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Page 2 PHOENIX January 24, 1974Commissioner Won't Consider Unifying Boerum Hill's PrecinctsPolice Commissioner Michael Codd has informed Councilman Fred Richmond that the Police D epartm ent is not willing to consider a change in the precinct boundaries that have divided Boerum Hill between three different precincts, but Richmond says he won%u2019t take no for an answer.Richmond, who had proposed that Boerum Hill be incorporated into the 84th Precinct which now includes most of Downtown Brooklyn, as well as Brooklyn Heights, rem inded the Commissioner that his predecessor, Donald Cawley, had promised Boerum Hill a thorough investigation of the precinct boundary problem, and said that Codd%u2019s summary dismissal of the matter was not acceptable.Codd said that %u201cGeographically, Atlantic Avenue which cuts through Boerum Hill is a natural boundary. The termination of a precinct at that location is advisable because of the heavy volume of traffic using thatthoroughfare. Response time, especially in police emergencies and at those times when the crossing of Atlantic Avenue is necessary, would be lengthened. This could conceivably result in the loss of confidence by the community as to the efficiency of the local police precinct.%u201dRichmond said, %u201cI disagree that Atlantic Avenue is a %u2018natural boundary%u2019 to police operations. The Boerum Hill community rightly regards Atlantic Avenue as a %u2018Main S treet%u2019 that should be patrolled on both sides by the same precinct,%u201d he said.%u201c In fact, if Atlantic Avenue was a major boundary to adequate police protection; then so is Fulton Street, Flatbush Avenue and every other major thoroughfare. That is not valid with these other streets, so it cannot be valid with Atlantic Avenue,%u201d Richmond insisted.Codd also told Richmond that he believe that it would be %u201cpremature%u201d to change precinct lines while the entire matter of consolidation of all public servicedistricts was under consideration by the State Charter Commission. Richmond, in his reply to Codd this week, said that %u201cto defer action on the basis that at some time in the future a State Commission may propose a charter change...is begging the question.%u201dRichmond called on Codd to have completed and submitted to the community the report promised by the Department which was to have been conducted by Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine investigating the feasibility of having the area of Boerum Hill consolidated into one precinct. %u201cThis reply from Codd does not appear to be based on any such report, and I%u2019m sure we cannot accept the decision until we see such a report,%u201d said Richmond.As an interim measure, Richmond proposes that the Police Department consider opening a neighborhood mini-station near the corner of Nevins St. and Atlantic Avenue, which is almost in the center of the community to be served and also is at the intersection of the lines between the 84th, 78th and 76th Precinct. He says that such a station could be staffed by officers of all three precincts and the Boerum Hill community.%u201cWhile this interim measure is not what the Boerum Hill community ultimately wants, it would serve to overcome Boerum Hill%u2019s confusion over just what precinct is supposed to do what. In addition,At a second meeting in the area in two weeks, former U. S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark told a Brooklyn Heights audience, that the constitutional process must be used to impeach President Richard Nixon and that a %u201c political hanging%u201d must not be allowed.%u201cOnly by a full impeachment inquiry will the people of the United States ever learn the truth of Mr. Nixon and his governmentit woud free up several high level police officers from all three precincts who now attend every Boerum Hill community meeting,%u201d pointed out Richmond.%u201cThe spectacle of three and sometimes six police officers sitting at a meeting where one would suffice is a further antagonism to a community who is concerned about crime in the street,%u201d he said.%u2014 whether it be guilty or not,%u201d he said. (,Clark, who is an unannounced candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U. S. Senate, spoke to the standing room only crowd in a meeting room at the St. George Hotel, in an appearance sponsored by the West Brooklyn Independent Democrats. He was introduced by Assemblyman Michael Pesce.Clark Against Political Hanging'But Advocates Nixon ImpeachmentSLOPE DOCTOR CITED FOR SERVICE - Acitation for 50 years of medical service will be given to Dr. Francis G. Velardi. Second Street resident, by the Medical Society of the State of New York at its convention in February. Dr. Velardi attended St. Francis Preparatory High School. Columbia University, and received his medical degree in 1924 from the L.l. College Hospital School of Medicine. He has been on the staff of Methodist Hospital in the Slope since 1948.%u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022HONOR TAX COMMISSIONER - The Israel Emergency Fund and the Coordinated Campaign of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York and the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies will honor Grace Court resident and newly named N. Y. City Tax Commissioner Charles Berkman at a testimonial breakfast Jan. 27 at the Bossert Hotel. Berkman, who is president of the Brooklyn Heights Lodge of B%u2019nai B%u2019rith and Chairman of the Democratic County Committee in the 52nd A.D., was the founder and first Chairman of the Brooklyn Heights-Cobble Hill United Jewish Appeal Division. Rubin Huffman and Benjamin Kolchinsky were named as co-chairman of the 1974 campaign, and they invite the public to attend the 9:30 breakfast.JUDGE DOWD AT SEMINAR %u2014 Brooklyn Heights resident, Judge Joseph Dowd, will participate in a pioneering seminar series at Hunter College over the next few weeks, as trial judges and social scientists gather under the auspices of the Institute for Trial Judges, to compare notes and exchange ideas. The first session was Jan. 23.SINGER BECOMES ENVIRONMENTAL UNITLEADER %u2014 Ann Singer, Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights, has been named Executive Director of the Environmental Planning Lobby. Ms. Singer, former chairwoman and organizer of the New York City unit of the Sierra Club, was recently an organizer for the Regional Plan Association%u2019s %u201c Choices for 7 6 %u201d television series. The Lobby, which Ms. Singer will head, is a bi-partisan, issue-oriented coalition of 116 environmental groups from across New York State, and helps shape laws and policies for sound environmental planning at the State level.HEIGHTS STUDENTS AT CONFERENCE - TwoHeights students at Poly Prep Country Day School, Barry Baron, Monroe Place, and Charles Birenbaum, Willow Street, were among the Poly group cited for %u201c outstanding achievement%u201d at the model United Nations Conference held last month at Harvard College. Their award for work in committee was the third such citation from Harvard a Poly delegation has received in four years. Barron (front right) and Birenbaum (back right) are both members of Poly%u2019s International Relations Club, which is headed by Columbia Heights resident Peter Madden. This year, the group %u201c represented%u201d the Arabic nation of Southern Yemen. Others in photo are: Douglas Aronin (back left) and Nick Harris.%u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022 %u2022HONOR TAX COMMISSIONER %u2014 The Israel Emergency Fund and the Coordinated Campaign of the Un;ted Jewish Appeal of Greater New York and the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies will honor Grace Court resident and newly named N.Y. City Tax Commissioner Charles Berkman at a testimonial breakfast Jan. 27 at th > Bossert Hotel. Berkman, who is president of the Brooklyn Heights Lodge of B%u2019nai B%u2019rith and Chairman of the Democratic County Committee in the 52nd A.D.We are very interested inhearing about the activitiesand accomplishments of ourneignburs and readers.Photos Welcomed ILet us know at:130 Clinton St.> %u2022