Second Safest City Blog

Former Rockland Journal News editorial page editor Arthur Gunther published a stinging review of the Palisades Center Mall in today’s paper. This is truly a must-read.

There was just one problem with the article, regarding the quote beginning, “The scenes are there to be photographed …” You can’t photograph anything at the mall.

According to Pyramid management, to take photos anywhere at the mall you need to set up an appointment, have a $1 million insurance policy, and have the approval of mall management. There are no exceptions for amateur photographers. This also applies if you are taking photos on your phone. Even if you just bought a new camera at the mall, you couldn’t use it until you got home. When asked how this rule could be enforced, they couldn’t answer, likely because Pyramid will only enforce the rule if it suits their needs.

If you’re spending money like a good consumer there likely won’t be a problem. But taking a picture of the rusted stairwells, where doors are smashed in, where walls are covered in graffiti, where the smell is reminiscent of a Port Authority urinal, where discarded drug bags litter the floor — taking a picture of those stairwells could get you kicked out of the mall. Then again it might show people that Clarkstown isn’t the la-la-land “safest city” fantasy world we always hear it is.

Anyone else remember how the mall was supposed to lower our property taxes with all the revenue it brought in? Whatever happened to that?

The Missouri Highway Patrol has decided to mark 142 of its unmarked vehicles because it will improve traffic safety. Missouri Highway Patrol Superintendent James Keathley said, “When the motoring public sees a trooper, they pay closer attention and improve their driving habits, making the roadways safer for everyone.”The Clarkstown Police should adopt a policy to mark its vehicles for enhanced public safety.  The benefits of having plain clothes officers performing traffic stops in “taxis” and other completely unassuming vehicles are dubious at best. Contrary to public efforts by Clarkstown Police that would lead us to believe our fleet of “taxis”, Honda Civics, and mayors from Spring Valley are contributing to enhanced safety, the inability of drivers to discriminate legitimate police officers from impersonators is obviously a serious issue, as has been learned numerous times in our area.

Notably, on December 21, a FedEx delivery truck was hijacked in Manhattan by a group of men who displayed fake badges and forced the driver to follow their instructions.  While being driven around for the next three hours, the driver said one of the men taunted him by saying, “I paid a couple hundred dollars for that badge. Did you think I was police?” Interestingly, the robbery was bungled when the crooks failed to open the specially designed aircraft flight case filled with goods, so they ditched the truck in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and let the driver go unharmed and even allowed him to keep enough of his own money to get home.

Drivers in Clarkstown, take notice: the next time you get pulled over by the Clarkstown Police, the officer may be riding in a taxi or a Honda Civic, and be wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

This provocative article outlines the questionable tactics of the Clarkstown Police in allowing officers in plain clothes to use completely unmarked cars for traffic stops and routine police work. Not surprisingly, the Clarkstown Police spokesman refused to issue comment until the town council prodded him. His response?

“Maybe that’s why we were just identified as the second safest community in New York State of a population our size. Being a resident of the town you should be very proud of your police department and the work we’re doing.”

Truly safe cities don’t need armed narcotics and gang task forces.