Task force to catch serial rapists

With female residents of southeast Queens living in fear for their safety since last November, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has created a dedicated task force to apprehend a pair of rapists responsible for at least 10 attacks in the area.
Thirteen cops will report directly to Chief Thomas V. Dale, head of Patrol Borough Queens South, and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, according to City Councilmember Leroy Comrie, who had been calling for the task force “for a while.”
“They [must] use every resource available and ask for more to stop this scourge,” he said.
The task force will focus on the areas of the attacks - within the 103rd, 105th and 113th Precincts, according to reports - and will operate until the perps are arrested, although details on their operations have not been released.
“I wish them [the cops] good luck and happy hunting,” said Comrie, adding, “I think they [the NYPD] should have done it [created the task force] earlier - they should leave no stone unturned.”
On Tuesday, August 12, Comrie hosted a rally and vigil to show support of the recent rape victims and to keep raising awareness that this community is not safe yet because the perpetrators are still at large.
Besides local politicians, representatives of Safe Horizon, a city organization that helps victims of crime and abuse, attended. The Safe Horizon representatives handed out plastic key chain whistles that women can use at night to make noise and attract attention should they be in a situation where they need to fight off an attacker.
Students of the Zen Master’s martial arts school in St. Albans performed a self-defense demonstration as well.
“We are doing this to remind people that it’s not safe and they need to be careful,” Comrie said. “With this type of crime, a lot of times they [the attackers] go underground for a while and come back - they wait till people drop their guard.”
He noted that churches and civic organizations should also spread the word that people need to stay alert; he suggested that they help the community by doing things such as providing escorts late at night. “The police task force is here, but we as a community have to work together,” Comrie said.
“There are more of us than them [the rapists],” said Archie Spigner, Democratic District Leader. “We will keep the pressure on the NYPD — I believe they got the message.”
St. Albans resident Gillian Eversley, who attended the vigil and has two teenage daughters, said she is concerned.
“There has been no arrest. This is an outrage,” she said. “We [the community] haven’t been informed about any progress [regarding the rape investigations]. I’m dismayed. I’m at a point where I’m ready to take self-defense classes.”