shot and killed.

To their credit, all sides — the mayor’s office, the NYPD and event organizers — have taken serious steps to address the carnage.

Most importantly, organizers agreed to push back the official start to 6 a.m., about a half hour before sunrise.

The police presence will expand further still and adopt an approach similar to New Year’s Eve in Times Square: There will be a “frozen zone” with a dozen checkpoints. No large bags, backpacks or booze allowed. Of course, weapons or anything that could be used as such are also banned.

All this should, one hopes, scare off the gang members who community observers believe have used the festivities as cover for mischief-making.

After three deaths in two years, a total shutdown of J’Ouvert could have been justified. Instead, politicians, cops and the community have struck a sane balance between respecting longstanding cultural heritage and honoring basic safety concerns. Fingers crossed it works.