Islam and the 70th Police Pct. - Liaison Helps Foster Understanding Between Cops and the Community

February 8, 2007

Author: Stephen Witt

Source: Kings Courier

http://www.kingscourier.net/site/tab2.cfm?newsid=17829789&BRD=2384&PAG=461&dept_id=552848&rfi=6

Call him the middle man between the city’s growing Islamic community and the NYPD.

Last week, Erhan Yildirim, the city’s top community coordinator between cops and the Muslim community, came to the 70th Precinct Community Council meeting to explain his role as a liaison.

There are between 300,000 and 350,000 people living in Brooklyn who are Muslim, he said. They come from all over the world, with the largest population from Pakistan and Bangladesh, Yildirim estimated.

Yildirim, a Bensonhurst resident by way of Turkey, was appointed about eight months ago and works at police headquarters directly under Commissioner Ray Kelly.

“They [Islamic community] don’t have the knowledge of how the police department is working here,” said Yildirim.