A new crime-fighting initiative in northeast Queens will bring dozens more officers to the area, and residents couldn't be happier.
The 109th Precinct, which covers neighborhoods including downtown Flushing, Whitestone and College Point, has been expanded with a 66-officer satellite precinct to improve emergency response in its vast jurisdiction, the NYPD said. was announced this month.
Cheryl Craven, president of A Better College Point Civic Association, told the Post that her organization has seen rapid growth in downtown Flushing in recent years, diverting vital Queens resources. He said he is appealing for more police attention.
“What we've struggled with the most over the last few years is quality of life issues,” Kleben said. “The majority [of residents] I'm very happy and very encouraged by the fact that Satellite District is actually happening for us. It's been a long time. ”
Last week, several Queens residents echoed Kleven's concerns about quality of life.
“There will be no problem [the satellite precinct] “It's better to be safe than sorry,” said Paul Morales, 26, a local Marva resident who said several packages had been stolen from his home in recent months.
“It's only going to get worse. From what I've noticed, there's more crime during the day,” said the man from Queens, who only gave his first name.
“Now we're seeing more and more things in places we've never seen before,” he said.
The new NYPD patrol unit, based at the College Point Police Academy, will focus on areas such as College Point, Whitestone, Beechhurst, and Bay Terrace, and will focus on areas such as shoplifting, car break-ins, robberies, and disruptive car gatherings. It will target your concerns. Queens City Councilwoman Vicki Palladino said the same goes for drag racing.
“Neighborhoods like College Point, Whitestone, and Bay Terrace lack consistent police presence. This is not due to failure on the part of the police department, but to overwhelming workloads and understaffing in the division.” Palladino said in a statement. .
“This additional support will ensure significant improvements in these quality of life areas.”
According to the latest statistics, Flushing-Whitestone is the city's second most populous neighborhood after Midtown Manhattan. New York University Furman Center.
The satellite precinct was launched after a meeting between city officials and local civic group We Love Whitestone, which focused on slow 911 response times in the precinct.
A new satellite station patrol car will also be introduced, allowing officers to “work closely with constituents and track quality of life situations,” Paladino's representatives said.
“With this release, it's not just about response times; it's about reinforcing our commitment to safety in every corner of Queens,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement announcing the launch. .
“With these additional 66 officers, we are not only reducing our response times, but also demonstrating that when communities speak out, we will act,” he said.
New York City Police Department Data In fact, major crime in the precinct has shown a slight decline since last year, with robberies down 7.7%, robberies down 22.9% and shootings down from 8 at this point in 2023. In contrast, it will be zero in 2024.
But despite the NYPD's numbers, Kleven said, “the community didn't feel like the crime statistics were going down.”
“Parking issues, illegal license plates, noise complaints, all the other quality of life issues. [are] Because of the lack of… [NYPD] Staffing is really hurting our community,” said a member of the civic association. “We have already noticed a reaction in the community. … To see just [police] Attendance is welcome. ”
Brianna Marrero, a College Point native and therapist for people with developmental disabilities, said she hopes the new mini-school district will make a lasting difference.
“I grew up here, I've lived here since I was a child, and I've seen it change completely,” Marrero, 22, said of the area, adding that drugs and prostitution are new in the area. He added that this was a cause for concern. “Now we have homeless people sleeping in parks. There are probably only three [people at a time]But I've never seen anything like that. ”
It is very different from College Point, which trained former NYPD traffic officer Marian Keiling, 68, and others. She told the Post that she never locked her front door even as a child.
“Now I won't even let my grandson take out the trash by himself,” Keiling said. I've been retired for two years now, but I don't ride the subway. ”
Keiling said while he would certainly welcome a satellite station, he noted that the New York Police Academy may not be the best location for a satellite station, and added that the number of satellite stations that would be closer to the area's major metropolitan centers would be lower. He said he preferred the idea he came up with a year ago.
“Where the academy is, they won't be able to get through here very quickly,” Keiling said of the emergency vehicles. “perhaps [response times] It would be a little better, but not by much. …For Whitestone and Bay Terrace, [the cops are] It's too far. ”
The new police force, consisting of 54 officers and 12 supervisors, will operate out of the New York City Police Academy, so the initiative will not require renting new space at taxpayer expense.
A person familiar with the satellite district told the Post that the space is “temporary” and that the longevity of the initiative remains unclear.
Ms Kleven said she hoped permanent conditions would come soon.
“If you need to get a police report, you still have to go to Flushing,” Kleven said.
“We hope to someday have a permanent satellite district in the area, providing a more local brick-and-mortar presence in the community.”
