01/11/08 - This What The Welcome Sign To Byram Looked Like Before Mike Bocchinoke Became President Of The Byram Nieghborhood Association

Click Here To See How The Sign And Vest Pocket Park Looks like After Mike Bocchino, became President Of The Byram Neighborhood Association.

Crimes prompt call to add patrols in Byram
Oct 7, 2007 Stamford Advocate

By Martin B. Cassidy
Stamford Advocate

Spurred by recurring cycles of burglaries, vandalism, and other crimes in their neighborhood, Byram leaders want the town to put more police officers on patrol in their neighborhood.

Recent crimes ranging from a home invasion on Byram Road, to a wave of 26 car break-ins in Byram this spring and a spate of gang-related graffiti from December to May of this year have prompted concerns about safety, Byram Neighborhood Association President Michael Bocchino said.

The tires slashed on more than two dozen cars on South Water Street overnight last Saturday reflects a fearless attitude among vandals and criminals visiting or living in Byram, Bocchino said.

'We're hopeful the town realizes that the communities need more police presence,' Bocchino said. 'I'm damn well sure this western end of town is in need of some more police presence, whether it be Byram, Glenville, Pemberwick, Chickahominy, or wherever.' ....

'I don't go up to the other end of South Water Street now because of all the roughnecks,' Lawrence M. Finnigan, a resident of South Water Street said. 'In some ways Byram is becoming like Bridgeport with all the roughnecks.'

One of the tire slashing victims, Omar Silva, also a South Water Street resident, said the act has raised his concerns about how safe the area is.

'Until this weekend I wasn't worried, but now I am more concerned about it,' Silva said.
Finnigan said an extra patrol car passing through Byram on an hourly basis would probably help curb nighttime vandalism and problems with youth.

'It wouldn't hurt to have a patrol car coming through more often,' Finnigan said. 'Sometimes all you have to do is swing by.'

Ideally residents would like to see police create a substation at the Byram Volunteer Fire Department on Delavan Avenue to respond to calls, Bocchino said.

.....Despite the apparent gang references in the graffiti and some disruptive and wayward teens in downtown Byram on weekend nights, police feel juvenile problems in the area are not the result of gang activity, Ridberg said.

'There were some indications that the graffiti was gang-related and as far back as two years ago we started doing gang intelligence in Byram,' Ridberg said. 'We were aggressive in trying to crack down on social problems down there, and we don't think it's the result of gangs.'

Bocchino said the Byram Neighborhood Association plans to put the question about safety in Byram to candidates for the Board of Selectmen in an upcoming debate.

'It's definitely something which we will bring to the candidates in the upcoming election,' Bocchino said. 'People are angry and frustrated and want action.'

Now Just 93 Days Later Byram Neighborhood Association President Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino has changed his tune and sold out the residents of Byram.

Today in The Greenwich Time Mike "The Flip Flopper" Says....

"As for the Greenwich Police Department, I personally and publicly thank Chief David Ridberg and his officers, especially Sgt. Mike Reynolds, Officers Keith Hirsch, Antonio Rivera and Robert McKiernan, and Detective Mark Zuccerella, for all of their outstanding work in the Byram community and the entire town of Greenwich.

Let's face facts: The world is changing and things are not as they once were. As the population around us grows and with our proximity to New York, our town will unfortunately continue to see its share of vandalism and crime, like it or not"

In the last 93 days Byram has had even more vandalism and gang graffiti.

Worse yet, Byram residents have been mugged near Johnny Cakes.

Byram is going down the tubes, because we have leaders like Mike "the flip flopper" Bocchino.

Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino has forgotten all about his show boating for the Greenwich time calling for more police patrols and a police substation in Byram.

Just 93 days ago Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino was telling reporter Martin B. Cassidy.....

'People are angry and frustrated and want action.'

- Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino

October 7th

Now Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino says ...

"As the population around us grows and with our proximity to New York, our town will unfortunately continue to see its share of vandalism and crime, like it or not. "

- Mike "The Flip Flopper" Bocchino

January 10 th.