THey’re Baaack!
THey’re Baaack!
By David Greene
For the better part of the last decade, a half dozen down-on-their luck men and at least one woman have been flagging down cars along E. 189 Street, helping them secure a parking spot, watching their cars and making sure the meter hasn't expired, and they have been flaunting their trade around the corner from the West Bronx headquarters of the NYPD's Traffic Enforcement Bureau.
The NYPD has maintained a stand-down policy to panhandlers, on E. 189 Street and around the city, since a December, 2006 settlement, where the City of New York paid Bronxite Eddie Wise $100,000 to drop his suit regarding his 29 arrests and convictions for panhandling along E. 189 Street, in the Fordham section.
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in 1993, that the state's anti-panhandling law was unconstitutional. The city passed an aggressive panhandling law, but the men keep working and taking turns parking cars.
One police officer visiting the area was asked what could be done; the officer grimly replied, "If they change the law, I'll be able to do something about it."
The officer, based at the nearby 52nd Precinct on Webster Avenue, continued, "I'll be happy to do something about it. If somebody would notify police and notify me that an individual is panhandling in an aggressive manner, I would take appropriate police action."
One parking-spot grabber, who did not want to be identified, explained, "The homeless guys watch cars like parking attendants, they don't sell parking spots.” He continued, "It's like fifty cents to watch the cars because you've got people that break into cars, so we're doing people a favor."
The guys do make a point that if a driver returns late and because the men, "feed the meters," a driver could be saved a $150 ticket, so some do see tips range from some change to $5. One car watcher claimed a detective once gave him $20.
David Miller, owner of the Webster Lock Company, said of the men and their practice of getting spare change from drivers, "They don't bother me. There's certainly worse things they can be doing for money. I certainly think there's worse things they can be doing."
Miller was asked about the manner in which they approach drivers, replying, "Yes intimidation, harassment no, not from what I've seen."
Frank Vagatta, owner of North End Liquor, does not agree with Miller, having been the one responsible for a string of arrests against Wise, a self-professed, "Hustler," who used to ask people for money outside of Vagatta's business.
Vagatta said of Wise, "He sued the city because the cops kept arresting him, because I said arrest him. I don't want him in front of my store." He continued, "They're scary and there's no reason. If somebody wants to park their car, they should be able to park their car and go."
"I had this guy arrested so many times," Vagatta added, "that the Legal Aid got hold of him, and the guy won a lawsuit."
After a spending spree and disappearing for a year, Wise is back in town and currently opening the door at a 24-hour check cashing business at Fordham Road and Lorilard Place.
Wise, 48, who says he no longer works the parking-spot, "Hustle," but works as the doorman to the check cashing business because, "I like to work alone." Wise recalled, "I was working at the Associated Grocery on E.189 Street, and I saw these guys parking cars and getting money." He'd quit his job the same day.
According to published reports, Wise was arrested and convicted 27 times between 2002 and 2004, and Wise said he'd been arrested 27 times since.
"Over there at the parking spot, we would take turns parking 30 to 40 cars a day,” Wise said.
Michael Brown, who is a part of a class action lawsuit against the NYPD, still parks cars along E. 189 Street. He tells a customer, "You've got 33 minutes. So if anything I'll see you when you get back," adding, "I appreciate the dollar, man, and when you come back, I appreciate more if you got it."
Asked how they've managed to create a business around the corner from traffic enforcement headquarters, Brown replied, "I'm not stopping them from doing their job, they do their job on their own. They let us do what we do, it's not like I'm doing a crime.."
Brown, who says he's been arrested between 12 and 14 times, adds, "I'm trying to make a little honest hustle.
According to Brown, "The point is we don't allow any robbing or stealing on this block, that's why. Enforcement, we are enforcement, put it that way. This is how we make our little extra change, we don't allow that."
An unconfirmed source stated lawyers in the class action suit were looking into the possibilities of bringing a lawsuit against the NYPD, for trespassing arrests in buildings.
The car watchers were gone by late afternoon, Sunday, September 13, and all but one meter was broken, when two days earlier they had all been working. They claim the NYPD arrested one of their men. It is not known if a stepped-up police presence is in response to inquiries made on this story or a string of robberies targeting students of Fordham University.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
cops look other way on panhandlers
A parking-spot agent of E. 189 Street looks over the shoulder of a potential customer, which many have called "Intimidating." (Below) LET GO OF MY ARM: An E. 189 Street parking-spot agent gets a little too friendly with a potential customer. Photo by David Greene