Protecting the Neighborhood Capt. Michael Falcon

Michael Falcon knew from a young age that he wanted to be a cop. Growing up in New Jersey, it made sense to join one of the most prestigious law enforcement organizations in the world, which just happened to be in the next state over: the New York Police Department.

Since taking the helm at the 20th Precinct in October 2013, Capt. Falcon has presided over a 7.5 percent decrease in crime and focused on exactly what he said he would in an interview with the Spirit from January of last year.

“This precinct is all about the community here and quality of life,” said Capt. Falcon shortly after assuming command of the 20th Precinct. “It’s a great community to work in and it’s a nice area to be a part of.”

The community component is essential to what the 20th Precinct is all about, Capt. Falcon said in a recent interview at the station house on West 82nd Street.

“The community relations that I’ve had since I’ve been here have been good,” said Capt. Falcon. “I believe the community is very important on the Upper West Side and I think that we have good communication with the elected officials and the people that live in the community. I’ve kept those lines open.”

Grand larceny is the biggest crime issue in the neighborhood. Because the Upper West Side can seem so safe, people are sometimes lulled into false sense of security. But it’s important to always keep track of your belongings and never leave them unattended, he said.

At precinct council meetings and in interactions with residents, Capt. Falcon said he most often hears about quality of life issues concerning vendors and the homeless.

“We do have the other crimes, and we try to identify that immediately and just put a plan in place to try and get rid of whatever pattern there is,” said Capt. Falcon.

That strategy of quick thinking was responsible for tamping down a rash of burglaries that occurred last year, he said.

Pedestrian safety is another major topic at the community council meetings. Capt. Falcon said his officers have been working to enforce Vision Zero and increase traffic safety awareness across the precinct.

Capt. Falcon entered the police academy in 1996, and was first posted to the 120th Precinct on Staten Island. From there he served stints in the Bronx, the transit police, the Midtown North Precinct, and as captain of the World Trade Center Command. He even served as a lieutenant in the 24th Precinct, just north of the 20th Precinct’s territory on the Upper West Side.

A lot has happened in the past year, most notably the assassination of two police officers in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn on Dec. 20. In social media posts before the assassinations the gunman said he was specifically targeting police and referred to the cases of Eric Garner on Staten Island and Michael Brown in Missouri.

Relations between the NYPD and City Hall, exacerbated by contract negotiations and demonstrations against police brutality, have been strained to say the least.

With all that going on, said Capt. Falcon, it’s been a trying time for his officers.

“Since the assassinations, it’s been a tough period of time right now,” he said. “I know personally it affected me. That could’ve been any of us.”