9th Precinct Rant

I've never had a good feeling about the 9th precinct. Even when they showed up at my door after my cat stepped on the pre-programmed emergency button on the phone and insisted on coming in, they always seem to make bad choices when it comes to things like the park, squatters and parking tickets.

Once, at a fundraiser, I was talking to a local politician who told me that they put the cops they don't know what to do with in the 9th precinct. That was 15 years ago, so I'd hoped that maybe things got better, especially now that they have that spiffy renovated space and are out of Avenue C.

On Saturday, the officer at the scene of the tree accident I was involved in told me that the accident report would be ready by Sunday.

"Sunday?" I said. "Really, on a Sunday? Things get done on a Sunday?"
"Yes," he said. "We work 24/7 and I'm going to fill this out right away."
"Sunday," I said but really not believing a word he was saying. "Ok, I'm going to believe you."

This same officer asked me to make sure to mention on this blog here that you are reading what a great job the police did cleaning up the tree, which I did.

HOWEVER, not such a great job with the accident report. I have called every day looking for this report which I want to give to the insurance company, and also to file a claim with the Comptrollers office for reimbursement of my deductible. I have left a message with the officer on the scene who has not called me back and would like to leave another (surprise! he hasn't called me back) ...

BUT when I called the main number of the precinct this morning, you know, the number you call when you want the police to help you in an emergency (but not such an emergency as 911 would warrant) NOBODY ANSWERS. I called twice and it rang and rang and rang and rang.

Nobody's home at the 9th precinct. Criminals ... have a party. Or the party's over.



Note: I finally got through, the police officer who hasn't filed the report AND his supervisor won't be working until Friday and nobody else can (or won't) help get this done. I realize it's not a matter of life and death, it's just paperwork. But how frustrating.