[Photo from May]
The travelers were one of the topics discussed at the 9th Precinct's Community Council meeting in May.
The 9th Precinct rather cryptically tweeted this out on June 14... "Sector D keeping the #EastVillage clean" ...
Thanks to our #community partners 4 working with our #NCO Sector D keeping the #EastVillage clean #NYPD #WorkingTogether pic.twitter.com/8ANlX9xefP
— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) June 14, 2017
Last October, the 9th Precinct started a new initiative called the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) program. The precinct is split up into four sectors, with two officers assigned to each sector.
Per an interview with the 9th Precinct's newish commanding officer, Vincent Greany, from The Villager in February: "They’re in charge of quarterbacking any issues in their area — quality of life, homelessness, drugs, nightlife — in addition to crime."
Sector D (aka David) covers the 9th Precinct’s northwest corner of First Avenue to Broadway, and Seventh Street to 14th Street.
Anyway, since that June 14 tweet, I can't recall seeing any travelers hanging out at this spot in the late evenings or early mornings...
They're around, though ...
[Photo on Cooper Square at Seventh Street from Saturday]
27 comments:
I can't speak for night time but every day I walk by that spot there's some travelers - using the city wifi and charging stations all day
Brand new Insecticide?
I walked by the Stomp theater yesterday and wondered where the travelers went, and then I crossed the street and saw they were all camped out with their dogs in front of the burger place next to Gem Spa.
Last week I saw two large groups of Crusties having barbecues is East River Park, one group of 25-30 took over the whole area north of the track & field area, another group of 10 was south of it. They had a lot of meat to grill. I have never seen that many in one place. Was there a national Crustie BBQ day or is this an annual tradition that I somehow missed? I steered clear of the larger group as they had several pit bulls roaming around. Hopefully the dogs were well fed too.
Saw the travelers yesterday. Nothing has changed.
Are you KIDDING me 9th precinct?!?! They moved ACROSS the street, in front of the vacant lot and take up most of the sidewalk, since it's only half as wide on that side. This is a JOKE. Those poor dogs....
Travelers, street urchins, crusties, whatever you want to call them are people. People who choose to live on the street. I have lived in the EV for almost 40 years and these groups are here every year, year after year. This year the group seems to be larger and older than in prior years and very few females.
They never cause trouble. They keep to themselves, mostly. They are not gangs. They stay together to protect one another and help one another.
But don't be fooled by the cash poor routine. Like most people who beg on a daily basis it is their job and they are good at it, plus some of them actually do have money in their pockets..in the form of credit cards and apps on their expensive iPhones.
I'm grateful they don't camp out on my block. I never understood the whole dog thing though, they are seldom alone so it's not for companionship, the dogs don't appear to be aggressive so is it about protection? How do they move from city to city, busses, trains? I could not imagine sitting next to one on a 2 hour bus trip.
So then they don't need to "beg" 9:59pm. They are fake homeless scamsters who need to take a hike.
Good for you that you have been living in the neighborhood for the past forty years and have never been bothered by them. Again enough people who don't know each other and have no financial gain to complain about them have complained about them. People aren't targeting them, they bring heat on themselves by their behavior and smell.
These fake homeless scamsters are a menacing nuisance and need to be cleared out and spare me that I'm anti-homeless. On the contrary, I think if these idiots were cleared out the real homeless would appreciate it because there'd be less heat on them. If one or two non-crusty homeless people stayed under the Stomp marquee and bothered no one, no one would complain, myself included. These "crusties" take it to the umpteenth power, and since when can they "BBQ" in East River Park? Don't you need to use a designated area if there is one or a permit?
Travelers??? You mean crusties.
At 9:59..."They never cause trouble." Are you being sarcastic? Or do you make such a definitive statement in all sincerity? If you're being sincere, I'm truely curious how you came to that conclusion.
We can't win in this neighborhood, just as soon as we get rid of the NYU students for the summer, these flea infested crumb-bums show up. I wish they would "travel" over to the Hell's Angels sidewalk and camp out there.
I think maybe 9:59 was being sarcastic when he or she said the crusties don't make trouble??? I have seen them causing trouble many times over the years. Last summer I had to escort an elderly woman down St. Mark's because one of them started harassing her, following her and swearing at her. I guess she was easy prey.
I wish there was some law on the books that would allow the cops or SPCA to take the dogs away from them. I feel so bad for those dogs.
"I wish there was some law on the books that would allow the cops or SPCA to take the dogs away from them. I feel so bad for those dogs."
I sympathize but better out and about than in an ASPCA cage awaiting euthanization.
I used to work at Beth Israel. I've taken care of these traveler patients and most come from a rich family. They are mostly runaways and are either rebelling from their family or, running away from the abuse they suffer back home.
In rensponse to 1:24 p.m., they could be -- formerly or future -- NYU students.
To be clear: The Crusties are professional beggars and muggers disguised as homeless people. You can tell they are not homeless by the very studied-looking raggedy outfits they wear like badges of honor that look like the wardrobe in a Mad Max movie. I have helped many homeless people over the years, even "adopting" a few who were on the brink of extinction, which inevitably happened to each of them too soon. But the Crusties are not homeless in the traditional sense. They travel, have pets, cell phones, barbecues and wardrobes. How many homeless people do that? They also consume enough drugs and alcohol to feed an actual homeless family. If they would only leave other people alone they would just be a curiosity, but as we saw the summer they took over the triangle and portico in front of St Marks Church, they are an anti-social, violent and hostile bunch. I watched then fight each other and abuse passers by. I have never seen other homeless people create so much mayhem, and certainly not in such large groups that take over real estate as if they own it. I know we will hear sob stories from the local Crustie fans and outreach people, but you would be better off helping the most vulnerable homeless people who are disabled and in wheelchairs. Many of them are Veterans. I just gave one of my adopted homeless guys a $20 and it made his day.
Yeah, until NYACC stops euthanizing healthy pit bulls due to lack of resources, it's hard to complain about their having dogs.
I'm definitely not saying crusties don't need to have laws enforced against them as appropriate, but referring to running human beings out as "keeping things clean" is also not great.
Don't forget the pug that was killed last summer by a Crustie's dog, on St. Mark's -- so we also shouldn't generalize that all the dogs are safe and non-violent. When I'm walking my dog, I keep my eyes peeled and if I see Crusties up ahead with a dog in their group, I cross the street. It's a drag to have to be on the alert like this.
Also on the subject of dogs -- last week I was eating outside at Nicoletta. A Crustie came into the fenced in area, tied up her dog next to us, saying nothing, and cheerfully walked away and disappeared around the corner. WTF? She was gone for 15 minutes. Anyone could have stolen this dog. My friend and I were worried that she wasn't going to come back at all. Why would someone do this?? We speculated she was going to buy drugs, somewhere where she couldn't bring the dog. Who knows??
So much complaining about some people who are here a few months a year. You make them sound like ISIS or something. really? "oh they are picking on me and they smell and look weird and ask for money." boo hoo. wah wah. i'm so scared. how did you survive high school?
I suspect the dogs are a panhandling ploy/prop to elicit sympathy/donations.
The ignorance here is astounding.
The crusties just really like Stomp.
They wait all year long to get on line to see it
If you don't believe me check out sparechangetoseestomp.com.edu.gov.org
Leave the travelers alone, ya new jack cornballs. Like them cause they make the yuppies cringe. And the dogs are pretty. Just keep it moving.
If I was really hungry like they say in their signs, I WOULD SELL MY IPHONE TO BUY FOOD. I work on that block, they are there everyday, harassing people and making a mess. They are there right now, july 1st 9pm. It's terrible, see them EVERYDAY
Also one the girls from the group was tripping today outside the Starbucks at Astor place. One of the dudes was there with her, trying to snap her out of it, but she was jus lying there wasted and drugged
Earlier today there was a girl walking by carrying some flowers, one of the crusties askws her for 1 flower tongive to his girl, the really skinny one, the girl ignored him and kept walking, he yelled " slut" and started laughing
Argo @9:12 pm is absolutely right. I live on that block and these fuck heads camp out under my window. If the wind is blowing in a certain direction, I smell their disgusting funk. San Loco workers used to hose off the sidewalk when they finally leave, but now they create piles and puddles of spit, piss and food scraps. Health hazard, ya think? All you people who think crusties are so cool, please, invite them to hang out at your building. I've seen cops actually negotiating with them to just move closer to the sidewalk, allowing easier passage. WTF!!! Why so patient and gentle with these drunken creeps? It's inevitable that someone is going to get hurt here, by them or their dogs. Loitering, public drinking, disturbing the peace, extreme littering and harassment of the public, especially women. What am I missing? When did drunken dirt-bags become a protected, pampered group. Never thought I would be calling for a police crack-down on anybody, but it's beyond time for action.
That's it!!
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