Community Magazine July - August 2003

50 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE On a New York street corner, a man with a flushed face is embroiled in a combatant exchange with an apathetic meter maid. The lady seated in the vehicle behind his honks viciously to summon the owner of an unmanned SUV, which has immobilized her within the confines of a tight parking space. A pedestrian, anticipating a red light, is winded by a driver who thinks he’s still seeing yellow. The chorus of street noise is augmented by the trumpeting of impatient vehicles waiting for a teenager to maneuver a clumsy illegal K-turn. B Y : V I C T O R I A M ATA L O N s ” xc L ike the flip of switch, this maddening backdrop quickly changes for many Flatbush community members—as they escape to the idyllic enclave of Deal, NJ. Over the course of a weekend in June, the sleepy shore town, with a winter population of 1200, swells to a fantastic 15,000. The dramatic influx swipes up the Brooklyn bustle and transplants it on the broad tree-lined streets of the summer resort. In order to prevent Deal from becoming the whirl- wind of city chaos—the same scenario we’re trying to escape—the police force maintains a firm hand in enforcing laws, specifically in regards to traffic regulations. Potentially, this strict enforcement can strain the relationship between summer residents—who are unaccus- tomed to such stringency and the police force, whose job increases manifold during July and August. Indeed, some people already believe that Deal Police “are out to get us”. THE REAL DEAL That’s all myths and misconceptions, claim Deal Mayor Harry I. Franco and Police Chief Michael Sylvester. “Our main concern,” says Mayor Franco, “is that all people and citizens first and foremost understand that we have rules and regulations that pertain to the quality of life in Deal. We want to ensure it remains a serene and tranquil environment, specifically in regards to the safety and welfare of our residents.” The sheer number of police vehicles navigating Deal streets—can seem like an imposing presence to citizens, but as the Mayor explains, it is for the purpose of deterrence. “The Police Department,” the Mayor continued, “is dedicated to protect Deal residents and their property. One of those ways is in having a visible presence—it’s a won- derful community and we’re doing everything for their protection.” Even though it’s relatively far from the New York Metropolis that is on constant security alert, the police force in Deal has taken extra measures to guard the safety of its Jewish population, specifically at religious institutions where large numbers of people often congregate. According to Mayor Franco and Police Chief Sylvester, there have been drills in all Deal synagogues, and the Borough of Deal has solicited the help of a New Jersey State SWAT team to train members of the police force to put together an active shoot- ing team. As there have been no threats, this is solely a precautionary measure in light of the national effort to increase security since September 11.. ZERO TOLERANCE As for the perception that having ‘New York Plates’ is a surety for being pulled over at some point during the summer, consider the numbers When roughly 92% of the vehicles in Deal prop- er belong to New York residents—combined with the fact that the New York-style of driving is a more aggressive “urban rules” method of getting from point A to point B—there’s an over- whelming likelihood that the license plate on the back of that car that’s on the side of the road with the window down is white rather than yellow. The Police Department reports, “Zero tolerance for aggressive driving on Borough streets, speeding, careless driving, running a stop sign, double parking, unnecessary horn blowing, and the passing of camp buses. It will not be tolerat- ed. Radar patrols will be out in force.” Two state laws will be especially enforced along Norwood Avenue. Law 39:4-65 forbids drivers to drop off or pick up passengers unless they can pull up curbside. Law 39:4-67 forbids “Obstructing pas- sage of other vehicles on roadway.” This means no double parking whatsoever—even with the driver behind the wheel, and even just for a few moments. The speed limit on Norwood Avenue is 35 mph, and 25mph on residential Borough streets. The Ocean Avenue pace is 40mph, but is reduced along the beach areas of the Deal Casino and Conover Pavilion, where two flash- ing pedestrian-crossing signals have been installed to aid beachgoers. To New York driv- ers, these rules may seem strict—especially dur- ing vacation time, when people are in a carefree mindset. Considered objectively, however, it’s these specific violations that make New York driving intolerable–and isn’t that exactly the kind of chaos vacationers in Deal are trying to get away from? Aword of advice for those who do find them- selves at the side of the road being cited for a traf- fic violation—don’t lie about it in court. “All patrol cars,” said Police Chief Sylvester, “are equipped with cameras, and every stop is record- ed.” The MVR’s (mobile video recorders) pro- vide a way to check up on resident complaints, and prove either their veracity or inaccuracy. SAFETY & SECURITY Deal is small—but has perhaps the densest concentration of Jews of any town in the United States. Mayor Franco, the first Sephardic Jewish mayor in the United States, is proud of his posi- tion and sees to it that the town accommodates the needs of its Jewish population. These meas- ures range from increased efforts to accommo- date religious needs like street closings for Torah dedications and charity events, to the police force’s adaptation to the Community’s schedule. On weekends, the focus of the police force’s duties shifts to ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicycle safety is included among the utmost concerns of the town—as droves and droves of children use bicycles as their main source of transportation through the Deal streets throughout the summer. Mayor Franco empha- sizes that the corner of Norwood Avenue and Roosevelt—a trouble spot that can be dangerous because of the large number of children and young teenagers congregating—is not part of Deal and therefore outside the jurisdiction of his police force. There are also measures taken to preserve the tranquil-nature of the town’s streets in deference to the summer residents. Exterior construction is forbidden from the end of June until after Labor Day. The police force also keeps an extra watch- ful eye on the empty homes during the winter. Higher levels of security are necessary to preserve