Lifesaver: Capt. Frank Bachmayer (right) honored Officer Terrence Black (second from left) as Officer of the Month.
The new captain should be a familiar one to members of the 7th Police District Advisory Council.
Capt. Frank Bachmayer, the former commander of the 15th Police District and Northeast Detectives, formally introduced himself to members of the 7th PDAC during the group’s monthly meeting on March 27 at Nazareth Hospital. Earlier last month, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey appointed Bachmayer to lead the 7th, replacing Capt. Joe Zaffino, who is on leave pending his official retirement later this year.
Bachmayer intends to work closely with community leaders to fight crime and prevent it.
“I had a lot of success in the 15th district in six years and a lot of that was built on officers working with the community,” Bachmayer told the Northeast Times following the PDAC meeting. “Captain Zaffino worked very well with community groups. I’m looking to continue that and build on that.”
Statistics show that the 7th district is one of the most crime-free in the city, particularly in terms of violent crimes like homicides, robberies and assaults. The district includes the Somerton, Bustleton and Bell’s Corner sections, as well as portions of Rhawnhurst and Fox Chase. Yet, property crimes such as burglaries and thefts from autos have historically been prevalent.
Bachmayer hopes that the recent arrest of a 20-year-old man in connection with 19 home break-ins within the district will help drive down the crime rate.
“The property crime up here is extremely important to citizens,” Bachmayer said. “We’re fortunate we made an arrest. Northeast Detectives did a great job on that. We want to put some preventative measures in place.”
According to the captain, many home burglaries can be prevented with common-sense precautions. Victims often invite trouble by failing to lock their doors and windows. In addition, residents should consider installing alarms and surveillance cameras as extra levels of protection. They help police capture burglars quicker and afford better odds of recovering stolen property.
In addition, residents should be diligent about monitoring their surroundings. If a stranger seems to be lingering in the neighborhood, watching homes or knocking on doors, he may be trying to find an empty house to burglarize. Residents should not hesitate to call 911 if they see something suspicious, according to the captain.
Bachmayer added that communication should be reciprocal. If police identify a certain crime pattern in a specific area, they will alert neighbors and pass along any known description of a suspect.
Bachmayer is also interested in protecting the quality of life from nuisance problems such as disorderly crowds, underage drinkers and graffiti.
In addition to delivering his introductory speech, Bachmayer presented the district’s Officer of the Month Award to Officer Terrence Black, who saved a woman’s life inside a hotel room.
On Feb. 22, Black responded to a 911 call regarding an unconscious person at the Ramada Inn, 11580 Roosevelt Blvd. He went to the designated room and found the 24-year-old woman lying on a bed. She was cold, had stopped breathing and had a shallow pulse. Black placed her on the floor and performed CPR for four to five minutes until paramedics arrived.
The rescuers’ combined efforts restored the woman’s consciousness and breathing. Paramedics took her to Nazareth Hospital for treatment. ••
