new york police increase presence on staten island after bias attacks

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policeman stands near a police temporary observation tower on Port Richmond avenue as police step up their presence in the neighborhood on Staten Island of New York, the United States, Aug. 2, 2010. A 17-year-old man was attacked early July 31, making it the tenth bias assault being reported on Staten Island this year. (Xinhua/Rong Jiaojiao)




NEW YORK, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- New York police beefed up their presence on Monday on Staten Island after the recent waves of hate crimes in the borough.

Police have assigned more staff in Port Richmond and the surrounding neighborhoods. They have formed a special unit made up of Mexican-born officers in the wake of the attacks.

Mounted police patrol on the Port Richmond avenue and two temporary observation towers were stationed along the street.

"I think the police are doing a good job, because every street and every corner you turn to, you can see them. Everybody should feel a lot safer now," said Pamela, a mother of three children, who came to live on Staten Island eight years ago from Trinidad.

Earlier on Sunday night, police arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with a vicious bias attack of a Mexican teen early Saturday morning in that community.

He was charged with assault, robbery and harassment as a hate crime and was due to appear in Family Court later Monday. Police are looking for one other suspect in the attack.

The attack happened early Saturday morning, when a 17-year-old boy was attacked by two teens on his way home from work at a Manhattan restaurant.

Investigators say the attackers stole 10 U.S. dollars from the victim's wallet while punching him and shouting ethnic slurs at him.

A total of ten attacks in the area have been labeled bias crimes since April this year, in which assailants, mostly young black men, have assaulted Mexican immigrants walking in Port Richmond. The neighborhood saw a sharp increase of Mexican immigrants in the past two decades.

In addition to the police efforts, New York City Council will work with local people to foster better multicultural understanding through extensive education campaign, including putting information on the council website and developing piece of literature.

"We are going to get more community participation, so that we can make sure these incidents stop," said Deborah Rose, New York City Council, 49th District, Staten Island.