Emergency Call Boxes For The Williamsburg Bridge

Immediately after a rash of muggings on the Williamsburg Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path last fall, the Police Department's 7th Precinct beefed up patrols on the bridge. In addition, they committed to installing solar-powered Emergency Call Boxes. As bridge mugging reports dropped, however, the Call Boxes slipped off the NYPD's to-do list.

This spring, T.A. and Councilmember Margarita Lopez renewed the call for Emergency Call Boxes on the bridge. Call Boxes, which should be standard equipment for all of NYC bridges' bike and pedestrian paths, are glaringly absent on the Williamsburg Bridge. Captain Alan Cooper of the 7th Precinct responded, stating that 5-7 phones will be installed, although no timeline was given. The phones, with added police patrols on the bridge path, will greatly improve safety for the over 1,000 daily users of the bridge path.

Write to Captain Cooper at the 7th precinct to thank them for their commitment to safety on the Williamsburg Bridge with the installation of emergency phones and to urge them to get put them in place by the end of May.

Write to:
Captain Alan Cooper
Commanding Officer
Seventh Precinct
19 1/2 Pitt St.
New York, NY 10002

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