New commander breaks blue glass ceiling at precinct

For the first time in its history, the 68th Precinct – which covers Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton – has a female commander.

Capt. Kristen Schafer first came to the precinct as executive officer and was promoted to commanding officer in May. She previously served in Brooklyn’s 63rd and 76th precincts. The new executive officer of the 68th is Capt. Anthony Vassallo.

We had an opportunity to take some photos of the new law enforcement duo at a recent reception for U.S. Army Garrison Commander Brian Jacobs at Fort Hamilton.

The 68th Precinct has an interesting legacy. When Brooklyn was an independent city, a predecessor to the 68th, then known as the 18th, was established in Sunset Park, with the 1892 opening of the new castle-like building  on Fourth Avenue and 43rd Street. With the 1898 consolidation of the five boroughs into the City of New York, the precinct was renamed several times: 43rd, 143rd, 76th, 32nd and, finally, 68th. 

In 1971, the NYPD moved out of the old stationhouse in Sunset Park to its present home at 333 65th St. and to a revised Bay Ridge catchment area that was formerly covered by the old 64th Precinct, which had its stationhouse on Fifth Avenue and 86th Street. 

Our thanks to historian Tony Giordano, who manages a wildly popular Sunset Park Facebook page, who reminded me that one of the first ladies hired by the NYPD at the old 68th was a jail matron to take care of distaff perks.