- SERVICE REQUEST -
Do you have a specific problem that needs attention of a Village department?
If so, please use this Service Request form to bring it to the attention of
your Village administration. It will be acknowledged and given to the
appropriate department head for action.
We recommend that you include your name and address. It will not be disclosed
to any third party, but it will enable us to let you know what was done or
why it couldn't be done.
You may conveniently send your Service Request to Village Hall by including
it in the same envelope with your Electric Bill payment.
TO:
Mayor Dorothy Storm
Municipal Building, Freeport, N.Y. 11520
Action Requested or Nature of Problem
Your Name
Address
Phone
Memorial Libr
Village
News
sry
of The Village of Freeport
46 North Ocean Avenue
Telephone: FReeport 8-4000
Dorothy Storm. Mayor
Meet with Mayor:
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.. every Friday
• '.Public Meetings: 8:00 p.m..
1st and 3rd Mondays of the Month
.,. - August 1988 -
20
MESSA GE FROM THE MAYOR
Last month "Newsday"published an article on Freeport's fight against crack. Once
again they could not resist the opportunity to sensationalize when writing about
our community. Only a very careful reader of the three page article would note
that it was not claimed that the drug problem was unique to Freeport but exists
throughout Nassau-Suffolk. (Indeed it is a nationwide plague as demonstrated in
an ABC-TV special aired the evening of the article's publication.)
Only that careful reader would note that "Newsday "zeroed in on our Village because
we are unique in our many faceted battle against the problem. That, however, did
not come across as the general thrust of the article. Those that claim that they and I
or "the outside world" were not aware of a drug problem prior to the article-have
had their heads in the sand. We have not been waging a silent battle. You don't
arrest 70 drug dealers in one raid without making headlines. No one can win the
war against drugs without talking about it—in our homes, schools, houses of worship,
public meetings, etc.
"Newsday" could have better served Long Island's war against drugs by using
Freeport's efforts to demonstrate methods that could be used by other communities—•
efforts that have recently won us national recognition by the U.S. Conference of
Mayors. Of the 19 communities honored, Freeport was the only one from New York
and the only village. The Freeport program singled out included the establishment
of the Drug Advisory Task Force, our use of federal funds to assist anti-drug educational
and counseling programs, our successful petition for a $35^,000 special State grant
for police purposes, and the respect and cooperation we have gained among the
various law enforcement agencies. The newspaper could have pointed out that we
have established a specialized plainclothes division, that we are funding a study for
effective building security at our public housing and that all our efforts have involved
volunteers from all segments of the community. All these helpful and positive points
wouldn 't have sold as many newspapers as "Newsday's " slanted version.
With the support of all of our law-abiding residents we will ultimately triumph.
This "Village News" focuses on several ways you can be of assistance. As I wrote
to " Newsday's" editor, "Yes, we do have a shadow in our Village caused by the
drug problems, as everyone else does, but the sun also rises in Freeport and its
brightness truly outweighs the shadows."
—Dorothy Storm
Trustees: Vincent DiCostanzo, Ralph Smith, Victor Cohen, Anna J. Cacciatore
Village Clerk: Thomas DeVincenzo; Counsel: William Glacken; Treasurer: Michael Haran
ftfl°Driis
DRUG HOTLINE UNVEILED. As a plainclothes detective looks on, Trustee Ralph Smith
answers the call of a concerned Freeport resident as the new police hotline, FPT-DRUG,
is activated. The Village has received a national award for its anti-drug efforts.
FPT-DRUG (378-3784), the Freeport
Police Department's new anti-drug
telephone hotline, was recently unveiled
by Trustee Ralph Smith. A recom-mendation
by the Advisory Task Force
on Drugs, Smith spearheaded its
establishment by the Board of Trustees.
The new hotline will be answered by
officers who will be available to receive
reports of suspected drug transactions
or illegal drug use. When officers are out
in the field, a recorder will answer and
the call will be returned as soon as
possible.
"By dialing FPT-DRUG (378-3784),
individuals with information on drug
activity can by-pass the regular police
desk and be put in contact directly with
a plainclothes officer trained to handle
suspected drug activity," Trustee Smith
said.
"Our Village's greatest weapon in the
war on drugs is the 40,000 pairs of eyes
of our residents," Mayor Dorothy Storm
noted. "If a resident sees something'that
he or she suspects could involve the sale
or use of drugs, they should call FPT-DRUG
(378-378,4) immediately. While all
calls will ibe kept confidential, each
report of drug use will be thoroughly
investigated." * .- • " •" "' " • ".'"•
Under the long-established "40,000
Pairs of Eyes" program, residents are
asked to continue calling 378-0700, the
Police Desk number, to report matters
needing immediate response.
PLEASE CUT OUT AND SAVE THIS NUMBER
Under the almost two-decades-old .
"40,000 Pairs of Eyes" program, Freepor-ters
are encouraged to call the Freeport
Police Department, at 378-0700, to
report any suspicious activity. Under the
, ,pjognam;.ithe caller-»need not give his-pr--•-
her name and address, but only the
location and nature of the suspected
problem. This remains the procedure
when calling the general police number
under- the program or calling the new •:
Drug Hotline (see accompanying
article).
Police Chief Joseph King Jr. points
out, however, that police officers answer-ing
378-0700 will continue to routinely
ask the name and address of those
calling under the "40,000 Pairs of Eyes"
program.
"Callers may continue to decline to
give the officer the information
requested. This will have no bearing on
bur response. An officer will be dis-patched
to investigate the suspicious
activity reported.
"Quite often it is of vital importance
—that -we-contacMhe- original-caller. For
instance, we may respond to a call
regarding a barking dog and arrive on
. the scene to find that a burglary or other
crime has been committed. We would
- -then-want 1o talk-to the originator of the*
reporting call to see if they have further
information such as unfamiliar persons
or vehicles in the area."
Chief King reaffirmed that the names
and addresses of those calling under the
"40,000 Pairs of Eyes" program would
not be given over the air but would
remain solely in the confidential files of
his department. The publics' coopera-tion
is appreciated.
'S
At'the request of the Mayor's Advisory"
Task Force on Drugs, the Village's
Human Relations Director Michael Kir-wan,
will set up small group meetings
with a member of the Freeport Police
Department as well as members of the
Task Force for the purposes of discuss-ing
residents' concerns regarding illegal
drug usage. Such meetings might involve
the residents of one or two blocks and
could be held in a home or a local house
of worship. Those interested in having
such a session should contact Kirwan
at 378-4000, weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
In addition, Belle Sylvester who heads
up the Task Force's Committee for Court
Monitoring, is calling for volunteers to
assist her in following drug arrests
through the judicial process. She
explains that "the presence of concerned
citizens in the court room following
through on drug arrests and dispositions
indicates to the judiciary that_ citizen
involvement is"riofewortriy.""Those
interested in this program should call
Sylvester at 379-1716.
spilay
Residents and 'business Owner's* are
reminded that a Village ordinance
requires that they prominently display
the number of their address. This is in
order that under an emergency, the
Freeport Police and Fire Departments
can reach you without delay.
A prominently displayed address also
assists in deliveries and is a convenience
for invited guests.
Failure to comply may result in
summonses.
