Shooting incident on 8th St. highlighted
Police chief to committee: remember human element to crime stats
TROY, N.Y. » A stray bullet fired on 8th Street struck a vehicle last week, according to Troy City Police Chief Brian Owens.
Owens detailed the event to the Troy City Council Public Safety Committee at its May 10 meeting. The shooting itself occurred May 9. Owens had been asked about crime statistics by the committee.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:23 p.m. near 369 8th Street.
“That’s the beginning, or even into rush hour on Hoosick Street,”
Owens said.
Police learned that a number of people had been hanging out around a vacant building on 8th Street. It was reported that a vehicle drove by them and shot at them. Gunfire was exchanged between the group on the street and the vehicle. Owens said members of the group then got into vehicles and chased after the other.
Owens said a woman’s vehicle was struck by the gunfire.
“There’s a bullet hole in the tailgate,” he said.”In the backseat, there’s a car seat. The bullet went through the tailgate of the vehicle, through the backseat, and about six inches away from where the car seat was.”
There was no child in the car seat at the time, he said.
“People tend to dismiss shots
fired when nobody was hit… but a matter of seconds, or feet, could change the outcome for somebody dramatically,” said Owens.
Had the bullet not hit the car, it would have gone into the busy 8th Street and Hoosick Street intersection. “...anyone could have been struck by a round and not had any idea what just happened to them,” Owens said.
When looking at statistic, he said, it’s important to remember there are people behind each number.
Overall, according to the statistics Owens shared with the committee, crime is down compared to the five-year average.
In other business, Owens said there are plans to increase the size of the Community Services Bureau, which contains the Commu-
nity Police Unit (currently staffed by four patrol officers and one sergeant), Traffic Safety (four patrol officers and one sergeant), and the Neighborhood Conditions Team (two patrol officers, one sergeant).
Owens said the Community Police is also a philosophy which he hopes to spread across the department.
Regarding police staffing levels, he said there are currently 130 members in the department, however 20 are unavailable for different reasons such as training or leave time. There are also plans to increase the size of thepatrol group.
Owens also gave a report on nuisance issues such as illegal allterrain vehicle (ATV) and dirtbike use, grills blocking sidewalks, and people pitching tents on side-
walks.
“There has to be a reasonable balance,” Owens said in response to questions from the committee’s chairman, David Bissember. “You’re talking about neighborhoods where they may not have access to backyards. I absolutely understand the concerns about sidewalks.”
Prior to the report, a resident addressed the committee raising concerns about people blocking the sidewalks with grills and distributing drugs under the cover of having a barbecue. Owens said while that may sometimes occur, he tends to think most of these people are simply having a cookout.
He said if pedestrian traffic, or vehicle traffic, is being blocked by outdoor grilling then police will step in, but otherwise, “... we have to use a fair amount of discretion and judgement. We have to be considerate of communities and what their normal activities might be, so there has to be a balancing act.”
Councilman Anasha Cummings wanted to know how the department plans to address illegal ATV use, which he said is already being noticed.
Owens said it’s a frustrating issue, but the department plans to abide by its pursuit rules, which are designed to protect public safety. He said last year, police saw some success with using “community intelligence” to learn where riders were starting and ending their trips. He said the public should report illegal ATV and dirtbike activity. Even if an arrest isn’t made on a particular incident, the information allows police to detect patterns which may lead to enforcement.
“I guess I’m a little disappointed here,” said Councilman Mark McGrath, regarding what he felt was police not enforcing open container, and marijuana laws. He said law abiding citizens follow such laws, “... now you’re saying to them, we’re just not going to enforce them. That’s an issue.”
Owens said there are laws on the books, but officers have, “... discretion in applying the law, and that’s important with any neighborhood issue or traffic safety (issue). I didn’t say anything about not addressing open burn of marijuana, I was talking about grills…”
He said while people can’t just break the law, when police intervene in a situation there’s always a chance it will escalate into an arrest or possible a violent incident. “There has to be a reasonable balance on certain matters,” he said.
Nicholas Laviano, president of the Troy PBA, said that a number of years ago, two Troy police officers responded to a noise complaint that turned violent, with one officer being stripped of their radio and attacked while the other officer was engaged with another person. He said members of the city council, who no longer sit on it, were less than supportive of police.
“It was demoralizing to the police force when we see that,” Laviano said. “I’m asking you guys, from our membership, wewill enforce that, we will go out there, just back us up when that happens, when that noise complaint goes south, because it can.”