Ramapo Police Defend Inaction In The Months Leading Up To Rottenberg Burning

"In some cases, the challenge is the lack of evidence, the lack of witnesses. The fact is we don't have enough evidence or witnesses to prosecute offenders in some of the cases. I mean — the police officers weren't present when these crimes occurred."

 

The Journal News has  a long report on the violence dissidents in New Square suffered after they decided in September 2010 to pray in a nursing home located just outside the village of New Square, rather than pray in the village synagogue led by the Skvere Rebbe, David Twersky, and the police response to that violence. Here's an excerpt:

…On Sept. 13, [burn attack victim Aron Rottenberg] and two other men reported that windows on their cars had been smashed.

Five weeks later, on Friday, Oct. 22, another friend, Jacob Surkis, reported that the license plates were stolen from his van. He told police that whoever stole his plates was trying to "make his life difficult" because of his decision where to pray.

That same day, Rottenberg called police to report harassment and suspicious activity around his house.

He said there was a knock on his upstairs bedroom window at 4:30 that morning and when he looked outside, he found a block of wood that he assumed had been used to reach the window.

He claimed that three days earlier, someone had left a message on his phone at 5:11 a.m. advising him not to send his 15-year-old daughter to school so she would not be embarrassed.

When he opened his front door at 8:45, her school desk and other belongings were on the front porch.

He told police he stopped sending her to school at that point and asked if they could increase their patrols in the village, with emphasis on his neighborhood — especially early Saturday mornings.

"Rottenberg advises that there is a small group of men who have decided to attend schul (sic) outside of the village and that all of these men have been tormented ever since," police said in an Oct. 22 report.

The next night, as many as 50 men gathered outside Rottenberg's home and he called police.

The group dispersed when cops arrived and the officers warned Rottenberg to stay out of harm's way and not confront the group.

Police suggested Rottenberg videotape such gatherings in case suspects ever needed to be identified.

Rottenberg asked the officers to speak with Mendel Berger, who lived around the corner, suggesting that Berger held some sway over the group and could get them to stop. But Berger told the officers he wanted nothing to do with the situation.

An hour later, the block was filled with hundreds of community residents who had blocked the road with metal barriers.

Most were there protesting Rottenberg, his wife told police, but there was also a group supporting him. The officers eventually got the crowd to leave the area.

Rottenberg's wife called police just before 1 a.m. Oct. 29 to report that someone had smashed a rear bedroom window.

She said people in the community were trying to force the family to move out.

That Sabbath, a friend, Mordechai Surkis, stayed at the house while the Rottenbergs were away.

An officer was patrolling Truman Avenue just after 3 a.m. Oct. 30 when Surkis approached to say that a window in the house had been broken. The officer reported that he had seen a group of about a dozen Hasidic teenagers just before Surkis came outside, but that the group had left the area.

The next day, Jacob Surkis told police that his car windshield was smashed on Washington Avenue.

That was the last report to police until May 14, when three windows were smashed at the Rottenberg house around 3 a.m.

Detective Sgt. Lynch said police do not believe that Spitzer was involved in that incident and that they have two teen suspects and expect to make an arrest.

The May 14 vandalism prompted the family to install video surveillance cameras and — for the first time — led to an investigation by Ramapo detectives.

Lynch said detectives get called in only when crimes have patterns or when there are higher level felonies involved.

"In some cases, the challenge is the lack of evidence, the lack of witnesses," Lynch said. "The fact is we don't have enough evidence or witnesses to prosecute offenders in some of the cases. I mean — the police officers weren't present when these crimes occurred."

[Hat Tips: Burich, CS.]

Comments

[Joe]

The cops don't really care.

We claim to be BORN as Chosen people. Our dear children are born as beloved by God. And only our children are entitled to be watched by God.
So, you holy people, fight it out between yourselves.

[itchiemayer]

It's anarchy in Square Town.

[itchiemayer]

I should say a Dictatorship....and apparently not a benevelent one.

[Devorah]

Oh, please, give me a break. St. Lawrence dictates what the police see or don't see. EVERYTHING is under his scrutiny due to the bloc vote.

[Luke]

What a grave disservice to the people of NS. A person is repeatedly harassed and endangered as documented by the police reports and Sgt. Lynch say the Town lacks evidence? This is downright criminal. :(

[A. Nuran]

I mean — the police officers weren't present when these crimes occurred

That's why police investigate crimes you you tax-fattened sloth.

[David]

This is an interesting exercise in seeing how much a nominally U.S. community (Jewland) can (unlawfully) separate itself from the jurisdiction of the United States.

Its about time the troops were sent in to undertake some regime change.

[twersky is jim jones]

So what are the odds the FBI actually gets involved? When?

[seymour]

What a grave disservice to the people of NS. A person is repeatedly harassed and endangered as documented by the police reports and Sgt. Lynch say the Town lacks evidence? This is downright criminal. :(

Posted by: Luke | June 02, 2011 at 09:18 AM

they need more than complaints they need physical evidence and or witnesses.
As we know the chances of witnesses in a frum community against another frum person is almost zero

My parents house was robbed by frum kids I did find a few witnesses but they all asked their rov and all said they cannot be a witness to the police.

The police said to me we know who did it, but unless someone wants to be a witness there is nothing they can do

[Alter Kocker]

Real simple: Rottenberg sues the entire town, individually and collectively. Subsequent to his victory, he either sets a match to the entire town, or sells the assets to a REFORM congregation.

[aron]

I say this repeatedly. Set a match to the entire town is what the Torah commands of this ihr hanidachas. Not one official rov has spoken against them, that means they all agree to the violence there or are scared to voice their opinion. Where is the Aguda or even the right wing. When this happened in the bible with Binyamin who also covered up they went to war against them and almost killed then all out. Why today does no one rise up to the challenge. If not for the net and goyishe papers who at least do have some sense it would all still be carrying on. The gemoro says in shabbos that these so called 'tsadikim' who turn a blind eye get punished first.

[masortiman]

"That's why police investigate crimes you you tax-fattened sloth."

depends how serious it is. I am pretty sure they dont investigate every case of school bullying, or vandalism. As they said, it would be when there is a pattern.

Now I think the question is, was there a clear pattern. My sense from reading here is that there was, and that the police should have seen it.

[ruthie]

Oh, please, give me a break. St. Lawrence dictates what the police see or don't see. EVERYTHING is under his scrutiny due to the bloc vote.

Posted by: Devorah | June 02, 2011 at 09:14 AM

devorah,
right you are...spot on!