Meet Your Neighbor: Detective Alex Escalante

I wanted to be a police officer from day one. When I turned 18, I took the exam and have been with NYPD ever since. Earlier this year, I was handpicked by my Commanding Officer to become a Neighborhood Coordination Officer (NCO) under the new NYPD Neighborhood Policing Initiative. NCOs are the ‘go-to guys’ within the community.  If a resident has a problem, they call us.We're here to help residents one-on-one; not just to take a 911 call, write a report, and leave.  

I’ve worked within the Pomonok neighborhood for 17 years, first as part of an anti-crime unit, and now as an NCO. I spend all day protecting the neighborhood I love, meeting new neighbors, responding to calls and mediating conflict. My partner and I help distribute food at the Farmers Market, and we make sure the community gardens are respected.

As an NYPD Detective, I’m always trying to get residents to see through the uniform. My goal is to build trust throughout the neighborhood; to ensure safety, but also to get to know everyone. After almost 20 years, I’m honored to continue to close the divide between cops and community while keeping the Pomonok neighborhood safe.