The “Clean Halls” program that allows New York City landlords to give police officers keys to their buildings is the subject of a federal lawsuit filed against the New York Police Department.

The New York Times reported that a suit seeking class action status was filed today in Manhattan’s Federal District Court to stop the program that invites police officers to enter buildings and roam hallways, laundry rooms and stairwells to question people in some 16,000 private buildings, mostly in the Bronx. [more]

The New York Police Department’s 108th precinct has handed over 15 of its roughly 55 Long Island City parking spots to residents of One Hunters Point, the new 12-story condo tower at 549 Borden Avenue, who have complained for months that the cops were taking up more than their fair share of parking. The condo owners, who also recently succeeded in a campaign to lessen the volume of idling Long Island Railroad train engines nearby, petitioned and lobbied Community Board 2 to get the street parking issue on the table. The NYPD hasn’t exactly surrendered the spots, though. — the city has merely agreed to “kicked the can down the street a little,” according to Joseph Conley, chair of Community Board 2. Now, the bright red “no standing” signs that irked those living at One Hunters Point will be located on the west side of Fifth Street.

A new New York Police Department publication offers landlords and
building security personnel anti-terror guidelines for their buildings.
The guidebook, which is called “Engineering Security,” tells building
owners how they can measure the ways their buildings might be affected
by terrorism. Suggestions in the guide include positioning glass
facades away from buildings that face higher risk of terrorism and
using fire-resistant materials in construction. [more]