http://www.carrollgardenscourier.com/sit...id=552855&rfi=6
Crystal Meth: The New Crack
The “next drug invasion” is methamphetamine, and if officials aren’t vigilant, disaster could be imminent, Brooklyn’s district attorney warned a crowd in Red Hook this week.
“If we don’t watch out, we will have another crack epidemic,” District Attorney Charles Hynes told a crowd gathered at a meeting he convened at the Red Hook Community Justice Center.
Hynes, who has for some time warned of the drug’s arrival to the region, spoke just a day before the announcement of a raid by federal officials of nine methamphetamine drug labs in New York City and Long Island—one of which operated in Bath Beach, Brooklyn.
The investigation, called “Operation Red Fusion,” targeted imported red-phosphorus and other restricted chemicals known to be used to manufacture methamphetamine in illegal laboratories, Drug Enforcement Administration officials said.
But at Wednesday’s meeting, attended by high-ranking city officials, civic leaders and residents from the Red Hook housing development, the drug, which has already devastated communities and taxed local municipalities nationwide, did not emerge as an issue.
The sale of other drugs, as well as improving conditions at the housing development—and between residents and cops, did.
Since a mass of drug arrests in the Red Hook Houses last May, things were initially quiet.
But now, some said, drugs like marijuana, crack, and cocaine have returned.
“Some people are back on the street,” said Jay McKnight, co-chair of the Red Hook Civic Association.
Joining Hynes was Chief of the NYPD’s Housing Bureau Joanne Jaffe, along other high ranking police officials, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Alex Calabrese, presiding judge of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where the meeting was convened, and Douglas Apple, New York City Housing Authority’s general manager.
“We really need to know about it,” Jaffe said of any emerging drug activity.
“When we do a narcotics takedown, that takes a year’s work of resources…so I can’t tell you how disappointed I would be to see drug activity resurrected,” she added.
“It is,” resident Andrea McKnight said of the drugs.
Jaffe conceded that when there are a multitude of arrests, “you do have people who will fill the void.”
McKnight said that vandals have also returned, breaking doors, and “everything we tried to protect.”
Apple said that vandalism in the Red Hook houses, “:is obviously an issue, and we need to work on it.”
“I know ongoing vandalism is a tremendous problem,” he added.
McKnight said the only time the housing development is well maintained is when top city officials visit.
“If the mayor is coming you could eat off the ground,” she said.
Hynes said he planned to return for a follow-up meeting in January. “I didn’t call this meeting to say we can’t fix anything.”
“I guarantee that’s not going to happen,” the district attorney said.
Ray Hall, the co-founder of Red Hook Rise, a community group, said that to build trust, cops and local residents should have a better interaction.
“I’m with you,” Jaffe said, “You get the youth together, I’ll get the cops together.”
A stick-ball league is in the works, but Hall suggested a basketball league. “We’ll take a couple of these guys to the hoop,” he joked.
Velazquez said she has allocated $100,000 for the Police Athletic League and that if the budget passes, the money will become available. “We’ll have that just for the youth,” she told the crowd.
Dorothy Shields, president of the Red Hook East Tenants Association, said local kids need more help with books than with ball bats.
“A lot of these children can’t read,” she told the assembled officials.
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