Another Victory for the Diaz-Crespo Team!

What You Should Know

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

32nd Senatorial District

718-991-3161

Another Victory for the Diaz-Crespo Team!

You should know that in today's Daily News, there is an article written by Denis Slattery titled "Stats all, folks! Rikers crime numbers separated from South Bronx precinct." Mr. Slattery wrote: "Hunts Point and Longwood residents will no longer have to worry about crime statistics from Rikers Island being lumped in with the 41st Precinct thanks to move made by NYPD." This is a victory for the Diaz-Crespo team!

You should know that this all began back in February 2014, when Assemblyman Marcos Crespo and I wrote to New York City's new Police Commissioner Bill Bratton requesting a meeting. We wanted to discuss what we believe is an injustice done to the residents of the Bronx, especially those residing in the area of the 41st Precinct, where crimes committed in Queens County were being applied to Bronx County, therefore increasing the crime statistics in the Bronx and decreasing the crime statistics in Queens. These crime statistics have increased auto and homeowner insurance rates in the Bronx, and have made our community look much worse than it actually is.

In response to that letter, Assemblyman Crespo and I were honored to meet with a delegation of high ranking officials from the New York City Police Department on April 4, 2014, where we discussed how to find a solution to this problem that lumped crimes that occurred on Rikers Island into the 41st Precinct.

You should know today, Mr. Slattery reported: "Thanks to a policy change that was quietly ordered by department brass, the jailhouse stats are now being counted as a separate entity by the NYPD — and no longer lumped in with those of the 41st Precinct in Hunts Point."

My dear reader, I would like to congratulate Denis Slattery for his dedication to covering this matter in the Daily News. I would also like to echo the words of Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson who wrote: "Amen. The time has come for necessary change."

Ladies and gentlemen, we are still waiting to see if and when Governor Andrew Cuomo will sign the bill about this serious matter into law that Assemblyman Crespo and I co-sponsored earlier this year, and we will continue to fight for justice - but for now, we are grateful for this most recent victory for me and for Assemblyman Crespo. Go team!

This is Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.