PSA 8, the NYPD division that patrols Bronx NYCHA developments in the 43rd and 45th Precincts, held a July 15 swearing-in ceremony for its tenant council, made up of Tenant Association presidents.
The ceremony was held at Edenwald Houses, the Bronx’s largest development, with about 5,000 residents and a dedicated PSA 8 NYPD satellite station.
Walter McNeill, newly sworn in as vice chair of the council, was nominated for the role by other tenant association presidents after living at Edenwald Houses for 51 years and serving as president of the Tenant Association for 31 years.
PSA 8 covers 21 developments, and he will help corral information and relay concerns between the NYPD, elected officials and management, he told the Bronx Times. “We want to have a relationship, a liaison.”
Although the council role is unpaid, McNeill said it comes easily to him because he knows the development and its residents so well.
“You want to uplfit the residents, and I’ve been doing it so long, it becomes second nature,” he said. “It’s something positive to do.”
The council and Edenwald’s Resident Watch play a major role in improving public safety, McNeill said. Together they work with the NYPD to “make sure we’re connected with them deep enough to maybe prevent crime.”
Recently, McNeill said he’s seeing more domestic “in-house” crime than anything else. These sensitive situations can be tricky, but he and other leaders know who is being abused, who’s shooting guns or selling drugs and can put them on warning, he said.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson congratulated the new members in a statement.
“The new leadership at PSA 8 includes committed advocates from across the Northeast Bronx who understand the importance of building trust, strengthening police-community relations, and ensuring the voices of our public housing residents are heard,” she said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
