By Barbara Morris
At the last 105th Precinct Council Meeting, Subway Series baseball was still on everyone's mind. Everybody wanted to get back home in a hurry to see that very important game, and they missed many of the topics covered.
Deputy Inspector Glen Kotowski seems to me to be someone who follows the Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect motto to the letter, and apparently Assistant Chief Lawless does, too.
D.I. Kotowski has told us, on more than one occasion, that Assistant Chief Lawless, most recently, helped get 13 new police officers and scooters for Precinct 105, and previous to that, had arranged for the precinct to be painted. Several of the officers told me that this, in itself, gave everyone an uplift.
D.I. Kotowski has told us that Assistant Chief Lawless has been most supportive of Precinct 105. I certainly appreciate anyone who supports those good people because they have been trying, for a long time, to make life in this city safe, and to give. us a decent quality of life, and they deserve the respect of everyone.
D.I. Kotowski's letter to all the schools in the 105th Precinct, and to parents who drive their children to school and pick them up, has drawn attention, since he told parents to park a couple of blocks from the school, instead of double or triple parking or parking in the school bus space. He explained that the safety of the children should be uppermost importance, Precinct 105 now is being applauded by everyone who really cares about the safety of every child. It's time to obey the law – not just to avoid the $55 fine, but to protect yourtself and everyone else in the “village.”
A traditional African saying tells us it takes a whole village to raise a child; we villagers” want children to be safe and healthy.
Speaking of health, I mentioned in previous columns free or low cost health insurance for children living in the city. For more information, call the Community Affairs Office of your precinct.
At the precinct council meeting, the subject of parking across driveways came up. Deputy Inspector Kotowski said it is against the law to park across ANY curb cut – someone else's OR YOUR OWN – since the “valley” in the curb permits access to the sidewalk by people in wheelchairs or pushing strollers. It is also against the law to park in a crosswalk.
This prompted a whole discussion about the increasingly bad driving habits in the five boroughs – speeding, talking on cell phones while driving, cutting in and out, passing red lights and, again, double or triple parking, all these abuses of the law that are putting people at risk and should be stopped. Remember, even long-developed bad habits can be corrected. Remember, too, that even nice people sometimes develop bad habits. I have heard parents say that they wouldn't think or driving recklessly with their baby in the car but, “When I'm alone, I floor that old accelerator.” How about others on the road? Even on a quiet country road, some innocent animal might pop out in front of you, or on the car. And what about yourself? Don't your loved ones need you alive and safe?
As Thanksgiving approaches, why not be extra grateful for what you have and turn over one or those beautiful autumn leaves, ease up on that gas pedal, (even when you're alone), and give the rest of us something extra for which to be thankful. We hate hearing that something bad has happened to someone we know to be really good at heart!
