More traffic patrols are needed

To the editor:

(re: “A few bad parking habits happening at Skyview,” Nov. 17)

I have been a (North) Riverdale property owner for four years. I sent several emails to Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz’ office in 2019 with zero response as well as hammering the 50th Precinct back in early 2020 regarding this exact situation along with the plague of abandoned cars up here.

I have an extensive email chain where Sgt. Mark Giordano told me verbatim, “We have the discretion to issue tickets or not.” The 50th is notorious for minimal return on a Riverdale property taxpayers’ investment, and I’ll not go into the package stealing, car-door checking, and light crime that happens up here far too often with minimal policing after the fact certainly zero patrolling prior.

My cameras have never not once captured a police car driving by, and it’s been four years since they’ve been on 24/7.

Shortly after this email exchange, I spotted an officer in the morning a few times over a few weeks ticketing the vehicles on a neighboring corner. But when I approached him and simply said, “Somebody from the 50th could come here every morning and get that revenue,” I was met with a blank stare.

So much for professionalism, courtesy and respect.

Then COVID-19 came and there hasn’t been an officer ticketing vehicles up here since. Non-debatable.

Of course, Dinowitz is familiar and partial to Skyview. But naturally, he seems to be oblivious to the fact that this happens throughout every Riverdale neighborhood. Without fail, the hydrants in my four-block square where I walk the dog twice a day are blocked in the mornings.

All of them. Every morning.

And the few times that I come home late, I’ve never seen a visible hydrant along my walk from Mosholu Avenue, meaning that if your house catches on fire in Riverdale between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., you’re screwed.

Our paid and often elected handlers aren’t handling these things. None of them. And it’s very easy: drive the streets, write the tickets, get that money.

And if you’re elected, make that happen! You know, your jobs!

Michael Wilder