While most police activity remained consistent, tickets for leaf blower complaints saw a significant jump in March, year-over-year police department data shows.
The amount of complaints that Rye police received for leaf blowers around town nearly doubled from the 15 calls police logged in March 2024 to 29 in March, an increase of 93 percent.
As a result, 20 summons were issued last month, compared to just five over the same period last year, according to police data, marking a 300 percent spike. Five warnings were issued by police in March of both years.
By law, gas-powered leaf blowers are only allowed during the periods of March 1 to April 30 and Oct. 1 to Dec. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
The number of arrests in Rye came down in March, compared to the same time last year, the data shows. Four suspects were arrested last month, which was a drop from the seven arrests in March 2024.
Two men were arrested on March 11 in connection with an alleged car theft in Greenwich and for fleeing law enforcement during initial arrest attempts. The car theft set off the one police pursuit reported in March.
There were no police pursuits logged over the same period last year, according to department data.
A few days later, a New Rochelle registered sex offender was arrested on March 14 for assaulting a Rye homeowner in his Midland Avenue home.
The fourth arrest was for a minor vehicle and traffic law misdemeanor, according to Rye Police Lt. Michael Anfuso.
The biggest arrest in March — and perhaps the city’s history — didn’t come at the hands of Rye police though. The NYPD busted alleged drug kingpin Jose Garcia on March 19, a Central Avenue resident who is accused of running a high-level fentanyl and heroin operation in NYC and Westchester County.
Total calls for service and traffic stops in March saw marginal decreases over last year, with police calls decreasing 4 percent, from 2,727 to 2,606, and traffic stops down 9 percent, from 248 to 225.
City code complaints decreased by 17 percent and subsequent summonses issued saw a drop of 100 percent, going from seven summons in March 2024 to zero this March.
Police made zero DWI arrests in either March 2024 or this March and no use of force incidents were reported.
