Gun Violence Triggers Revival of the Gun Buyback Program

By DANIELA BEASLEY

Following the massacre at in the Orlando, Fla. Shootings, along with a spate of shootings in the Bronx, a state assemblyman has re-launched a popular program where guns are traded for cash, and no questions asked. Assemblyman Victor Pichardo of the 86th Assembly District is sponsoring the latest gun buyback program to get weapons off the streets and prevent future shootings. “The recent mass shooting and recent spates of violence in our community need more than our thoughts and prayers – they require action,” Pichardo said in a statement. The gun buyback event will take place in early August, which normally ranks

Dear Fellow Readers, It’s that time again! The latest edition of Norwood News is out, featuring plenty of community news you can use! We begin, of course, with the front page story on a new program rolled out by the 52nd Precinct dubbed the Neighborhood Coordination Officer program. Find out how this program, in the works for nearly a year, can do with improve the fraught relationship between the community and police. On page 2 you’ll find our take on what can make the program a true success. More inside-the-cover stories include the latest in several key political races in the

The 52nd Precinct rolled out its Neighborhood Coordination Officer (NCO) program, falling under its Neighborhood Policing Plan, a commendable patrol program in which a handful of cops will permanently stay within a segment of a precinct to derail crime (see the front page story on the introduction of the program). The new role officers have adopted is nearly akin to a small-town sheriff—they know everyone and everyone knows them. For the pair of officers immersing themselves in the respective neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, University Heights, Fordham and Kingsbridge Heights, interfacing with the public can be awkward, maybe uncomfortable for

By DANIELA BEASLEY

The 52nd Precinct officially rolled out the Neighborhood Coordination Officer program (NCO), part of the NYPD’s overall Neighborhood Policing Program. Eight patrol officers and one sergeant, referred to as neighborhood coordinating officers (NCOs), make up the precinct’s NCO program. They’re offered the chance to create their own schedules while also provided with a smartphone for residents to stay connected to them at all times. “I guarantee that if you have a persistent problem, these cops will take care of it,” said Assistant Chief Larry Nikunen, referring to the roundtable of NCOs at the front of Mintz Auditorium in Monroe College

A Gripping Simulator at Monroe College Signals Talk on Police Shootings

A witness called in the incident—shouting between two sisters inside a home. In a neighborhood of one-story ranch houses and serene weather, it’s not exactly the scene of a domestic dispute. But Gloria Bent, a member of Community Board 7, goes in. One of the sisters, abutting her front door, urges Bent to get her other sister out of the house. The woman’s tics and moaning drawl suggests she’s high and agitated. She fidgets with a pair of scissors. Bent notices her voice growing more impatient. “She’s in here, she’s bothering me; she’s telling me she wants me to get

By TATYANA TURNER

The NYPD needs help identifying a suspect accused of assaulting a 22-year-old man in Bedford Park. The suspect and the victim got into an argument at East 203rd Street and Valentine Avenue around 10:15 p.m. on June 12. The argument soon broke up, but the suspect found the victim again and stabbed him in the torso. The victim was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital and was listed in stable condition. The offender is described as a slim-built Hispanic man between the ages of 20 and 30. He was last seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Anyone with

Below you’ll find a set of letters written to the editor, and published in the Vol. 29 No. 12 edition of the Norwood News: Frequent Fast Foods: Fattening In your issue dated May 12-May 25, 2016, the article entitled “Chew on This: Fast Food Can Lead to Health Risks,” it is mentioned that teens choose to eat at fast food places for a “quick, affordable, and convenient meal.” While this may be true it can apply to people of all ages, including young kids, preteens and seniors. I venture to guess that not only are the meals prepared speedily, but

Vivian R. Carter, the boisterous sales person for the Norwood News, has parted with the bi-weekly community newspaper and now serving as director of communications for local Councilman Andrew Cohen. Ms. Carter embodied the spirit of community. Working on a modest commission, she invested hours into the almost 28-year-old newspaper, offering a wealth of ideas, attending community cultural events, and lending a wealth of personal knowledge to the newsroom. Ms. Carter worked in the fields of law (she had worked alongside current U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch) and education before focusing her attention on the history of Rockaway, a neighborhood