Jersey Journal
WEST NEW YORK — Each of West New York’s four public housing buildings will soon have a new resident - an armed West New York police officer, Mayor Silverio “Sal” Vega announced yesterday at a news conference.
The city is subsidizing the rents of four police officers. Each will be living in a one-bedroom apartment for $225 a month, a spokesman for Vega said. Each officer will oversee about 84 residents at each building, said Robert A. DiVincent, West New York Housing Authority’s executive director.
“I think this is going to bring back that feeling that a police officer can be a neighbor,” Vega said.
West New York is the first municipality in the state to have officers living in public housing units, town officials said.
Vega said he and his commissioners came up with the idea while discussing ways to bring back community policing. He said that no matter which part of West New York he visits, the No. 1 issue for residents is public safety.
“People are always concerned with public safety,” he said. “I think it’s a win/win decision.”
The decision to have police officers living in public housing buildings is popular, even with the West New York Police Local 361.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Elio Martinez, vice president of the town’s police union. “People will feel safe and it’ll bring the police back in the community.”
So far, Detective Hilenne Chemas is the only officer currently living in public housing. She’s been in her new digs, which the town would not reveal, since June 1.
She said her neighbors have been kind so far, much to her surprise.
“I’ve had people make me dinner. I had mothers who come to me and say ‘If you see my daughter with a bad guy scare him off!’ ” Chemas said with a laugh.
She said her main concern was the bad stereotype some people have of police officers.
“My only fear was how they were going to receive me there,” she said.
The concept of a police officer living in subsidized housing is similar to how superintendents of apartment buildings enjoy reduced rent, Commissioner of Public Safety Larry Riccardi said at the news conference.
“We have people in the building that provide maintenance; why not have a police officer?” he said.
Interested police officers must be single and fill out an application. Chemas was one of the first to apply.
Apartments are on a rolling basis - the housing authority is not forcing single occupants to leave the building for a police officer. Once an officer moves into the building, he or she still fulfills their police duties, but simply lives in the building and gives it a police presence, Vega said.
Anthony Sable, who has lived at 590 62nd Street for six years, said he does not feel at ease knowing a police officer could be his next-door neighbor.
“Me personally, I don’t feel comfortable, but for everyone else here who wants them (officers) here, then I’m fine with it,” he said. “It’ll probably lessen the crime by using fear.”
Copyright 2007 The Jersey Journal LLC