Speeding, flying bikers late for work: South Brooklyn’s Police Commander, Capt. Jack Lewis, says he’s got his eyes on you.
With the increase in bike lines, police at Lewis’ 76th Precinct, covering Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Red Hook and Gowanus, are getting a lot of complaints about bikers breaking the law–riding on sidewalks, running red lights, riding the wrong way down the street, etc. Lewis says his police will be targeting biker scofflaws and writing tickets.
“Bicyclists have to obey the rules of the road,” Lewis said. “It’s about public safety. Reducing accidents and keeping people safe, that’s our goal.”
The cops at the 76th have been doing an excellent job reducing crime around here, meaning they’ve got more time on their hands to look for speeding or maniacal bike riders.
In December, robberies were down 40 percent from the month before. There were only three robberies, and seven burglaries, for the month.
The cold weather helped, Lewis said, as did a strong show of force on Court and Smith streets. Volunteer police, called auxiliary police, joined the men and women in blue to patrol robbery hot spots in the area.
“If you see them out there, just say thanks,” Lewis said. “We should recognize their efforts.”
