By Howard Koplowitz
The Dec. 4 arrest was made after 102nd Pct. Lt. Philip McFarland received a tip from a Drug Enforcement Agency official who said an armed robbery was about to go down at an Atlantic Avenue pawn shop, Piekarski said.Two detectives were staking out the pawn shop when three men entered the business and held up the store, the commanding officer said.”They were able to capture these individuals red-handed with guns in hand,” Piekarski said.After seeing the officers, one of the suspects threw his gun under a car and dropped a watch and jewelry that he had stolen. A foot chase ensued and he and the other two suspects were handcuffed, Piekarski said.McFarland, detectives Robert Salvatore and Robert McCormack and Police Officer Justin Smith Ð the officers involved in the arrests Ð received the awards Tuesday at the Moose Lodge adjacent to the precinct on 118th Street in Richmond Hill.Also at the meeting, Piekarski noted that the precinct has “made some really good progress” in combating crime due to two separate initiatives, but he did not give more details.He said the precinct recently received seven new officers, which he has at times placed on footposts in high-crime areas. The only complaint made by the public at the meeting came from a man who claimed he unfairly received a traffic ticket while picking up his father from a Jamaica Avenue nursing home. The man said he briefly parked his car in front of the nursing home so he could help his father into the car. After making his case to a judge, he said the judge told him to pay the ticket and then appeal it and asked Piekarski for his advice.”Unfortunately… I can't make any decision on that,” the commanding officer said, noting that the case has gone through the court system. But he said, “To me, it sounds like a good case.”Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
