General

Change of leadership at 68th Precinct

June 24, 2011 Helen Klein

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Helen Klein

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After four years, Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez, thecommanding officer of the 68th Precinct, is moving on, and over tothe 70th Precinct in Flatbush and Midwood, to be commanding officerthere.

Rodriguez will be replaced at the helm of the 68th Precinct byCaptain Richard de Blasio, who has been executive officer at the61st Precinct in Sheepshead Bay. De Blasio has also been a trafficlieutenant in the NYPD’s traffic control division, a lieutenant atthe 84th Precinct in Brooklyn Heights and a sergeant at the 63rdPrecinct in Mill Basin and Marine Park.

Rodriguez takes the position at the 70th Precinct left vacant bythe retirement of Deputy Inspector Ralph Monteforte, who had been alieutenant at the 68th Precinct earlier in his career. The top jobat the 70th Precinct is considered a prize position within theNYPD.

He will absolutely be missed, said Ilene Sacco, the presidentof the 68th Precinct Community Council. He is a wonderful, amazingcommanding officer who cares deeply about the community. All thesuccess of the community council can be attributed to his foresightand trust. We are looking forward to working with the newcommanding officer.

We wish him well, said Josephine Beckmann, district manager ofCommunity Board 10, of Rodriguez. We are excited for the newcommanding officer, and looking forward to working with him.

Fran Vella-Marrone, the president of the Dyker Heights CivicAssociation, agreed.

We enjoyed a very good working relationship with DeputyInspector Rodriguez, she said. He was very active and involvedwith the community and we are sorry he has to go but we understandthat he has to go and wish him well. We are looking forward toworking with the new commander, and to the continued good work doneat the 68th Precinct in improving and maintaining the quality oflife in Dyker Heights and the entire precinct.