By Peter A. Sutters Jr.
“If we have to do more with less, at least give us our fair share,” said Jemmott during a phone interview. The 105th Precinct covers the communities of Queens Village, Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Bellerose, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park and Floral Park.During a meeting of community leaders in Cambria Heights attended by New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly earlier in the month, Jemmott said he spoke to Kelly about how the 105th has 18 percent of the crime in Queens Borough South region yet it only received 6 percent of officers who recently graduated from the Police Academy. Jemmott said he had not heard back from anyone at the NYPD since the meeting, which prompted him to write a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg bringing the situation to his attention. In the letter Jemmott said the precinct has the highest number of car accidents in Queens as well as being responsible for responding to patients who leave the grounds at Creedmoor Hospital in Glen Oaks, both of which he said draw police resources away from high crime areas. Since sending the letter out, Jemmott said he had spoken with Deputy Police Commissioner Joyce Stephen ,who said she was looking into the allocation of officers to the 105th. In the letter, Jemmott noted that there had been four shootings in Cambria Heights along Linden Boulevard since the mayor's visit to the Cambria Heights Civic association meeting in November, not including a fifth that took place Saturday in which a 16-year-old boy was shot on 228th Street, one block from Linden Boulevard. “It seems to me these people are pretty calm because there aren't enough police around,” said Jemmott, referring to the gunman. The problem of resources being drawn away by Creedmoor was backed up by a spokesman for the 105th Precinct.”There are definitely a good number of calls generated from buildings within the Creedmoor grounds,” said the 105th Community Affairs Officer Pete Dwyer. He said there are officers from the New York State of Department of Mental Hygiene at Creedmoor, but often patients wander off the grounds and enter the jurisdiction of the 105th Precinct. Jemmott said that despite the recent push for an additional precinct to cover the southern portion of the 105th, more officers are needed.”It would be nice to get another precinct,” said Jemmott. “But, this is about getting our basic needs met.” Reach reporter Peter A. Sutters Jr. by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300 Ext. 173.
