79th precinct 2.0

"its all clear guys"

i watch the backs of the anxious cops as they walk out the door...
only one stays behind.

"okay. ladies...it really was probably nothing. probably
just some guys up there smoking weed on the roof. when
they looked down and saw all of us, they probably thought
that we were here for them...and freaked out".

i am staring at this man intensely as he dives deeper into
his hypothetical story...

"or probably not sir. if you enter a building from the roof,
then you have a clear motive. and i'm confused, where did the guys
go? and what do you mean 'probably thought we were here
for them'...you were here for them right? you had responded
to my roomates 911 call"

he doesn't know where to begin.
so he is quiet for a moment.

"the reason why we were here was as a response to a police
radio alert. we heard that a cop was shot in the building
next door. we had no idea what had happened here in 355.
so no, initially we were not here for your incident. and i am
guessing that the guys on the roof saw us, got scared, saw
your hatch, broke in, and escaped"

"but to escape they had to walk out the front door. directly
PAST YOU"

"well mam...we don't know who is a resident of every single
buiding"

....he's right.
i'm so irritated...and he's totally right.

"okay. who do i need to call to feel safe? apparently
the cops that are already informed about our situation
have yet to arrive. its been like forty minutes.
this is a building with all women residents...we complain
about the building next door DAILY. shit keeps going
down, and now your saying that cop got SHOT?! next door
is nothing but squatters...no locks...people just walk in.
we need safety. i don't think anyone smoking on the roof
thinks that the best escape route is breaking and entering...
its bigger than that. who do i speak to?"

he looks at me and asks for a pen and paper.
he writes the words community affairs, a number, and
a couple of names.

"this is who you call. and ask for these people.
here is my badge number and my name...oh, and 311
is always an option"

..."i know. i've spoken to 311 plenty of times"

he begins to walk out...

"SIR...WHAT NOW?! our roof is wide open...and
you're leaving?"

"oh...ummm...well emergency services is on their
way. they will conduct an investigation up there"

"will there be an overlap? are you going to wait
until they come?"

"...mmhm, i'll be around. they're on their way"

he left.
and emergency services never came.