New Chief visits community councils

Newly appointed Borough Commander of Patrol Borough Queens North, Chief Diana L. Pizzuti, had a busy week with debut appearances at the 115th and 110th Precinct Community Council meetings.
At the 115th Precinct on Tuesday, March 20 the anticipation before the new boss’s arrival was palpable and when she walked in the entire station staff, decked out in their best uniforms, snapped to attention and saluted.
Pizzuti, who had been invited to speak in honor of Women’s History Month, set about charming her audience with straight talk and connections to Queens that stretched over many decades and included working in the 103rd, 105th, 100th Precincts and 15 years living in the 108th and 112th Precincts.
Pizzuti then presented the Cop of the Month award to Sergeant Joseph Tarsio and Police Officers James Girdusky and Brett Huzar of the 115th Burglary Unit for their hard work over time and in recognition of their arrest of three burglary suspects and the recovery of a loaded .38 caliber firearm and $10,000 in cash on Tuesday, February 13.
The following evening it was Chief Pizzuti’s turn to impress her boss when Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly attended the Police Recognition Ceremony for the 110th held at the Hall of Science, located at 47-01 111th Street in Corona. The ceremony on Wednesday, March 21 was dedicated to the memory of New York City Auxiliary Police Officers Nicholas Pekearo and Eugene Marshalik who had been shot dead while on duty in lower Manhattan the week before.
Kelly took the opportunity to remind those present of the of the current program to get guns off the street by offering $1,000 “no-questions-asked” for unlicensed guns surrendered to the police.
He explained that when someone calls they are given a code number which is then used to redeem the $1,000 at a particular bank. “Police officers face great danger on the street day after day,” he said. Pizzuti followed up by introducing herself to the community and reiterating the importance of precincts and community organizations in fighting crime. Following the speeches and two video presentations awards were given out in the following categories:
November 2006 Cop of the Month Awards went to P.O. Raymond Salamone and P.O. Gerard Leonard, for their work in solving a horrific sexual assault.
December 2006, Cop of the Month Award went to Sgt. Thomas Pasolo, P.O.’s Byron Visquerra, Eric Eng, Paul Hurdle for their apprehension of bank robbers.
January Cop of the Month Award went to Lt. Edward Rutter and Sgt. Brian Basile for their successful oversight of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park muggings.
February Cop of the Month Award went to P.O.’s Jose Briceno, Neil Jaggernauth, John Portalatin, William Brado, Nicholas Marciano and Sgt. Charles Minch for apprehending a perpetrator without incident who had robbed a LeFrak City resident at gunpoint.
2006 Supervisor of the Year went to Sgt. Andrew Leeb for his tireless work for the Precinct.
2006 Police Officer of the Year, went to P.O. Keith Penney for his 75 arrests and 3000 summonses.
2006 Civilian of the Year went to Thea Sevastos, for her tireless work for the Precinct.