By Betsy Scheinbart
Inspector William Morris, the commanding officer of the 113th Precinct, reported at the community council meeting Monday that crime in the precinct was down 26 percent last week and down 19 percent so far this year.
The council welcomed NY1 anchor Gary Anthony Ramsey to its monthly meeting in South Jamaica. The precinct covers South Jamaica, St. Albans, Rochdale Village and parts of Hollis and Springfield Gardens.
Morris said much of the precinct’s crime had moved to the weekend, but also reported some problems with disorderly dismissals at IS 59 in Springfield Gardens, where students have been disrupting a nearby Pathmark Store.
The Police Department is working with school safety to correct the problem, Morris said.
Nevertheless, reported crime incidents fell 26 percent in the precinct last week and were running nearly 20 percent below year-ago levels so far this year, he said.
Several community members complained to Morris about late-night basketball games in the street. Apparently, some young people are setting up portable hoops at the ends of streets to establish full-court games, which continue into the early morning hours.
Morris said the issue should be handled by the beat officers. The council’s second vice president, Gertrude Gonesh, noted that a grievance committee had been set up with Community Affair Officers Jovoda Cooper and Jeanetta Williams.
Ramsey, who grew up in Queens Village, said he was glad to see the meeting had not packed the auditorium of PS 30, because if something was wrong in the community, the place would be full.
But he said people from 18 to 35 whom the council members complained about should be present at such meetings and get to know the officers who cover their neighborhood.
“I grew up in Queens Village and we knew who our cops were,” Ramsey said. “You don’t see that as much these days.”
Ramsey said there is a lot of pressure on the police to crack down on quality-of-life issues like late-night noise, but such crackdowns are not necessarily a good thing.
He said it is important to see both sides of the issue. For example, while kids playing basketball at night might disturb their neighbors, at least their parents know where they are and what they are doing at night.
Ramsey said he did not know how perfect police and community relations could be created, but if they were, “I think this community could stand out as an example.”
Reach reporter Betsy Scheinbart by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.
