News Flash

The Greenburgh Police Department will be issuing an annual Bias report to the Town Board and community summarizing Bias/hate crimes.  The first annual report covering 2021 and 2022 was released to the Greenburgh Town Board on January 3, 2022. The Town Board requested the report  because of the rise in Anti Semitic incidents across the nation last year. We decided to expand the annual report to include all hate crimes against anyone. Hate is not acceptable in Greenburgh.  And - we will continue our efforts to fight bias against people of different nationalities, religions, disabilities, sexual orientation, race. A summary of the incidents in 2021 and 2022 can be read below and the memos to the Town Board from the Police Chief, Kobie Powell is also being shared.

PAUL FEINER
 Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Here are the summaries of 2021 and 2022:

2022 Bias Report:

Three incidents involving acts of bias were reported to the Town of Greenburgh Police Department during the 2022 calendar year.

• The first incident (2022-2253) occurred on 03-24-22 at 70 Virginia Road. The incident involved a dispute between a food delivery worker and customer. The delivery worker, a black woman, responded to headquarters to file a police report immediately after the incident. She reported making a delivery to a white male customer. The order was incomplete and the customer refused to accept partial delivery. The customer made disparaging remarks about black people to the woman and then left a negative review with her employer after she left. The complainant advised that the review alleged she was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time of the delivery, and that it resulted in the termination of her employment. The reporting officer documented that the complainant was not under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the filing of the report so that the complainant could provide it to her employer.   
• The second incident (2022-4127) occurred on May 26^th, 2022 at the Bowlero bowling alley located at 47 Tarrytown Road. The perpetrator, a white woman that was described as intoxicated, was making repeated use of racial slurs. A female black patron approached her and asked her to stop. The perpetrator then punched the woman in the face and bit her on the hand. She then fled the bowling alley before police arrival. An investigation was conducted by detectives, however the case was closed due to the victim failing to cooperate with the investigation. 
• The third incident (2022-7951) occurred on September 18^th, 2022 at 51 Fieldstone Drive. The incident involved two neighbors with a documented history of disputes with each other getting into a verbal and physical dispute. During the altercation one of the participants allegedly called the other a slur pertaining to one’s sexual orientation. Neither party was charged in that incident.   

2021 Bias Report:

Four bias incidents were reported to the Town of Greenburgh Police Department during the 2021 calendar year.

• The first incident (2021-5304) consisted of aggravated harassment in the second degree and was committed at 141 N. Central Avenue in Hartsdale on July 6^th, 2021. In summary, the perpetrator contacted WJCS employees at the aforementioned location by telephone and made both threatening and anti-Semitic statements. The perpetrator was known to the victims and identified. An arrest was not made because the victims declined to prosecute.  
• The second incident (2021-7230) occurred on September 9^th, 2021 in the parking lot of 969 S. Central Avenue. The perpetrator, a white male, initially drew the attention of the victim, a black female, by screaming at her as she pulled into a parking spot. The victim believed it may have been because the perpetrator's child was running near where she parked. The victim advised the male to watch his child and the male responded by threatening to shoot her in the head and calling her a racial slur. GPD officers responded to the scene, interviewed both parties, and placed the perpetrator under arrest for aggravated harassment in the second degree.         
• The third incident (2021-7878) occurred on September 29^th, 2021 at 376 Saw Mill River Road. The incident involved a resident of 376 Saw Mill River Road (Greenburgh Housing Authority) verbally abusing a Housing Authority employee that was landscaping near her apartment. The resident cursed at the employee, told him to go back to Jamaica, and poked him in his chest. The incident was witnessed by a second Housing Authority employee and stemmed from the resident not wanting him to cut the weeds in front of her apartment. The report was filed by the G.H.A. employees at the direction of the Housing Authority Director.
• The fourth incident (2021-8164) occurred on October 9^th, 2021 at 105 Pomander Dr. In summary, the victim was hosting a birthday party in her back yard when one of her neighbors interrupted the party by walking into the back yard and screaming and cursing at her and her guests, apparently displeased with the loud music emanating from the party. The perpetrator made statements asserting that the partygoers were in America and that Hispanics do not belong here. She also knocked the birthday cakes to the ground and scratched the victim on the face causing a laceration and swelling under her eye. GPD officers responded, located the offender, and arrested her. The arrest charges consisted of assault in the third degree and criminal mischief in the third degree.    

POST MEMOS FROM POLICE CHIEF (attachments)