Chaptzem Blog!      

Brooklyn’s Hasidic civilian patrol group Shomrim are working in conjunction with the New York Police Department and other agencies to train new volunteer watch groups in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Shomrim has been instrumental in assisting in the training of a new Asian-American volunteer watch group, the Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol (BASP), in Sunset Park.

The New York Post reports that according to NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant who helped get the program up and running, the initial BASP’s team is currently composed of approximately 15 members who, like Shomrim, will assist the community’s police force, by acting as their “eyes and ears” of the community for police.

The group was also valuable in traversing the language barrier for police in Sunset Park, with the many BASP members who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Fujianese, English and other Asian dialects.

The Brooklyn Asian Safety Patrol has their group’s name affixed to the sides of their two 2006 Hyundai cars which they are using to patrol the community of Sunset Park, Brooklyn. BASP’s Louie Lou said, “We drive around with our lights on to let the bad guys know we are here.”

http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8167:brooklyns-hasidic-civilian-patrol-shomrim-helps-train-new-watch-group&catid=112:new-york&Itemid=295