Frankford Community Blog | Local News, Events, Community Resources
Captain McCloskey attended the meeting on January 22nd at Aria Hospital with about 15 community residents. The issues covered were a recap of the most recent violence in Frankford. The shootings on Penn Street and Adams Avenue and the robberies around the Frankford Transportation center. We have a short video below. Turn up your volume, there was a lot of background noise.
The next PSA1 meeting will be on February 26th at 7PM at Aria Hospital at 4900 Frankford Avenue.
Captain John McCloskey attended the PSA1 meeting on August 28th and announced that 30 new police officers will be assigned to the 15th district. He went on to lay out some of his plans for how he will use the increase in manpower. The bicycle patrols in Frankford will resume. Two officers will be assigned as quality of life patrol officers specifically targeting problems in Bridesburg and up around Lincoln High School.
In followup to the June meeting (the July meeting was cancelled by the police):
McCloskey said they are continuing to keep the pressure on the prostitution activity on Frankford avenue. The “sting” operations have been effective in which the police use one of their female officers to attract offers from men who are then arrested and their vehicles are confiscated. That kind of penalty creates a deterrence especially when their names are published in the media.
Frankford and Foulkrod is getting hot again with drug dealers moving back onto the intersection. The police of focusing on keeping that area free and safe for the residents.
Joe Krause, President of Northwood Civic, thanked the police for their prompt response to the home invasion last month on Wakeling Street. One of the individuals was shot and killed by the responding officer after he fired his weapon at him. The second individual is still a fugitive.
Attendance at this meeting was about 25 but would have been greater if it was not for the confusion about the dates. The police web site listed the date as August 29th. The next meeting of PSA1 will be on September 25th at 7PM at Aria Hospital. That is confirmed by the Captain. Look for John Loftus’ report on this meeting in the Northeast Times when it becomes available.
The June PSA1 meeting did take place on June 26th and captain McCloskey attended along with Lt. Ryan and Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho. There had been some confusion about the date due to misinformation placed on the 15th district web site. Despite that, there were close to 50 residents gathered at Aria Hospital drawn from all areas of Frankford.
Captain McCloskey started out by noting that rate of robbery and burglary are both down in the recent period. Shootings have increased due to ongoing drug activity that has been centered around Foulkrod and Frankford but has been shifting over toward Margaret. He mentioned that they are continuing to put pressure on the prostition issue in the early morning hours on Frankford Avenue and are making it less attractive for the prosititutes to use that area. He also talked about the summer season of block party permits which over which he has veto authority. He will not approve permits for street closures of problem blocks.
Residents of Worth Street noted that shootings in their area are an ongoing problem with only luck lately to account for nobody being hit. The drug dealers are responsible and the McCloskey said he would tip the narcotics team to the problem.
On Trenton Avenue residents say some mornings the prostitutes are causing traffic problems. They asked about a temporary surveillance camera that is available and Lt. Ryan said he would look into that option. The camera would take residents off the hook for conducting their own surveillance.
There is a house on the 4200 block of Paul Street where the back yard is being used for sexual activity. This is not far from what has become a nuisance garage. Work and noise going on at all times of the day and night. McCloskey said he would have a look to see if there might be some more serious criminal activity related going on there.
The 4700 block of Griscom continues to be used by the same drug dealers as in the past. There was a report that a garage on Church Street may be a chop shop. McCloskey said he would refer that issue to major crimes for further investigation.
I had to leave the meeting at that point for personal reasons but John Loftus of the Northeast Times has his complete report on line at this link.
I have been attending the PSA meetings since they were instituted and have witnessed some successes when the community and the police come together to work on a problem. It does not work without both components. The next PSA meeting is scheduled for 7PM on July 24th at Aria Hospital. Unless the police and the residents attend to followup on the complaints at this meeting, we are just spinning our wheels.
Please note that the print edition of the Gazette lists the date for the July PSA at the 17th. This is an error that is still listed on the 15th district web site. Why is it that they let this situation continue? I don’t know.
There will be a PSA1 meeting tonight (6/26/2014) at 7PM at Aria Hospital on the second floor either in the conference room or the cafeteria. Captain McCloskey has said he will attend. Northwood will be represented to discuss issues that have developed in the last few weeks. Also residents from East Frankford have some issues to discuss. Should be interesting.
At the Frankford Civic Association meeting held this past Thursday, discussion centered on the groups’ frustrations with the Police 15th District Public Service Area 1 (PSA1) meetings. Attendence included a representative from Democratic nominee for the 179th State House Jason Dawkins, and several residents of East Frankford. Although PSA meetings are meant to be a venue for the police and residents to engage and understand, Frankford Civic president Pete Specos says they’ve been unable to hold a meeting for a couple months and that there’s been limited communication with the 15th district Captain, John McCloskey.
Specos said he has been unable to get in touch with the captain or lieutenant of the 15th police district. Specos told the assembled, “at the last PSA meeting, no one showed up. The one before it, at 10 after 8, the lieutenant walks in when everyone is walking out.” Specos says he was told it was a miscommunication. “This is becoming disrespectful. Now at the PSAs, no one shows up, cause they know the police won’t show up.” Specos says he’s been trying to call for another meeting,”but it’s like pulling teeth”.
Several residents of East Frankford were at the civic to discuss police related matters. A resident that lives by the playground field at Harding High School. says he’s it’s being used by dirt bikes and ATVs. “It’s only going to get worse as we get further into the summer” he told the civic.
Another resident said that he’s seen biker gang patches at Timmy’s Place. Residents also would like the police to put a camera at Worth and Orthodox.
Specos says the community has been damaged because residents now won’t go to a PSA meeting because they don’t think the police will show up.
Specos said the next PSA 1 meeting is scheduled for June 26th at 7 pm at Frankford Aria Hospital, however, on the 15th District website, the meeting is shown as being held on June 19th at 7 pm.
The next civic association meeting is being pushed back a week from it’s regular schedule because of the July 4th holiday. The Frankford Civic Association will meet on the 2nd floor at Aria Frankford Hospital at 7 pm onThursday July 10th.
