Gov. Hochul Makes Surprise Visit to 13th Pct. Nat’l Night Out
While the Governor might have been a photobomb hit, the longest lines of the day were for the grilled hamburges and the free Mr. Softee ice cream.
| 10 Aug 2026 | 02:31
Deputy Inspector Alexander Brathwaiter, commanding officer of the 13th Pct. said that crime is down 5,58 percent so far this year in what was already one of the lowest crime districts in Manhattan. The number of stolen cars has dropped 51.6 percent compared to a year ago. (
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There were two Mr. Softee trucks handing out free ice cream cones at the 13th Pct. National Night Out Against Crime. (
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Gov. Kathy Hochul was mobbed by photobombers as she made a surprise appearance at the 13th Precint’s National Night Out Against Crime at Peter’s Playground on 20th St. and Second Ave. on Aug. 4. (
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Families got their hot dogs National Night Out Against Crime at a grill manned by officers from the 13th Pct. (
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Governor Huchol posing with Assembly Member Keith Powers and police officers on Peter’s Playground, located on Second Avenue and East 20th Street. (
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Governor Hochul spoke to and posed with children who attended the 13th Precinct’s National Night Out. (
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The balloon lady, who goes by Happy Tea, said she’s been fashioning balloons into animals for 30 years. (
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Kim Salvo (left) and Anne LilJa Rentof said they were getting a lot of inquires from youngsters interested in joining Cub Scout Pack 422 which is affiliated with the Epiphany parish. (
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James, 9 and sister, Kiara, 6, at the table with a sketch artist on National Night Out Against Crime in the 13th Pct. held at Peter’s Playground on Second Ave. and East 20th Street. (
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NYPD officers gathered and enjoyed the festivities on Peter’s Playground for the National Night Out. (
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The longest lines at the National Night Out in the 13th Precinct were for the bar-b-que burgers and the free Mr. Softee ice cream. But when Gov. Kathy Hochul made a surprise last minute appearance at the Aug. 4 event she was photobombed by many of those remaining.
Hochul seemed happy to oblige with the many requests for selfies A DCPI spokesperson for the NYPD for some odd reason, seemed to determined to keep press from talking to the governor.
In keeping with the spirit of the day, politicians who do turn out for the NNO always politely refrain from self serving press conferences since they don’t want to be accussed of stealing the spotlight from the NYPD and their interaction with the local residents. That afteral is which is the driving idea behind the 43rd annual National Night Out against Crime, which was celebrated at the Peter’s Playground on Second Ave. and East 20th Street.
Hochul is seeking reelection in November, running against Republican Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive but she was not in speech making mode in keeping with the spirit of the day.
After the photo bombing was over, she made a bee line to a line of 13th Pct officers. “Crime is at an all time and that is a credit to your hard work,” she told them.
Deputy Inspector Alexander Brathwaite, the commanding officer of the 13th Pct which stretches from Stuyvesant Town west through Gramercy Park, Union Square and the Flatiron district is presiding over one of the lowest crime precincts in the city. Major crime incidents are down 5.58 percent compared to the first seven months a year ago. The only area where there was a tiny uptick was felony assaults at 173, up by only one from a year ago. There were 15 stolen cars this year, down from 31 in the same period a year ago, a 51.6 percent drop.
”We are down overall,” Brathwaite told Our Town. He conceded, “It’s hard to continue that, but we’re doing a good job.”
Aside from Hochul and Powers, most other electeds stayed away. Virginia Maloney who represents the district on the City Council was vacationing in Maine. Downtown City Council member Harvey Epstein whose district overlaps with part of the 13th Pct in Midtown East and NYS Senator Kristen Gonzalez had tables with representatives but he did not show personally.
Con Ed had a table for “customer information” but the person manning the table had no info about the water main break that he shut down the nearby intersection of East 14th St. and First Ave. and which was on the minds of many attendees.
Kids were having a blast. A woman making balloon animals for kids was drawing a big line. “I go by Happy Tea, but my real name is Christine,” she said. “I have been doing this for 30 years.” She said other balloon people have been experiencing shortages of helium, but that has not bothered her side of the business. “We just use air,” she said as she twisted one ballon into the shape of an elephant.
Kim Salvo and Anne-Lil Ja Rentoff manned the Cub Scout booth for Pack 422. “It’s my 18th year,” said Salvo. “We’re getting a lot of interest.” The troop is affiliated with the Epiphany parish but won’t resume den and pack meetings again until the fall, she said. Two brothers in Cub Scout uniforms were already on the hamburger line.
James, who said he was “nine and three quarters” years old was getting his portrait drawn by a sketch artist named Lorelei.
His dad said after the sketch artist the family going to get on the ice cream line as well. James corrected him. “Mom’s already on it!”
“That’s the only way you can do this, divide and conquer,” said his dad Jason.
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