112th Precinct Community Council President Heidi Chain and Capt. Thomas Conforti, commanding officer of the 112th, at last weekend’s wildly successful open house in Forest Hills.
Photos courtesy 112th Precinct Community Council
Heidi Chain, president of the 112th Precinct Community Council, said there were more than 1,000 people passing through the precinct’s open house during Sunday’s Austin Street fair in Forest Hills. The event was the latest in a series of initiatives both the Council and precinct have taken to keep the public informed.
“It was a great event for everyone there,” Chain said. “Capt.[Thomas Conforti] tweeted pictures. The captain has to be congratulated for his efforts.”
There were a wide variety of activities for the more than 1,000 people who attended the open house – including rock climbing. Photos courtesy 112th Precinct Community Council
Chain said the initiative brought a lot more foot traffic to the area as she and the precinct continue collaborating on ways to reach out to the community. That particular open house was the first of its kind and invited residents inside the precinct so they could see how police work on a daily basis.
The open house was also the host of various activities for children, Conforti said, because he wanted to encourage families to be part of the precinct’s events. Photos were posted all over the 112th Community Council Facebook page as well as Conforti’s Twitter profile showing people passing through, enjoying free food and meeting with the precinct.
Conforti, who leads the 112th Precinct, also gave residents a hands-on look at how he operates and works to keep the community safe and informed. He could not help but plug his latest Twitter initiative, which he and some other captains throughout the city have taken on as a pilot program.
“A lot of people in this community want to get involved,” Conforti said. “One of the precinct’s top priorities is always positive communication.”
So far, he and Chain have applauded the Twitter campaign, and the tweets have not stopped.
Most recently, Conforti tweeted out pictures of the 112th Precinct’s evening roll call, daily crime recaps and updates on the hottest crime statistics. They even raffled off front row tickets to see the Zac Brown Band later this month at the Forest Hills Stadium, drawing the winner from the precinct’s own Twitter followers.
Officers and residents of all ages enjoyed themselves at the open house. Photos courtesy 112th Precinct Community Council
Conforti said a big part of the open house would be to take another opportunity in teaching community residents how to use and understand Twitter as he and his officers have started doing over recent months. He has been pushing the social medium heavily since becoming an active user under the NYPD pilot program because of its ability to connect people, he said.
Chain, said she and her group were always behind any initiatives that set out to engage the community and keep the public informed and involved. She and the rest of the Council worked alongside Conforti to help broadcast the group’s first ever online meeting in December, adding another chapter of engagement.
“It’s positive in all directions. The more interaction and the more communication between the community and the police department, the more information that we can get out there,” she said when the Twitter page was launched earlier this year. “We will all be better off.”
By Phil Corso
