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MOTORIST REPORTS MAPLE AVENUE TRAFFIC LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING BETWEEN BLOOMINGDALE ROAD AND MAMARONECK AVENUE.
THE LAST STAND: City Should Follow Its own Law and Deny FASNY Permit
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. December 8, 2014:
The Rhodes, the “Truth Police,” are sending the Mayor and Common Council a series of mailings in a Last Stand to convince the city they have standing to deny a Special Permit to the French American School. Here is the first in a series:
Dear Mayor and Common Council,
When FASNY first appeared on the scene almost 4 years ago a few of you were mentioning in public. . .”that we cannot deny a Special Permit to a school”. Years later at the conclusion of the SEQR Findings meeting last December the Mayor was stating that the Common Council is “bound by the law”.
Now we have all learned that the FASNY “regional private school campus” is not eligible for a Special Permit according to WP law “Section 5.2 List of Use Regulations for District: R1-30”. What would be eligible for a Special Permit are one family dwellings, churches or other places of worship and public schools. . .also private elementary or private secondary schools would be eligible. . .however not both together. . .and certainly not a “regional private campus that combines nursery, elementary, middle and secondary schools”.
And even eligible uses, such as public schools, would have to be in compliance with WP law “Special Permit Use 6.5.1” which says projects have to be in harmony with the areas they are located in. . .and FASNY’s massive Traffic, 10-Year Construction, Water Issues, Risks to School Children, Seniors and other Citizens, Fire Safety Risks and decrease in Property Values are certainly not in harmony with our residential neighborhood.
Now that we all have learned the WP laws. . .doesn’t the Mayor stating that the Council has to follow the “Rule of Law”. . .mean you are all bound by the laws that currently exist in White Plains?
We report. . .you decide. Your Truth Police, Team Rhodes
Marie and Ron Rhodes
P.S. For those interested in the exact wording of “Section 5.2 List of Use Regulations for District: R1-30” here is the link on the City’s website:
The Day of Infamy–73 years ago. About Midday on the East Coast
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Out of the Sun
A Memorial Poem
Out of the sun on the quiet Sunday morning they came
Birds of death blazened with red suns raining fiery havoc on Battleship Row.
One by one, ruthless planes dove, destroyed wantonly to their nation’s eternal shame.
Thunderous explosions scattered fiery death in Sunday dawn’s glow.
Flames belched from bowels of stricken Arizona, America’s pride,
On Hickam Field pilots raced to planes to defend
As their birds were crippled on ground by Zeros’ glide
Gunners in turrets on ships floundering filled skies with flack’s din.
In search of carriers, marauders could not find
Ruthlessly strafed and bombed leaving Pearl
In smoking ruin. Ships sunk, burning as raiders flew into the Sun
The day of infamy had been ignited in the Zeros’ swirl.
As America listened a world away, somber FDR
Spoke of this day that will live in infamy.
America must never forget that Pearl Harbor Scar
When an unsuspecting America slept in complacency.
To the 2,403 perishing that day under merciless bombs
Hails of bullets,terror of torpedos out of nowhere
America must remember forces against our freedoms
Relentlessly work always to surprise with deadly bombs’ glare.
Vigilence is the price of freedom always to be defended
Against those who would destroy our republic from within
By dark forces in far off places we have offended.
The answer is not curtailing freedom at home rather it to champion.
The USS Arizona lies today in Pearl’s waters, bleeding the lives
Of her men through the eerie eternal slick marking the rusting hulk.
Beneath Pearl’s waters, the blood of free people oozes from the shadowy bulk,
Bleeding forever, freedom’s spirit living eternally in lost lives remembered.
She never rests.
Note: The Pearl Harbor attack which took place 73 years ago today at 7 A.M. Honolulu time –just about 12 noon Eastern Standard Time. Its aftermath is dramatically depicted at
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm
White Plains Police and Demonstrations.
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. December 7, 2014:
The following was sent in by the President of the White Plains Police Benevolent Association:
Dear Mr. Bailey,
On behalf of the White Plains Police Benevolent Association, I would like to thank you for your recent article on your site entitled, Interacting With The Police Is Common Sense.
I would also like to give credit where credit is due and that would be to the City of White Plains Police Department. Over the past few weeks we have seen some horrible riots and destruction to personal property and the burning of not only businesses but also police vehicles over the largely broad casted decisions of the Michael Brown and Eric Gardner cases.
Since these decisions, the City of White Plains has had two demonstrations. One was a large group of White Plains High School students who marched from the school to downtown White Plains. The other was a “Die In” at Fountain Park. They were both peaceful and orderly, with no unruly acts of violence. The White Plains Police Department provided for a safe environment for the protesters in both instances. During and after the demonstrators were finished marching, they shook hands with many of our Officers thanking them for doing their job and keeping them safe.
I can truly say that this is a true testament to the training, training, and more training that the White Plains Police Department gives its officers. Officers have been instructed for years on how to interact with emotionally disturbed people, cultural diversity, verbal de-escalation, and also dealing with people as human beings. We are taught one of the most important rules in life, and that’s to treat people the way we would like to be treated. Our Department leaders have set a very high standard on the way Officers are to deal with the public.
Again I would like to commend all of our men and woman for their outstanding dedication and hard work in keeping our residents and visitors safe on a daily basis, especially during these peaceful protests.
I would also like to thank Commissioner Chong, Chief Bradley, and Assistant Chief Fitzsimmons for providing the classes and resources that we need to get the job done and keep everyone safe. I would also like to thank the Command Staff and Police Supervisors responsible for the Protest Detail, who were on the ground and handling the safety of all involved.
Mr. Bailey, in closing, I would also like to add to your article that there are three things the public needs to know about contacts with the police.
1. Be courteous
2. Be cooperative
3. Be compliant
These three things will foster a better experience with the police.
Robert T. Riley
President
White Plains Police Benevolent Association
“Our Strength Lies In Our Unity”
INTERACTING WITH POLICE IS COMMON SENSE.
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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. News & Comment from John F. Bailey. December 6, 2014:
In view of the protests against the deaths of minority teenagers and adults in an epidemic of police shootings and grapple-to-death incidents, I think some perspective has to be applied here.
For the person who is of color and not white who is stopped by police, but even if you are a white teen or adult stopped by police or told to stop some behavior, you have to realize that your reputation has been fixed in the minds of law enforcement in a negative profile by decades of poor choices by minority community members who have chosen anti-social and criminal behavior, not unlike the robber barons who steal big time in carpeted crags in concrete canyons.
This profiling of minorities ,has created an attitude on the part of police that you as a minority walking around in a group might be acting like a criminal and breaking the law and up to no good.
The difference between throwing bricks into store fronts and looting and creating “creative investment instruments” and losing the occasional $6 Billion and not being held accountable for it, is that the latter crimes are committed by folks in three piece suits, white shirts and are mostly white. Multi Billlion Dollar fraud is not something the street police have to deal with on a regular basis. And nobody cares strongly about stopping Gazillion Dollar Frauds because that’s “just business,” it’s “clever.”
Never mind the fact that it is very easy to steal from a person that trusts you. Being a criminal is not glamorous. It takes no great skill you just betray a person’s trust.
However, indulging in criminal-like behavior or appearing to threaten a police officer, is what it is and if you’re participating even peripherally in a situation where this is going on, you could get hurt.
So I have this to suggest to protestors reacting and our young people righteously aggrieved about the amazing police violence incidents that have piled up recently:
You have to adjust your behavior to avoid the least possible chance you will antagonize a police officer’s self-protection instinct.
If you are in a protest, where folks around you are doing things slightly irresponsible like setting police cars on fire, you have to get on out of there.
This rioting and looting is really stupid, so I suggest that it cannot possibly be the work of actual residents of the neighborhood. The burners and looters should be rounded up, jailed and prosecuted.
But of course, that would be brutality if any of those wonderful vandals were hurt by the police.
Most of those people, and I am generalizing here, could not give a wit about the death of an individual they do not even know.
They see it as a chance to do pyschopathic “God knows what” destruction, letting appetites for excess run wild with protest as an excuse.
I mean, who does those things anyway like setting police cars on fire, breaking glass in neighborhood stores, looting — trashing the economy of your own neighborhood.
Is there a service business of goons whom national protestors call up to escalate these riots to assure television coverage and impact opinion?
Where is the NSA, the FBI, and the CIA on these well-organized trashing orchestrations?
Detroit still has not recovered from the 1967 riot. South Detroit is a disgrace of overgrown fields, abandoned houses and boarded up stores to this day.
That being said, young readers and you older protestors, too, The least belligerence or defiance escalates the chance officers will view you as a threat to them.
To that end, and in view that I have a tanned complexion, look somewhat “terroristy” and drive a disruputable looking black Animal House car I offer some strategies that have worked in my very limited engagements with police.
Instead of unleashing righteous anger. Defuse your situation. I suggest the following conduct:
1. Be polite when the officer detains you. Say, “Yes, officer?”
2. Ask permission to reach into a pocket of a jacket or coat, or if driving, the glove compartment of your car.
3.If approached by an officer because of what you are doing, stop doing it Freeze, show hands in wide display and say, “Yes, officer?” In fact always show open palms in plain sight. If the officer indicates he’s cuffing you, let him or her do it.
4. Show identification if asked for it. Volunteer name and address and where you’re from.
5.Do not open your mouth and object to what the officer is asking you to do.(Very key behavior to avoid escalation of officer attitude.) Also do not tell an officer who you are and how important you are. Cooperate.
6. Do not engage the officer physically, push him or her, threaten or be belligerent in any way, or worse, use foul language and call the officer “expletives.”
7. This is a key thing: do not under any circumstances draw a weapon, or what could be construed by the officer to be a weapon.
This is threatening an officer and you are wrong. (The 12 year old, killed when pointing a toy gun at police in Cleveland, is an example of how threatening an officer even in jest can turn into horror.)
8. Do not use foul or abusive language to the officer. That could be construed to be disorderly conduct. (Ask yourself how you would react if someone called you an expletive deleted in anger?)
9. Do not throw rocks, objects or anything at an officer. That’s assault.
10. Obey instructions to the letter. That includes stopping when the officer tells you to do so.
Bare in mind you have rights but you do not have the rights to threatening behavior or to do the officer harm, just because you are engaging in behavior unbecoming any person black, white, swarthy, bearded, or in a three-piece suit.
11. You have a right to protest, but no right to push, shove, threaten other citizens or police officers.
12. Try being polite and respectful to a police officer, treat him or her as you would your pastor, priest, or Pope.
Now, Grand Jury failure to indict does not give any community the right to destroy private property.
Imagine if everytime a Wall Street “creative” executive was not indicted, if consumers losing money attempted to burn the stock exchange or the bank. We can’t have THAT, right?
But minority neighborhood businesses the salt of the earth, are allowed to burn? Stop it and arrest those vandals.
The circumstances involving the deaths of recent blacks killed as the result of police officer actions are a direct result of their failure to comply with police instruction and reckless behavior. With the exception of the shooting of the young man simply exiting a building, the inexperience on the part of the officer having his gun drawn appears to have contributed to that horror.
The Garner death in Staten Island is interesting because Mr. Garner has had long experience with the police, he disobeyed instructions and the officer overreacted, clearly. Do not disobey instructions. If you do, ensuing actions to get you to comply really depend on the cool of the police officer and his or her ability to control their actions.
Another thing, if a person pulls a knife and charges at officers, and an officer shoots to wound and protect a fellow officer, and a rechochet off bone kills the person — THAT should be written about and explained by the media, when that person is cited as an example of police overreaction. All that person had to do was go along with officer instruction when first asked.
I do have a suggestion though next time any community desires to stage a spontaneous demonstration to protest a police incident, hire lawyers to observe and calm down the situation.
Have the legal observers where big slickers reading “LEGAL” on their backs. It would tame matters down.
Another factor that escalates these protests is television coverage.
NBC Television in Ferguson actually did what I would characterize as “preriot” cheerleading that had a reporter telling Brian Williams, “tension is rising,” (almost saying, without saying, what are you waiting for — riot), then the cameras showed a police car being burned.
Come on. The reporter should have asked the police car torchers if they ordinarily bring igniting fluids when they go out on a protest. The media presence was egging the crowd on, in my opinion.
Since I do not have police officer training, I cannot really comment with authority on how police can adjust their behavior to handle the unexpected or interaction.
I would be afraid to do their job.
But I invite any law enforcement sources to write me and advise of how police are trained to reaction in these confrontations when trying to stop behavior that is getting out of hand , or arriving on the scene at investigations.
WHITE PLAINS WEEK THE LATEST EDITION ON THE NET
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THE ONLY REAL LOCAL WHITE PLAINS NEWS SOURCE!
RELIED ON BY THE PEOPLE
HATED BY EVIL DOERS EVERYWHERE
FOR 14 YEARS.
ON LINE ON TARGET
JOHN BAILEY
UNDISPUTED NEWS LEADER FOR 15 YEARS
JIM BENEROFE
COVERING WHITE PLAINS FOR
39 YEARS
ON
THE FASNY HEARINGS END.
THE MOTHER OF ALL DRUG BUSTS.
THE FASNY QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE
WILL THEY BE RESOLVED IN PUBLIC OR UNDER THE TABLE?
THE NATIONAL PROTESTS AGAINST POLICE BEHAVIOR
WPW HOW TO GET ALONG WITH YOUR LOCAL POLICEMEN
THE CITY MAKEOVERS PLANNED FOR WESTMORELAND AND WESTCHESTER AVENUE
WALKING POMPEII
AND ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD
YOU’VE GOT
![IMG_6937[1]](http://whiteplainscnr.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_69371.jpg)
TIM CONNORS
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT OF WHITE PLAINS SCHOOLS
ON
THE STATE OF THE SCHOOLS; TESTING MADNESS;
THE BUDGET AHEAD.
THE TROUBLE WITH THE TESTS
SEE THE NEWS DOUBLEHEADER ON THE INTERNET AT
www.whiteplainsweek.com
![IMG_6936[1]](http://whiteplainscnr.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_69361.jpg)
PEOPLE TO BE HEARD
“The Program Where People Who Have Something to Say
Have Their Say”
MAY BE SEEN AT ITS
NEW DAY AND TIME:
WEDNESDAYS 10:30
THURSDAYS, 8 P.M.
ON VERIZON CHANNEL 45
ON CABLEVISION WHITE PLAINS TV 76
“Truth Police” Call for Open Process to Answer Final Critical Questions Raised at Wednesday Night Hearings That Finally Ended. Chide Council for
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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. December 4, 2014:
The Common Council officially closed the French American School of New York hearings Wednesday evening with the critical issues of traffic volume in the peak hour; North Street backup, effect on fire response time of Hathaway Lane closure and penalty plan for limiting completion of the proposed project suggested by the Mayor up in the air.
The Gedney Association team of Ron and Marie Rhodes responded with their reactions on last night:
Dear Mayor and Common Council,
Our thanks to those Common Council members who challenged FASNY with difficult questions last night. . .however for those who couldn’t even come up with at least one good question to ask the FASNY Representatives. . .hopefully you’re addressing the key issues behind the scenes.
And if the Big Picture issues with FASNY are. . .Traffic, 10-year Construction, Water, Increases in Fire Response Times, Decreases in Property Values and our School Children’s Safety. . .those of you ignoring the key issues to focus on questions involving the positioning of tennis courts are way out of the mainstream and reality.
After almost 4 years we still have more questions than answers on this FASNY project.
For instance on Traffic how come FASNY still hasn’t disclosed:
How many Vehicle Trips will FASNY be making into our neighborhood each day in the AM and in the what % increase will this be over our existing Traffic levels w/o FASNY?
How their 530 cap number is calculated with their 950 students and 250 staff the majority of whom we learned last night will arrive within the 8AM to 9AM peak hour? We say at these FASNY student and staff levels the 530 number is mathematically impossible.
And how will their electronic Vehicle Counting System work for parent car drop-offs outside of the FASNY property? For instance how will students who will be dropped off by the Lee or Divney residences or other places outside the FASNY campus be counted?
Why hasn’t FASNY introduced any mitigation to address the Safety concerns raised by the Board of Education? We say because at volume of Traffic is planning no mitigation is feasible.
Will this Common Council show the same concern about the Safety of our own WP School Children?
Why would you close Hathaway Lane, a Public Street, only for the benefit of FASNY, a Private Developer?
And what Benefits do your constituents receive from the Closure of Hathaway Lane or from the overall FASNY project?
And there’s more questions on key issues besides Traffic that remain unanswered on this FASNY project.
With regard to the way the Common Council closed last night’s meeting:
For almost 4 years the Common Council has asked residents to send comments. . .which we did along with questions about the FASNY project. . .most of which this Common Council choose not to ask the FASNY Representatives while they were being questioned, including last night. How will all the FASNY responses promised to the City and all of the resident, never asked or answered FASNY questions get addressed? Will it be behind closed doors in secret by FASNY and City Staff personnel. . .who residents to be honest have little confidence in? Would you call this process transparent?
We would say that the FASNY review process the City established has been flawed and discriminates against your own residents and taxpayers. . .while the FASNY Representatives, who are trying to build a 53-acre campus in a residential neighborhood have been asked fewer questions over a 4-year period. . .than a small business owner who wants to open a bar on Mamaroneck Avenue and is applying for a cabaret license. . .would be asked by the City!
It’s a strange review process the City created. . .which allowed FASNY to get away with submitting thousands of pages of unimportant paper. . .with the City ignoring and not demanding accurate facts and responses on the key issues like Traffic. . .made more difficult by some Common Council members not reading all the materials and ignoring Big Picture questions.
Going forward to get back on track. . .our suggestion is instead of winding up the FASNY Review in secret behind closed doors, without resident involvement. . .have FASNY, not City consultants, answer all our resident questions. And when all the remaining FASNY information is finally submitted. . .give a final summary point by point of all of the key issues. . .about where the City stands with all of the FASNY information and requirements at another Public Meeting. This would be more transparent for residents.
Does it seem to anyone else that White Plains has. . .a Business Improvement Plan for the downtown area, that isn’t working. . .and a Residential Neighborhood Destruction Plan for the Southend, that the City Staff and FASNY are working their hardest together to implement?
We report. . .you decide. Your Truth Police, Team Rhodes
Marie and Ron Rhodes
Hearing that Never Ends Ends. Mayor and Council Close Hearings on FASNY Site Plan and Hathaway Lane Closure with Issues to Resolve With FASNY
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WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. By John F.Bailey. December 3, 2014:
Mayor Tom Roach raised the most serious question of all Wednesday night at what turned out to be the last combined public hearing on the French American School of New York Project:
The Mayor in his comments said he felt the French American School of New York would have to assume some liability if the traffic count of 530 vehicles in the peak hour of 8 AM to 9 AM approached the area of 470 after the first phase of school construction was opened, the inference being that Phase II (building of the lower school might not be builet). You could have heard a pin drop.
The Mayor’s inference that FASNY may have to drop the Phase II costruction of the lower school, set to be begin after the upper and middle schools are complete) if traffic pushed the preset limit of 530 was the first time the issue had been raised. The Mayor also spoke at length on stormwater management, a plan for which is being devised with Commissioner of Public Works, Joseph Nicoletti, but is not yet approved.
At the outset of the meeting, Michael Zarin, the French American School of New York attorney, introduced a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers that had arrived late Wednesday afternoon at his offices, saying that there were three areas on the former golf course property they had jurisdiction over, but were not concerned over FASNY plans because no construction was being planned for them.
Zarin also noted a letter from Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong just received had indicated concern of lane widths of Hathaway Lane to be used by fire vehicles, but that has not been confirmed explicitly.
The combined hearing that never ends (The French American School of New York site plan and Hathaway Lane closure) was closed by unanimous vote of the Common Council at 8:51 P.M. with major issues on fire response time raised by Councilman John Martin, who said strongly that the comments of Fire Pro’s report ( commissioned and supplied by the Gedney Association) on response time had to be addressed; landscaping, the storm water pollution prevention plan, traffic issues on north street are still being strongly questioned by the Mayor Tom Roach, Councilman Dennis Krolian, Martin, Coucilwoman Milagros Lecuona, and Councilwoman Beth Smayda.Councilwoman Nadine Robinson did not make any comment according to an observer who filled WPCNR in on the first 10 minutes of audio-less telecast.
Audio for the first 15 minutes of the meeting was not available, so the comments of Ms. Smayda was not heard by the home audience enjoying “Dinner with FASNY” on their television sets.
For three hours and 51 minutes, the last of the FASNY public hearings played out with the public being admonished four times by the Mayor to resist vocal pleasure or disagreement with what was said.
Councilman Krolian when Mayor Roach called to close the hearings at about 8:45 P.M. asked the Mayor when the council would have time to question requested information from FASNY asked for in this evening’s hearing. Mayor Roach said he would extend the comment period to 15 days from this evening for the public to render comment. The Mayor indicated that the French American School of New York would present their answers to Council questions and resolve the issues with the staff and the council.
It is unclear whether FASNY comments in response to council questions raised tonight would be discussed in a public Common Council work session or in private behind closed doors at city hall, and how those FASNY answers would be promulgated to the public before a vote was taken.
Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona ascertained that the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan was submitted in May by FASNY to the Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti. Lecuona read a city ordinance that requires a storm water plan to be submitted before any site plan can be considered.
The FASNY attorney, Michael Zarin said a SWWPP plan had been submitted in May of this year and it was “accepted” but not approved. Zarin said the elements of the SWPPP were still being discussed and considered on an “ongoing, daily basis” with the Commissioner.
Until that plan is “approved” by Mr. Nicoletti, the site plan cannot be voted upon by the Common Council.
Army Corps of Engineers Asserts Jurisdiction over Three Parcels of Wetlands BUT no construction is planned there FASNY Reports
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WPCNR SOUTH END TIMES. Observation of FASNY Hearing by John F. Bailey. December 3, 2014:
In the first 10 minutes of tonight’s hearing, representatives of The French American School of New York made public that the Army Corps of Engineers has informed the school that they have jurisdiction over three portions of the property, however no school construction is planned for those areas.
This development would seem to indicate to this observer that the Army Corps of Engineers has no problem with the construction of buildings affecting other parts of the property, and the hope of adversaries to the plan that the Army Corps would find the project objectionable appear to not be a factor in whether or not the project site plan under review would be stopped.
Presently the French American School of New York representative Michael Zarin is being quizzed by Councilman Dennis Krolian in a somewhat heated discussion over FASNY supplying traffic accident information involving the Bryant and North Street area still not being supplied, the elimination of median space on North Street. proposed by the turn lane into FASNY, and a new development in which Department of Public Safety Commissioner David Chong’s concern over emergency vehicles being able to get through the proposed alternative routes from Fire Station 7. Krolian is currently reading the School Board Letter rejecting the project.
The hearing can be seen in progress on Cablevision Channel 76 in White Plains and on Verizon FIOS Channel 44.
DRUG DRAGNET ENSNARES 80 INVOLVED IN STREET NARCOTICS IN WHITE PLAINS AND NEW ROCHELLE. 20 STILL AT LARGE.
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WPCNR MS. DISTRICT ATTORNEY. From the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. December 3, 2014:
Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that “City Sweeper 2” a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional street level narcotics investigation resulted in the arrests of approximately 33 individuals in the City of White Plains and 50 individuals in the City of New Rochelle.
White Plains Commissioner of Public Safety, David Chong gave this statement to WPCNR this afternoon:
“The arrests were the result of a collaborative effort by our Narcotics Squad and New Rochelle’s Narcotics squad. We were responding to community complaints of street level
Drug dealing and the uptick in heroin related overdoses all over the tri-state region. Agencies that assisted us included the FBI, the DEA, Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the NYPD and Parole. The cases will be prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney.
Sweeps like this are not commonplace in White Plains as we have a good handle on illegal narcotics sales and enforcement of such crimes. In this case we wanted to utilize the resources made available to us through the other agencies and we made our resources available to New Rochelle.
I think this sends a clear message that law enforcement has no borders in this County and that drug dealing will not be tolerated in the streets of White Plains,” Chong wrote WPCNR.
There are arrest warrants outstanding for approximately 20 additional individuals.
The seven-month long investigation by the White Plains Police Department, New Rochelle Police Department, Westchester County Police Department, DEA, FBI and the District Attorney’s office resulted in the charging of a total of 100 individuals for narcotics trafficking.
Each of the 100 subjects has, or will be charged upon their arrest with the street-level sales of controlled substances.
The majority of the sales involved crack-cocaine, although there were a number of heroin sales made throughout the investigation. There were also several sales of hydrocodone, PCP, morphine and fentanyl.
The purchases ranged in price from $20 to $100.
Indictments were obtained on 39 of the approximately 100 subjects of the investigation, and approximately 29 indictments have been unsealed to date in Westchester County Court, charging those 29 with:
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, class “B” Felonies,
- two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, class “B” Felonies.
“All levels of law enforcement, federal, county and local, collaboratively working together, coalesced, allowing this multi-faceted investigation to neutralize dozens of street level narcotics dealers. Of those who have been indicted, we intend to vigorously prosecute the individuals among them who have violent criminal histories or are significant dealers without drug problems. However, we will certainly consider our judicial diversion drug treatment program as an alternative for those who have made these drug sales to support a serious drug problem of their own,” said District Attorney Janet DiFiore.
Since November 19th, 2014, in the City of White Plains, the White Plains Police Department has arrested approximately 33 individuals for drug sales. Arrests of at least six more individuals are expected.
On December 3rd in the City of New Rochelle, the New Rochelle Police Department has arrested approximately 50 individuals and expects to arrest approximately 14 more.
Bail was set at various amounts for those charged in Westchester County Court. The other individuals have been in arraigned in the City Courts of New Rochelle and White Plains.
Defendants who have prior felony convictions face a maximum of twelve years in prison. Those without prior convictions face a maximum of nine years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney Tom Luzio, Chief of the Narcotics Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Kevin Kennedy of the Narcotics Bureau supervised the investigation.