Tuller honored at farewell dinner

With just four days to pull together a farewell dinner for Assistant Chief James Tuller of Queens Patrol North, City Councilmember John Liu amassed an impressive group of the borough’s top police brass and Flushing’s Chinese community leaders.
In a tribute to the solid relationships Tuller forged in his seven and a half years as commanding officer of Queens Patrol North, which encompassed the 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, 114th, and 115th, Precincts, the Red Café, at 37-18 Main Street was filled with those who came to say their goodbyes.
Ironically, the work of fighting crime and keeping the city safe is relentless and so Tuller, who had to attend a Saint Patrick’s Day parade meeting in Manhattan, was so late for his own sendoff that dinner was almost over.
Deputy Inspector Matthew Whelan, Commanding Officer of the 109th, had to deliver his speech in his old boss’s absence so that he could meet a commitment he had made to the Flushing community. “If it wasn’t for Assistant Chief Tuller, I wouldn’t be the Commanding Officer of the 109th and I wouldn’t have had my last command,” he said before heading out the door.
Once Tuller arrived, he and his wife listened to testimonial after testimonial, most of which emphasized Tuller’s dedication, achievement and belief in the need for police to forge alliances with the community.
Liu presented Tuller with a citation from the City Council, saying that he had seen Tuller’s office and there were hundreds of well-deserved awards and citations on the walls. Tuller also received an award from the Flushing community he served so well.
Peter Koo, Chairman of the Flushing Chinese Business Association, praised Tuller for his outstanding achievements. Tuller said that he could not have succeeded to the extent that he had without the support of the community. He said that his success was attributable to a simple formula, “Fight crime and make friends.”
Tuller, who was credited for the spectacular turnaround in crime in Queens North, said that he did not have to force a smile for the evening’s pictures. He said he was always happy to attend events but this one was particularly pleasing. “I still live in Queens,” he said as he paid tribute to the officers and community leaders whom he said were an integral part of the massive drop in crime.