CROWN HEIGHTS SHMIRA

Shmira Saves The Night

editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:24:22 +0000

Ever wonder what Shmira members are doing at 2am?

illustrated photo

Last night, Thursday May 10th at 2:20am, members of the Crown Heights Shmira
responded to a routine call for help. A Jewish family on President Street called asking for
help. Someone was banging on their front door and trying to break in.

Aroused from their beds in the middle of the night, the Shmira patrol arrived to find a
Puerto Rican male with tattoos furiously banging on the front door. Something seemed
odd. Who breaks into a house in such a loud way from the front door?
Something was wrong.

While the patrol had arrived, the man didn’t seem to even notice. In fact he looked a little
drunk. The men tried talking to him to find out what was going on. Sensing that perhaps
the man was simply drunk and disoriented. While he was aggressive verbally, he wasn’t
out to hurt anyone. In fact, he seemed to think what he was doing was quite normal as if
anyone else would do it.

Police were called and responded quickly. The man had very slurred speech, appeared
drunk and was babbling. He didn’t appear to be out to harm anyone. In fact he didn’t
seem to know where he was! The 2 officers from the 71st precinct, Officer Rosenberger
and Officer Quinones soon arrived. They too felt that something was odd.

In questioning the man, one of the Shmira patrol who is also an EMT, asked the man if
he is diabetic. The man answered yes he is. “Perhaps, he is just having a sugar problem?”
Suggested the patrol member to police. “There’s only one way to find out”. And with that
they gave him a little glucose.

As they had suspected, the man was diabetic and was simply having what is
called: “Diabetic Shock”. Diabetic Shock is also called “Hypoglycemia”. Hypoglycemia
is a condition where the body has too little blood sugar. It can lead to a coma and death if
not immediately treated.

With the help of a dose of glucose, the man soon regained his composure as if waking out
of a deep sleep. He tried to get up and and looking around, wondered where is and how
he got there! An ambulance was called.

“We explained to the man what had happened and that he was found banging on
someone’s door at 2 am. The man was very upset at disturbing people and apologized
profusely explaining that he was having problems regulating his sugar levels. He lived
not too far away and thought he was banging on the door of where he lived trying to get
in.” An ambulance later took the man to a local hospital for further treatment.

The men of Shmira gave kudos to Police Officers Quinones and Rosenberger for the time

and sensitively they put into the call. Shmira’s being there for Crown Heights 24 hours a
day is what really saved the day.

The Crown Heights Shmira formed in 1968 as it changed its name from the
famous “Maccabees” formed by Rabbi Shmuel Shraga in 1963. Originally formed as
a multi-ethnic patrol, it quickly caught media attention and was the inspiration for the
famous “Guardian Angels”. The controversial new patrol was the catalyst for New
York City to change its policies about cutting police out of its budget. Budget cuts that
seriously hampered police abilities to properly patrol city streets. The lack of a police
presence caused serious crime waves across New York City. Crime that was swept under
the rug of administration after administration who called it: “Racial Tension” to avoid
hiring more police. With the proven effectiveness of Rabbi Shmuel Shraga’s Maccabees
came the truth: the city was simply being cheap at the expense of city residents.

The advent of the Crown Heights Maccabees resulted in increased police protection
as New Yorkers enraged over increased crime, demanded increased police protection.
Other neighborhoods simply followed the Maccabees approach and formed their own
neighborhood patrols. This caused embarrassed city officials to hire more police to
counter the bad media they were getting on the subject.

In 1964, Discovery Channel aired a full-length story on Television, which
forced the issue into the public eye. Click here for Video

Today, Crown Heights Shmira is still a very much active patrol, their dedication to
provide the diverse multi-ethnic neighborhood of Crown Heights with visible protection
has not changed. Today, the city recognizes their good work and in fact they enjoy a
long-standing positive relationship with local police.

To see more on their ongoing activities or to join or donate go to: www.chshmira.org

Cyclist assaults woman

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 06:17:45 +0000

Friday, May 13th 2011, at approximately 11:18am: A woman was walking down Carroll Street (between Albany and Troy Avenues) when a male black, riding a bicycle hit her and rode off. The woman immediately called Shmira and members responded and began canvassing the area looking for the perpetrator.
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Read the rest of Cyclist assaults woman (163 words)

Shmira Nabs Nelson again

editor — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:05:10 +0000

At approximately 1:00 am early Tuesday morning, Terrence Nelson, the most notorious car bandit in the Crown Heights area, was caught leaving a minivan parked on Eastern Parkway near Brooklyn Ave. he had just ransacked and attempted to flee along with the electronics he had just stolen.
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Read the rest of Shmira Nabs Nelson again (128 words)

Nypd & Shmira Buy & Bust

admin — Fri, 06 May 2011 23:27:55 +0000

Early friday morning approximately 1:15 A.M., a young man was walking on East New York ave between brooklyn and kingston avenues, when he was attacked by four male black thugs, he was beaten and robbed of his backpack and Iphone, a passer by called Shmira, the shmira dispatcher advised the caller to also call 911, Shmira and NYPD responded in large numbers and began canvassing, but the perpetrators were not found and a police report was made.
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Read the rest of Nypd & Shmira Buy & Bust (242 words)

Anti-semitic graffiti on CH door

editor — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:02:16 +0000

Sunday, March 6, 2011 approximately 12:30pm: A Crown Heights resident noticed graffiti on the outside of his apartment door. The markings were clearly anti-semitic in nature, including a swastika and pro nazi remarks. The apartment is in 1441 St Johns place between Utica and Rochester Avenues, a CHJCC building. Police and Shmira were called and a report was filed.(...)
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Armed carjacking in the heart of Crown Heights

editor — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:40:33 +0000

Sunday, February 13, 2011, approximately 9:15am: A Crown Heights resident returning from visiting his mother was accosted by a male black who demanded his car. This all unfolded when the victim was parking his car in front of the vacant lot on Crown St. between Albany and Troy Avenues. As the victim attempted to leave the car a male black displayed a silver handgun and demanded the victim’s wallet and car keys. The victim attempted to flee when the perpetrator forced his way into the car and began to beat the victim over the head with the gun.(...)
Read the rest of Armed carjacking in the heart of Crown Heights (271 words)

‎2 arrested for attacking teenager

admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 06:34:12 +0000

Sunday – February 6, 2011 at approximately 9:30pm: A teenage boy was walking on Albany Avenue near Eastern Parkway when two female blacks threw a glass bottle at him. The bottle landed a mere few inches from him. Two passersby, shocked at what they just witnessed, approached the pair and asked them what they were doing. One of the Perpetrators pulled out what appeared to be a knife and threatened the witnesses telling them to stay out of it. The witnesses called the Shmira hot-line as well as 911 and proceeded to follow the perpetrators toward Troy Avenue.
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Sly pick-pocketing teens caught in the act

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:46:02 +0000

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 3:57pm. A woman and her baby were walking down Eastern Parkway, between Brooklyn and New York Avenues, when she was approached by five female blacks. They seemed to be acting friendly when they asked her what the baby’s name is. When the woman started responding, they cut her off by immediately asking another question. This made the woman apprehensive and as this was taking place she saw one of the females pick pocketing some money out of her back pocket. The woman immediately turned and grabbed her money away from the perpetrator. The group tried to make light of the matter by laughing it off and they walked away.
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Shmira helps nab local drug addicts for grand larceny

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:11:54 +0000

Monday, April 26, 2010 at around 9:15pm the Shmira hotline received phone calls from 2 different callers. Both gave the same description of a male white trying car doors in what seemed like an attempt to gain entry. The suspect started from Union Street and Kingston Avenue, made his way to Brooklyn, and from there walked up to Eastern Parkway and began to head east, all the while checking car doors. It did not take long until the suspect chanced upon an easy target, in front of 763 Eastern Parkway. Unbeknownst to him, a passerby, keeping an eye on his suspicious behavior, witnessed him entering a green minivan and leaving shortly thereafter with a shopping bag filled with miscellaneous items that he took from the car. The witness called Shmira while discreetly following the perpetrator. Shmira members responded and continued following the perpetrator until he was observed entering an abandoned house on Union Street between Kingston and Brooklyn Avenues. At this point, Police arrived and entered the house. After searching the premises, the Police could not find the perpetrator; instead, another man (who had been previously arrested for attempted murder of his wife) was arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.
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Read the rest of Shmira helps nab local drug addicts for grand larceny (144 words)

Shmira makes an Arrest

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:53:18 +0000

Tuesday April 20th 2010 at approximately 1:40 pm Shmira received a call that a Bochur was punched in the face by a fleeing shoplifter on Union street between Kingston and Brooklyn Shmira members responded to the scene within 2 minutes and were pointed in the direction to which the perpetrator fled, but he managed to disappear on President St. between Brooklyn and New York.
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