TODAY'S TOP STORY:
Nancy Ugrinaj, owner of Fuzari's Pizzeria & Restaurant on Mill Street in Byram in front of her restaurant. Ugrinaj and other Byram neighborhood leaders are requesting the presence of a police substation.
(Bob Luckey Jr./Greenwich Time Photo)
By Debra Friedman
STAFF WRITER
Posted: 01/20/2009 07:52:44 AM EST
Posted: 01/20/2009 07:52:44 AM EST
Those who live and work in Byram are rallying behind the idea of adding a police substation next to the Byram Volunteer Fire Department.
....they don't spend enough time here," said Fingold, who has run his shop on the corner of two busy Byram streets for over five years.
Nancy Ugrinaj, owner of Fuzari's Pizzeria, at 226 Mill St., agreed a substation would bring peace of mind to the community, which police said is vulnerable to crime due to its border with Port Chester and its proximity to New York City and Interstate 95.
"Just in case of an emergency, it would be a good thing," said Ugrinaj, who has owned the pizzeria for three years....
...."Byram is always the last to get attention," said Merchant.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Kick said renovation plans for the Byram Volunteer Fire Department on Delavan Avenue are scheduled for the 2011-2012 capital budget with a projected construction in 2012-2013. Kick said that while plans have not been drawn up yet, he has not heard any discussion of adding a police substation to the fire house.
Likewise, police officials said there has not been any substantial discussion for adding a substation ......
....."The west sector is the busiest area of town. It has always been a more active area regarding a variety of crimes," said Honulik, who noted that many elements would have to be considered before a substation could be planned including financial issues and manpower logistics.
The decision to move forward with concrete plans of a substation would need the backing of the chief of police and the first-selectmen as well.
.... Lt. Richard Cochran, who was in charge of the west sector for the Community and Police Partnership several years ago, said the idea of a substation in Byram has been mentioned before.
"Merchants brought it up but it just didn't go anywhere," said Cochran.....
"Merchants brought it up but it just didn't go anywhere," said Cochran.....
.....Honulik said he felt the police department would be open to considering the idea, although he noted nearly every area of town has the desire for more police presence.
"If we can get a substation down the road we are open to it," said Honulik. "We want to make sure residents feel safe."
COMMENT:
ONE YEAR AGO GREENWICH ROUNDUP WAS SPEAKING TO FIRST SELECTMAN AND POLICE COMMISSIONER PETER TESEI ABOUT PUTTING A BYRAM POLICE SUBSTATION AT THE GREENWICH FIRE HOUSE AND GREENWICH POLICE CHIEF DAVID RIDBERG HAS NOT DONE A DAMN THING AS THE BYRAM CRIME PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE.
PLEASE SEE:
We talked about the crime, drugs, graffiti, quality of life, vandalism problems that plague Byram residents and merchants every single day.
The possibility of a Byram Police Substation and more police patrols throughout Byram were mentioned.
Mr. Tesei said that he would send an email to the Department of Public Works about the Graffiti on the Welcome to the Town Of Greenwich- Village Of Byram sign on Putnam Avenue.
We also discussed how Police Squad 2 (Central Greenwich) and Police Squad 3 (Eastern Greenwich) currently work together to solve crime problems. It was suggested that maybe Squad 1 (Western Greenwich - Byram) could be assisted by squad 2 for a few months to lower the crime rate in Byram.
Mr. Tesei and I both agreed that there were many wonderful new projects ready to go in Byram once the security and quality of life problems are eliminated by the Greenwich Police Department.
Mr. Tesei was very enthusiastic about the new efforts for the Lyon House that are currently coming together and he provided me with some great literature about the Lyon House.
Further, Mr. Tesei encouraged me to get involved with the Byram Neighborhood Association.
I think that if Mr. Tesei can bring a more police services to Byram the many other Byram projects will takeoff and flourish.
Mr. Tesei's Legacy may very well be decided on the streets of Byram.
Will the youth gangs and drugs continue to destroy Byram or will there be a Reincarnation in Byram......
COMMENT:
Last June Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg was quoted in the Greenwich Time That He Was Going To Release The FBI's Most Recent Uniform Crime Report For Greenwich Before The End Of The Year.Chief Ridberg Did Not Keep That Promise To The Residents Of Greenwich.
But Last Year Came And Went.
The Greenwich Time Reporters Who Work For Hearst Newspapers Don't Have The Journalistic Balls To Go To Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg And Say, "Hey Chief, What Happened To Those Crime Statistics You Promised The Taxpayers Of Greenwich?
Greenwich Time Reporters Don't Have The Journalistic Balls To Hold Chief Ridberg Accountable To The Single Family Homeowners Of Greenwich.
When CT Senator Chris Dodd Promised And Did Not Deliver Documents To The Public About His Countrywide Loans Wall Street Journal Reporters Had The Journalistic Balls To Say,"Say Hey, Chris Where Are Those Loan Documents."
PLEASE SEE:
Waiting for Dodd
Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
We've got some leftover business from the 110th Congress -- namely, Chris Dodd's July 2008 promise to release the details of his sweetheart loans from ...
Chris Dodd's now-venerable promise to release documents pertaining to his 2003 mortgages with Countrywide. This newsprint icon of commerce reminded its ...
But The Cowardly Greenwich Time Reporters Are Afraid Of Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg, Because He Is Thin Skinned And Uses Police Resources To Retaliate Against Critics.
Time And Time Again, Greenwich Residents Have Heard Police Chief Ribderg Go On Local Radio Station WGCH And Repeatedly Attack Attorney Lindy Urso, Greenwich Roundup And Others.
Over A Year Ago Greenwich Roundup Was Complaining About Crime In Byram And Unsolved Murders In Greenwich At This Blog And On Sam Romeo's Greenwich Matters Radio Program On WGCH.
I Have Often Agreed With Fellow Blogger Greenwich Blogger Bill Clarke Who Often Says,"Greenwich Is The Safest Town In America To Commit A Murder."
About Eight Or Nine Months Ago, Greenwich Police Union Chief And RTM Member Sgt. James Bonney In A Public Meeting Said That He Refused To Live In Cental Byram Because He Did Not Want His Children Exposed To The Drugs And Gangs Violence.
The Police Union President Also Said That Many Greenwich Police Department Officers Used To Live In Byram, But Moved Out Because They Did Not Want To Expose Thier Families To The Drugs And Quality Of Life Issues.
It Is Greenwich's Dirty Little Secret That Byram Has Progressively Gotten More Dangerous And Worse Over The Last Five Or Six Years.
One Day Greenwich Roundup Has To Figure Out Away To Get His Byram RTM Meeting Recordings Or the Police 911 and Radio recordings that have been obtained through Freedom Of Information Requests Up On This Blog.
Here Are How Police Resources Are Used In Crime Ridden Byram:
A Little Over A Year Ago Greenwich Roundup Criticized New Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg For Repeatedly Going On WGCH And Attacking Attorney Lindy Urso For Saying That This Police Departments Theory That Andrew Kisseel Case Was A "Suicide For Hire".
Greenwich Round Up Also Criticized The Greenwich Police Departments Repeated Failures To Solve Murders In Town And It's Failures To Stem The Growing Crime Problem In Byram.
Further, Greenwich Roundup Criticized How New Police Chief David Ridberg Managed The Department.
12/31/07 - Timelime Proves That Police Officers Retaliated Against A Greenwich Legislator, Because He Spoke Out About The GPD And Byram
After I Started Contacting Lawyers And Putting In Freedom Of Information Requests For Recordings Of Police Department Radio Broadcasts And 911 Calls The Police Department Harrassment Started To Come To An End.
When The Police Officers Became Aware That I Was Using A Video Camera They Stopped Comming By My Home Multiple Times Per Hour And Following Me Around Town.
It Is Just A Shame That Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg Focuses On And Uses Police Resources To Go After Critics Instead Of Drug Dealers And Gang Members.
Instead Of Ridberg Giving Illegally Appointed Greenwich Police Captain Pacewicz An 15% Pension Boost As An Insentive As A Bribe To Resign.
If Police Chief Ridberg Were To Tell Byram Police Officer's That Whoever Busts The Most Gang And Drug Dealers Will Get A 15% Pension Boost, Then He Would Have To Open His New Police Palace Early Just To House These Byram Criminals.
Now After More Than A Year Is Byram A Safer Place?
Have Things Improved On Byram And At The Greenwich Police Department?
The Problem With The Greenwich Police Department Chief David Ridberg Is That He Wastes Valuable Crime Fighting Resources Trying To Silence A Critic With A Blog.
If Ridberg Wants To Silence A Critic He Should Lower Crime In Greenwich.
No One Can Legitimately Complain About His Performance When Crime Is Down In The Town.
Crime Will Continue To Go Up As Long As Thin Skinned Ridberg And His Associates Use The Resources Of The Greenwich Police Department To Attack The First Amendment Rights Of Critics Who Complain About The Management And Performance Of His Department.
Here Is A Little Example Of How Police Resources Are Used To Attack And Intimidate Citizen Journalists And Bloggers Who Critcize Ridberg's Police Department:
08/14/08 Soon To Be Pulled Over Lawyer / Realator Exposes Police Union "Extortion"
....The Times says no other state wastes resources like this but, wouldn't you know, Greenwich uses a modified system, requiring off-duty policemen, on overtime pay, to steer cars around all non-public work projects.
....The Times says no other state wastes resources like this but, wouldn't you know, Greenwich uses a modified system, requiring off-duty policemen, on overtime pay, to steer cars around all non-public work projects.
A town employee can move traffic around a town tree cutting operation but if that same bit of tree trimming is being performed by CL&P or a private tree company, cop(s) must be on hand. Don't hire one at your peril, because these guys will shut you down in a heart beat and even arrest you, as they did at the Post Office project on Valley Road.
Cops make out like bandits with this deal and Greenwich obviously figures that what we don't see won't hurt us, so our "negotiators" continue the practice. We spent, according to BET minutes, $32,000 a month in police overtime directing traffic during the Mianus sewer construction project, a work effort that stretched out years. That's just one small example, of course. And I assume, but do not know, that a cop's overtime earned directing traffic is treated like all his other overtime when calculating his pension.
Because that pension is based on the cop's last year's total compensation it's the norm that the retiring civil servant racks up as much extra pay as he can, all to our financial woe. As a town, we seem to accept this ridiculous situation as the price of labor peace but it sure looks like union extortion to me.
08/21/08 For What It's Worth: Chris we Hate To Say We Told You So, But Chris we Told You So.....
Parking ticket appeals - From For What It's Worth
.....I've never appealed one until now but a cop recently ticketed me for parking too close to a hydrant and, when I questioned him, he said, "you were in my way." I don't think that a cop's pique is sufficient reason to get a ticket so I filed an appeal and went off to Town Hall today to argue it.....
.....Here's a picture of the scene of the crime. You'll notice that the offensive policeman is a gentleman in his late 50's. Anyone that age still wearing shorts and directing traffic probably has suffered some career disappointments along life's path, but that's no reason to be a jerk, in my opinion.
Parking ticket appeals - From For What It's Worth
.....I've never appealed one until now but a cop recently ticketed me for parking too close to a hydrant and, when I questioned him, he said, "you were in my way." I don't think that a cop's pique is sufficient reason to get a ticket so I filed an appeal and went off to Town Hall today to argue it.....
.....Here's a picture of the scene of the crime. You'll notice that the offensive policeman is a gentleman in his late 50's. Anyone that age still wearing shorts and directing traffic probably has suffered some career disappointments along life's path, but that's no reason to be a jerk, in my opinion.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE:
It Would Take Scores Of Freedom Of Information Requests And Court Transcripts To Calculate The Cost Of Greenwich Police Resources Improperly Used To Try And Deny Greenwich Citizen Journalist Bill Clark His First Amendment Rights.
His Battles Against The Town's Improper Use Of Resources To Silence And Punish Him Have Been Legendary. In fact, The Town Has Had To Pay Mr. Clarke A Hefty Court Judgement For These Illegal Actions.
Crime Will Continue To Go Up As Long As Thin Skinned Ridberg And His Associates Use The Resources Of The Greenwich Police Department To Attack The First Amendment Rights Of Critics Who Complain About The Management And Performance Of His Department.
PLEASE SEE:
The Greenwich Police Officers Violated Department Proceedures And Did Not Give Douglas More A Field Sobriety Test Even Though He Was Well Over The Legal Limit.
THE GPD LET HIM GO AND REFUSED TO
RELEASE HIS NAME FOR OVER ONE MONTH.
Now The High As A Kite Mystery Driver That Killed JoeyPleads Not Guilty ??????
Now The High As A Kite Mystery Driver That Killed JoeyPleads Not Guilty ??????
Greenwich Time reporter Mr. Vigdor has delivered yet another incomplete article.
Was a field sobriety test given to these "Back Country" boys from privileged families?
If a test was given what were the results.
This information is routinely provided for out of towners and poorer members of Greenwich society.
When this information is selectively reported or given out it makes the Greenwich Police Department look corrupt and the Greenwich Time look inept.
The Bodson Family Was Very Lucky, This Time
06/19/08 Out Off Town Newspapers and Television Web Sites Once Again Scoop The Greenwich Time, The Greenwich Post And The Greenwich Citizen
03/25/08 - Ridberg: “I’m such a TV-driven guy. I know you want to have it all mapped out and have a ‘Law and Order’ episode.”
03/24/08 - Media Frenzy - Lindy Urso said he believes his client has been charged because he was “the easiest suspect.”
03/24/08 - Media Frenzy - Lindy Urso said he believes his client has been charged because he was “the easiest suspect.”
Watch How Greenwich Police Chief Ridberg And His Associates Will Soon Be Using Police Resources To Attack The First Amendment Rights Of Critics His Deal To Bribe Ex-Greenwich Police Captain Micheal Pacewicz With Unearned Pension Benefits.
Instead Of Fighting Crime, Ridberg And His Associates Will Use Valuable Police Resources And Time To Attack Anyone Who Questions His Deal To Give Pacewicz Unearned Benefits If He Will Resign And Stop Blocking The Appointment Of Four Top Level Police Positions.
Instead Of Fighting Crime, Ridberg And His Associates Will Use Valuable Police Resources And Time To Attack Anyone Who Questions His Deal To Give Pacewicz Unearned Benefits If He Will Resign And Stop Blocking The Appointment Of Four Top Level Police Positions.
GREENWICH TIME NEWS LINKS CONTINUE:
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More Greenwich Time Sports Reports:
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Girls Basketball Boxscores
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