Wave of Hate Crimes
With sudden and increasing regularity, reports of bias incidents against a broad spectrum of religious symbols and houses of worship have spread across Long Island and beyond recently.
Listed below are some of these hate and bias crimes reported in the area recently:
- An outdoor menorah was desecrated on Gerhard Road in Plainview on the last day of the Festival of Lights, on either Dec. 26-27.
- That same week, graffiti was scrawled on buildings along Sea Cliff's Main Avenue near St. Boniface School. Detectives said swastikas, the marijuana reference: “420,” the Klu Klux Klan moniker “White Knight” and the letters “WK” were discovered.
- A statue of the Infant Jesus disappeared from the Nativity scene in front of St. Mary’s Church in Roslyn Harbor on Dec. 30.
- The following week in Sea Cliff, another swastika was drawn in black marker on a Glen Avenue resident's garage door.
- In Great Neck, swastikas were scratched into a 1998 Mercedes Benz parked at the Babylonian Jewish Center, sometime overnight on Jan. 6-7.
- Most recently, police charged a Centerport man with throwing a glass bottle into Huntington's Masjid Noor Mosque driveway from his vehicle.
- Nassau Police are investigating four incidents of graffiti on residential fences in Rockville Centre Jan. 19, including one involving a racist term.
Nassau Sheriff's Association Files Suit Against Demotions
The Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association filed suit in Nassau Supreme Court on behalf of the Nassau correction officers' union Friday, Jan. 13.
According to a report in Newsday, the union has challenged the demotion of 30 corporals at the county jail in East Meadow, arguing that Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano missed a Dec. 29 deadline to reduce their rank to correction officer.
The report also states that the Sheriff Officers Association has asked for the corporals to be reinstated with back pay.
According to Newsday:
The union, which represents more than 1,000 correction officers, contends the demotions Thursday reduced supervision and jeopardize safety at the jail while putting the former corporals in danger of inmate retaliation for past decisions.
A state judge denied the union's requests to lift the demotions until the case is decided, said Nassau County Attorney John Ciampoli, whose office is handling the case with outside counsel.
However, Mangano contends that the unions were well aware of the possible demotions.
"While it pains me to see anyone lose their job or demoted, I informed Nassau’s unions' presidents months ago that layoffs would occur if they did not provide the concessions needed to protect residents from a 19-percent property tax hike and live within the dollars provided to us for the 2012 budget by the County Legislature," Mangano told Patch.
Both parties are due back in court Jan. 20.
Nassau Officials Announce Local Pharmacist Security Summit
Mangano and District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Tuesday that Nassau County’s Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse Prevention Task Force will partner with InfraGard, an FBI public-private partnership, and the Long Island Pharmacy Crimes Task Force to offer a Pharmacist Security Summit on Feb. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at The Morrelly Homeland Security Center in Bethpage.
The Pharmacist Security Summit will feature representatives from the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) and Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Together, they will discuss their efforts and successes in apprehending and deterring addicts from burglarizing local pharmacies for prescription opiates.
Rice will also address pending prosecutions of doctors and pharmacists accused of illegally dispensing prescription drugs and of individuals filling illegal prescriptions. Additionally, a presentation will be delivered by representatives of Purdue Pharma, the makers of Oxycodone.
Law enforcement officials have created a list of vulnerable pharmacies in Nassau County and are tracking and arresting criminals guilty of drug diversion – from doctors who overprescribe to those who obtain the pills fraudulently and/or sell their own prescriptions.
LIPA Audit Bill Passes State Assembly
The New York State Assembly on Wednesday passed legislation that requires the Long Island Power Authority to undergo "comprehensive and operational audits," according to a press release from Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, D-Long Beach.
The goal of the Long Island Power Authority Oversight and Accountability Act (A.8957) is to address LIPA's "out-of-control spending and questionable business practices."
Plans Call for NUMC to Hire Non-Union Workers
Officials at Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC), the county's only public hospital, are planning to create a non-profit subsidiary that would allow them to hire non-union employees.
The new entity would be called NuHealth Services Corp., which would co-run the East Meadow-based hospital, according to documents submitted to New York State Health Department
County Launches Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club
Mangano announced Wednesday the creation of the "Inventors and Entrepreneur Club of Nassau County." The organization will provide a network for local inventors and entrepreneurs to collaborate and learn from experts.
The club will provide novice and seasoned entrepreneurs networking and brainstorming opportunities in a safe and secure environment. With a primary goal of helping turn ideas into action, the club will provide assistance in all aspects of the inventing process and enable members to tap into critical resources. Fueled by monthly guest expert speakers, the organization will provide assistance to local inventors in each step of the innovation process.
The club is set to meet monthly in the Ceremonial Chambers of the Theodore Roosevelt County Executive and Legislative Building, 1550 Franklin Ave., Mineola. The first meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
Another reason I say the government is because there was news recently about spending money to send pamplets to every home so people can track their prescriptions. How many people will use that pamphlet? Does anyone think that is the solution or even helpful? A pamphlet? It doesn't even begin to address the dysfunction that goes on in some homes or the problems behind the addiction. The person who would hang that pamphlet and mark it is most likely careful about monitoring their prescription. The people that leave them lying around or doctor shop are certainly not hanging that pamphlet in their medicine cabinet. So far, that has been my local official's best idea.
It isn't treated as a medical problem. When are we going to see that filling the jails is not ridding us of drugs? The US will never end the war on drugs. There's too much money in it. Instead there will be some story that really hits people hard, the elected officials will all show up and give speeches, people will scream about the drug dealers and addicts, and then everyone will go back to their everyday life. At least, that's how its been to date.
I will never forget Eddie Byrne getting murdered by drug dealers at the height of the crack epidemic. There were all sorts of promises by the politicians that drugs would be eradicated. You are right that it needs to be a combined effort. Of course people committing crimes deserve to be punished, but we need more education as well as early interventions.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/05/opinion/oe-fleming5 I think they have some valid points but having the Government in charge is where I take some issue with them, as for the "MONEY" the figures are mind numbing as to how much we as a Society have spent and are still in the same spot!!!! Addiction, as I stated before is individual in nature and how one gets there is irrelevant but what one does when they are, is truly what matters. Our mindset on drugs as a Society needs to change. We as a Society did just that when we ended prohibition……
Wanting to work on ways to cure addiction or alleviate it is not the same as wanting to fund drug habits or give a free pass. This drug problem is affecting all of us. We don't have to be the addict to have this epidemic touch our lives in some way.
That article made a lot of sense. Its a shame that more people don't see the points made. Thanks for sharing it.
instead of reading between the non existant lines of what i wrote instead of taking a slight compliment. read what the bloody hell im writting. AGAIN i'll repeat this. Sending people to prisons dont work because a. they're able to get the drugs because people get these drugs inside the prisons and they get highly paid for it. (and guess what your guards are one of the many that get it within the prisons. not saying all do it but there are enough). b. when they get out; they aren't always clean, they learn more criminal activities inside prison then they would elsewhere.so when they get arrested again put them under repeat offender list. c. i read your post, AND ITS IRRELEVANT TO WHAT MY POINT IS. hence why i didnt comment about it. stop acting like a highschool student yourself. your retiring soon correct? d. your still reading to far into what im saying. again it's not healthy.
Your points on giving up on the war on drugs are completely misguided. The point is that we have not fought i correctly. It is time we stop worrying about treatment and detox centers and the rest. If this really is a war treat it like a war and dont waste time punishing or treating these animals, instead just execute them all. We need to realize all the add on problems these addicts cause in society and realize they are just not worth saving.
please think reasonably. and that one is not reasonable weather its a "war on drugs" or not.
I stand by my comments - these animals need to be executed.
ok and i'm standing by what i said that your comment is completely phycho. executing them doesnt stop the drugs from being distributed.
Why not take your idea to the Supreme Court. Have the Constitution amended and allow death squads to take out anyone who struggles with addiction? Its truly wonderful having such an intelligent discussion on an important issue with people like you.
just goes to show you how desperate people are to get high and how brazen enablers are to get and supply those narcotics. I say: 1. Treat the addicts as best as possible. Push for broader intervention and greater familial say. Addicts cannot be forced to go for treatment unless they are court ordered. That has to change; A parent, sibling, and child, for that matter, should be given more sway in that decision. An addict is not in the right state of mind to begin with. 2. Continue to incarcerate those that commit felonies and other crimes against society. Addict or not, if you break the law, you must be punished. 3. Severely punish dealers and distributors. They are abusing a weak and vulnerable human condition for sheer profit. That is evil and they should be dealt with in kind. i am not proposing to execute addicts; but I think executing dealers and distributors is not far from the realm of possibility. In China, they execute dealers. http://rt.com/news/china-to-execute-more-african-drug-dealers/ And China is not the only country where this practice is common.
No Sir, it is you that is completely misguided and uninformed, this is not a WAR on anything, that’s just a straw man argument, this is nothing more than a MONEY LAUNDERING operation from the top on down and its being played upon the backs of the weak and addicted.... Take a look at the number of people in our Country that are addicted to either alcohol, drugs legal or not and tobacco.... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2003/sep/6/20030906-120039-1281r/ Still standing by your word........ You can watch how much MONEY is wasted by the second at the top of the page......... http://actionamerica.org/drugs/wodclock.shtml Here's some history on the War on Drugs, if you take the time you will see what an absolute waste of time and resources it has been...... http://civilliberty.about.com/od/drugpolicy/tp/War-on-Drugs-History-Timeline.htm btw: Tell me one good reason why Oxycodone is dispensed locally?
Not all doctors are like what you say. I know !! Been there !!
The Rockefeller laws did not reduce crime nor did they act as a deterrent. It did not reduce crime nor did it put a dent in addiction. It was repealed because as our then Governor stated, "I can't think of a criminal justice strategy that has been more unsuccessful than the Rockefeller Drug Laws." Do you really think that someone in the throes of addiction considers the consequences of his actions? An addict would lose his family for his drug. Do you really believe that sending them to jail cures that or solves that? And please, before you tell me that I'm giving a pass to criminals, I'm not. And yes, I do know people who have become addicts and alcoholics. They are not all animals as some people claim here. I'm sure you know and love a few too. You just may not realize it.
Bitter? not really. But reality is that the legal system sucks and that's my opinion due to things i've learned along the way. Now your 2nd line is borderline rude. don't make assumptions about people over the internet.
I'm not talking about fixing a drug problem only after a person is arrested for a crime. A drug problem begins long before that. I'm talking about addressing an issue before it turns into addiction or crime. I'm also talking about treating addiction as the medical problem that it is. You don't have to be an addict to have addiction harm you. As I said before, executing people or locking them away will not bring back people lost to crime or drugs. Why not look at working on addiction as a preventative to crime.