By Michèle De Meglio
From children running in the street to illegal fireworks displays and gangs of teenagers roaming through the neighborhood, police asked Mill Basin residents to remain on the lookout for potentially troublesome behavior. Residents were warned about dangerous activities at a meeting of the Mill Basin Civic Association, held at the Floyd Bennett Post of the American Legion on Avenue N. With the Fourth of July approaching, fireworks are once again a major problem throughout the city, explained Deputy Inspector Kevin McGinn, the commanding officer of the 63rd Precinct. Cops are asking locals to help them keep these deadly devices off streets. If residents believe their neighbors have fireworks, they should call the city’s Fireworks Hotline at “1-800-FIRE-TIPS or 311 and let them know who you think has them or is selling them,” McGinn said. However, if the fireworks are in the process of being lit, residents should take action. “If you see a kid lighting one, you call 911,” McGinn said. “We certainly don’t want anyone getting hurt.” That mindset also applies to children and their constant pursuit of ice cream trucks during the summer. To protect children, who may dart into the street to chase after one of these trucks, McGinn asked drivers to keep their speeds low when driving down residential blocks. “We have a lot of ice cream trucks,” he said. “If you see an ice cream truck, slow down. There’s usually kids there.” “Be careful where you’re driving. Be careful with your kids,” he continued. McGinn told residents to also be on the lookout when walking around Mill Basin, as there have been a series of robberies along Ralph Avenue. “Most of the robberies are kid on kid stuff – 15-year-olds robbing 15-year-olds – but we also had them robbing 50-year-olds,” he explained. “If you’re out there at night and you see a group of kids, be aware of your surroundings.” Not all local teens are causing trouble in the community. A group of students from Roy H. Mann Junior High School, 1420 East 68th Street, are cleaning up Mill Basin. The school has created a “beautification program,” in which 20 students remove graffiti on local buildings twice a week, explained P.O. Kim Chavez of the 63rd Precinct. The kids are also working on creating a mural in the community. The 63rd Precinct is continuing its efforts to remove graffiti as well. “If anybody has graffiti on their fence or business, call up and we’ll remove it,” Chavez said. The 63rd Precinct’s community affairs office may be contacted at 718-258-4444.
