Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Park Slope Cops Allegedly Told Black Teens To "Get Out Of The Neighborhood"
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 1, 2014
Modified Oct 1, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 1, 2014
Modified Oct 1, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Some NYPD officers have been accused of shooing away black teenagers from around Park Slope. Witness Sara Bennett talked about one such incident at a 78th Precinct meeting last night, according to DNAInfo. "I was really really upset and disturbed, not by the kids, but by the way the police were yelling at them to get out of the neighborhood," she said.
Bennett told them she saw a group of 5-6 teens, around 16 years old, who were walking in the neighborhood around Ninth Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, around 2:45 p.m. on September 22nd. Commanding Officer Captain Frank DiGiacomo said he hadn't heard of this particular incident, but confirmed that "his officers routinely try to move large groups of young people out of the neighborhood because clusters of teens have created problems recently at the Atlantic Center Mall."
Those recent problems might include tales of so-called "fight clubs" happening behind the Atlantic Terminal Mall—which are really nothing so organized, but rather just teens fighting, as teens sometimes do. "We've had have large fights…and things stemming over to Barclays Center and things stemming over to robberies and assaults," DiGiacomo said at the meeting. "When one or two are hanging out, it’s never a problem, but when we have large groups of kids together and we don't ask them to move or go somewhere else, they become a larger group, and that’s when we get assaults."
Bennett argued that the location where these particular teens were shooed was over a mile away from Barclays area, and that "it's just something that feels really disrespectful to the young black youth in the neighborhood."
DiGiacomo defended his officers, arguing that "most of the crimes that happen in our command are from outside people committing the crimes...if [teens] are not playing basketball, you’re not playing soccer, you’re not doing something productive in the neighborhood, I can see [officers] moving them."
So teens, make sure you're dribbling a basketball or kicked a soccer ball if you want to loiter around the Park Slope area. But don't be too loud—residents are very sensitive about that.
Tagged
brooklyn
cops
nypd
park slope
police
racism
teens
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Inside the luxury Greenpoint high-rise powered by a rumbling generator for over a month
The fallout from an electrical fire, among other safety and maintenance concerns, has sparked anger inside the 40-story tower known as The Greenpoint.
By
David Brand
Published Oct 12, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies
The announcement comes as Mamdani faces mounting criticism from the left for his approach to policing.
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies
The announcement comes as Mamdani faces mounting criticism from the left for his approach to policing.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Company that won $23M NYPD building contract was investigated by LI watchdog
By
Ben Feuerherd
Plainclothes ICE agent with long gun looked like mass shooter, Mayor Mamdani says
By
Michael Sol Warren
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
By
Giulia Heyward
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .