Murray and ToH Board Ignores Community Complaints for Years

A letter in the Three Village Times

To Supervisor Murray

(The following is a letter written by West Hempstead Civic Association President Rosalie Norton to Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray in regard to the Courtesy Hotel. It is being printed at the author's request.)

It has been three months since the adoption of the Urban Renewal Plan for West Hempstead. The following information is important for you to know. It brings to your attention the number of police calls and arrests, which have been made at the Courtesy and at the Capri Motel. It clearly shows the real and present dangers the Courtesy, as well as the Capri Motel, are to the residents of West Hempstead and all of the communities surrounding the area. To better grasp the extent of the problems, I am providing a report for each month since the year 2008 began. Please share the following police activity information with the Hempstead Town Board members.

Police calls during the month of January 2008 at the Courtesy:
• 17 calls for service
• 8 arrests (drugs, prostitution, weapons, robbery)
•18 case reports
• 2 field interviews

Police calls during the month of February 2008 at the Courtesy Hotel:
• 21 calls for service
• 4 arrests
• 4 case reports
• 2 field investigations

Police calls during the month of March 2008 at the Courtesy Hotel:
• 8 calls for service
• 2 arrests
• 6 case reports

Police calls during the month of January 2008 at the Capri:
• 8 calls for service
• 1 arrest
• 3 case reports
• 1 field interview

Police calls during the month of February 2008 at the Capri:
• 4 calls for service
• 2 arrests
• 2 case reports
• 0 field investigations

Police calls during the month of March 2008 at the Capri:
• 4 arrests
• 3 case reports
• 0 field investigations

Since the beginning of 2008, in just three months, the total between the two hotels:
• 58 calls for service
• 21 arrests
• 36 case reports
• 5 field reports
How much longer do we have to wait to have the Courtesy sold and closed? The Capri is no better and can't be overlooked. Is this what West Hempstead deserves? Would you want this in your community? Unfortunately, it is my community and only we feel the pain.

Rosalie Norton

President, West Hempstead Civic Association