The recent spike in violent crimes in Fordham/Kingsbridge raised concerns from residents over policing tactics and deployment of resources in the neighborhoods.
The September fatal shooting of 24-year-old David Hooks on Briggs Avenue and 194th Street has worried residents and civic leaders as shooting incidents have risen by 27 percent in the 52nd Precinct so far this year.

Those concerns were loudly voiced at a recent town hall meeting organized by Councilman Ritchie Torres of the 15th Council District to discuss the violence in the community after Hooks’ shooting just blocks from Fordham University. The motive for the shooting is still unclear.

Some policies that the NYPD have discontinued may have contributed to the rise in crime according to Billy Cannon, professor of Criminal Justice at Monroe College. Cannon, who retired as a detective sergeant with the NYPD after 27 years, says policies such as stop-and-frisk have handcuffed police officers from doing their jobs, which could lead to a crime spike. Last year, a federal judge ruled the policy as unconstitutional.

“Why should a cop put his license and career on the line by stopping people?” said Cannon. “No doubt stop-and-frisk was overused and the police have lost the trust of the communities. But broken window crimes aren’t being enforced. And when violent criminals know they won’t be stopped, crimes go up.”

Torres disagrees with the link between a lax stop-and-frisk policy and the rise in violent crimes. Instead, more available resources for the community are what are needed, according to Torres. “There are some of these kids who engage in violence because they don’t have opportunities. That is the responsibilities of the government and we are fighting to bring the necessary resources to the community.”

The Fordham Bedford Community Services, a nonprofit community-based organization, runs a free playground directly across from where Hooks was shot. Over 500 kids were registered to attend daily events this past summer and an average of only 85 to 100 kids showed up, the lowest attendance ever in the community.

Some residents blame it on a disconnect between local officials, law enforcement and the communities they serve. “There’s never an ongoing dialogue between the police and the community. The only time that happens is when the police go to investigate a crime,” said Aldo Perez, a resident and local activist who attended an anti-crime rally Sept. 24. “The problem is that we have old ideas and old fashioned way of doing things without having an integrated community dialogue.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.