NEW YORK—Decals with the words Safe Stop are going up on storefronts in several Brooklyn neighborhoods. The sticker is a way for children, the elderly, and others to find a safe place in a time of crisis.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced the program on Tuesday in front of Johnny’s Pizza in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Johnny’s Pizza is one of 77 participating locations on a list that is expected to grow. Staff from Sunset Park, Park Slope, and Graham Avenue Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) reached out to ask local merchants to participate in the program. Employees at these businesses will provide materials from the district attorney’s office for those who are seeking help. In nonemergency situations people will be referred to the district attorney’s neighborhood office. In emergencies, employees are instructed to contact 9-1-1.
“We see this as very important not just for little kids, but teenagers and our young daughters and sons that are going in and out of the bars at night,” said Irene LoRe, executive director of the Park Slope BID.
Work on the initiative began about a year ago, when Betty Cooney, executive director of the Graham Avenue BID, suggested it to Hynes. Some progress was made, but not enough to gain momentum. The situation changed when the city was shocked with the news of the murder of Leiby Kletzky. The 8-year-old Brooklyn boy was abducted while he was lost on the way back from summer camp. Surveillance footage showed the boy wandering past several local businesses.
“This kind of program, if it was in existence, might have saved little Leiby’s life. I would hope then, that having these Safe Stop Programs all over Brooklyn will save children,” Hynes said.
Alarmed by the murder, many pondered what could be done to make the streets safer for children. Reneé Giordano, executive director of the Sunset Park BID, was anxious to act. After receiving little assistance from government offices, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Giordano signed up 45 merchants in Sunset Park to participate in the program. She also created a flier with advice on keeping children safe.
“As soon as we asked them, we didn’t have a single person that we spoke to say no,” Giordano said, referring to local businesses, which agreed to participate in the program.
A similar initiative called Safe Haven was in effect during the 1990s, but failed to hold ground. There was not enough support for the program from the neighborhood BIDs. In addition, the district attorney did not have any neighborhood offices; there are now 36 in Brooklyn. Giordano said that many BIDs are enacting similar programs throughout the city.
“Brooklyn is the first step, one day this will be a nation step,” said John Miniaci, owner of Johnny’s Pizza.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes announced the program on Tuesday in front of Johnny’s Pizza in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Johnny’s Pizza is one of 77 participating locations on a list that is expected to grow. Staff from Sunset Park, Park Slope, and Graham Avenue Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) reached out to ask local merchants to participate in the program. Employees at these businesses will provide materials from the district attorney’s office for those who are seeking help. In nonemergency situations people will be referred to the district attorney’s neighborhood office. In emergencies, employees are instructed to contact 9-1-1.
“We see this as very important not just for little kids, but teenagers and our young daughters and sons that are going in and out of the bars at night,” said Irene LoRe, executive director of the Park Slope BID.
Work on the initiative began about a year ago, when Betty Cooney, executive director of the Graham Avenue BID, suggested it to Hynes. Some progress was made, but not enough to gain momentum. The situation changed when the city was shocked with the news of the murder of Leiby Kletzky. The 8-year-old Brooklyn boy was abducted while he was lost on the way back from summer camp. Surveillance footage showed the boy wandering past several local businesses.
“This kind of program, if it was in existence, might have saved little Leiby’s life. I would hope then, that having these Safe Stop Programs all over Brooklyn will save children,” Hynes said.
Alarmed by the murder, many pondered what could be done to make the streets safer for children. Reneé Giordano, executive director of the Sunset Park BID, was anxious to act. After receiving little assistance from government offices, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Giordano signed up 45 merchants in Sunset Park to participate in the program. She also created a flier with advice on keeping children safe.
“As soon as we asked them, we didn’t have a single person that we spoke to say no,” Giordano said, referring to local businesses, which agreed to participate in the program.
A similar initiative called Safe Haven was in effect during the 1990s, but failed to hold ground. There was not enough support for the program from the neighborhood BIDs. In addition, the district attorney did not have any neighborhood offices; there are now 36 in Brooklyn. Giordano said that many BIDs are enacting similar programs throughout the city.
“Brooklyn is the first step, one day this will be a nation step,” said John Miniaci, owner of Johnny’s Pizza.
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