Top Cops Feted By 110th Pct. Council
A ceremonial changing of the guard took place at the 110th Precinct Community Council’s Feb. 20 meeting in Corona, as members of the group welcomed the force’s new commanding officer and bid farewell to its former leader.
Deputy Inspector Richard Leyson, who took the helm of the 110th Precinct in January, made his first appearance before the council during last Monday’s meeting at Flanders Field VFW Post 150, while his predecessor-Deputy Inspector Richard Napolitano, who was transferred to the NYPD Communications Division-stopped by thank members of the community after four years at their service.
“To follow in his footsteps is an honor for me,” said Leyson, who noted that he previously got to know Napolitano while they were supervising Operation IMPACT zones around Patrol Borough Queens North in 2005. The 18 1/2-year veteran of the NYPD comes to the 110th Precinct after previously serving as executive officer of the 111th Precinct.
Leyson has been assigned to var- ious commands across Queens since 2005, including at the 115th Precinct, the Queens North Task Force and the Patrol Borough Queens North’s Anti- Crime Unit.
“You’re going to get to know that I’m very involved in the community,” Leyson told those in attendance, stressing the importance of a bond between police officers and the neighborhoods which they patrol. “It’s a partnership. You are our eyes and ears. We have to work together.”
At future community council meetings, the deputy inspector stated that he would not only provide regular news about crime and crime prevention tips, but also “tell you what’s going on” around the community, including active problems and “what we’re going to do about them.”
“I want to know what your concerns are,” Leyson added. “I don’t even want them to become issues, because then they become problems.”
To that end, the commander reported that the precinct is experiencing a “slight increase” crime over the last 28-day period, including upticks in robberies and felony assaults. Most of the reported thefts, Leyson said, occurred in three areas of the precinct: off Roosevelt Avenue between Baxter and Elmhurst Avenues, around National Street in Corona and the area between the Queens Center Mall and Newtown High School.
Leyson stated that police have deployed additional officers and specialty units throughout the precinct and have “made a lot of arrests.”
“We have a lot of resources available to us,” he said, noting that the 110th Precinct has received help from Patrol Borough Queens North and even from One Police Plaza in Manhattan. “Our resources are here to make your life better by fighting crime and improving the quality of life.”
Grand larcenies continue to be problematic, as the commander stated that the thefts of small electronic devices have been “exploding.” Nevertheless, Leyson said that many of the grand larcenies reported to the precinct are easily preventable as long as the public takes extra steps to safeguard their property.
Two teachers from P.S. 16 asked the deputy inspector to take action against a group of vagrant men who have been observed loitering near the Corona school and a nearby park on weekday mornings. According to one teacher, several of the men have been spotted drinking and trying to get into some parked vehicles. In one incident, the educator claimed that a vagrant masturbated in front of a female.
Leyson stated that the precinct’s School Safety Unit has been dispatched to the location previously along with the Homeless Outreach Unit, who offered services which the vagrants refused. Though some of the individuals left, others who declined to leave were arrested by police.
“As far as lewd conduct goes, we take that very seriously,” he added, indicating that additional officers would be assigned to patrol near the school during early morning hours.
Farewell to Napolitano
As for Napolitano, the precinct’s former commander said that “I miss the place already,” adding that the four years he served in the 110th Precinct were ones which “I don’t think will ever be topped as long as I’m on this job.” He also expressed confidence that Leyson will be of great service to the council and the community.
“I’ve never seen a community more involved than at the 110th Precinct,” he said, also crediting the community council for working to “make people’s lives better.”
Along with a cake to commemorate Napolitano’s departure, Community Council President Evelyn DeCoursey presented him with an engraved clock thanking the deputy inspector for his years of service as well as a portrait.
Dromm addresses community
In addition to praising to Napolitano and Leyson, City Council Member Daniel Dromm stopped by to talk about efforts to resolve problems along Roosevelt Avenue, including illegal vendors.
Dromm told residents that his office worked with several city agencies to relocate several vendors near the 74th Street-Roosevelt Avenue subway station who were blocking the sidewalk.
“I don’t want to take anyone’s livelihood away, but the vendors we have need to abide by the law,” he said. Dromm noted that the office recently had a problem with a vendor on 37th Road in Jackson Heights who would regularly offload office furniture off a large truck and sell it right on the street. After being arrested by police, the vendor sued the department, the council member added.
“These guys are very smart and they know how to circumvent the law,” Dromm stated.
Regarding the city’s budget, the legislator stated that while the spending plan put forth by Mayor Michael Bloomberg is much brighter than it was in previous years, the preliminary budget still contains cuts that could result in the closure of Fire Department companies and other service reductions.
“Senior centers seem to be okay,” Dromm said, but he cautioned that “if Albany starts to cut from what the city was getting, that’s also going to be a problem.”
While Bloomberg’s budget called for the institution of some minor taxes and fees to generate greater revenue for the city, Dromm suggested that raising the income tax on those making $500,000 or more annually would help provide a great deal of new revenue for the city and spare some proposed cuts.
Cop of the Month
P.O. John Musante of the 110th Precinct’s Anti-Crime Unit was honored as Cop of the Month for making seven arrests during the month of January, including the capture of three men wanted for a home invasion in Corona.
Leyson stated that the home invasion took place on Jan. 7 in the vicinity of 108th Street and 50th Avenue. Three male suspects entered the home, confronted three female residents and removed assorted property from the location.
Musante and his partner responded to the incident after it had been reported to police. During a canvass of the surrounding area, the officers located the three suspects a short distance away.
The property allegedly taken from the residence-along with rope, tape, masks and quantities of heroin and cocaine-were found in the perpetrators’ possession, Leyson added. All three men had prior records, and two of them remain incarcerated; the third, the commander noted, was released on high bail.
In addition to the home invasion arrests, Musante reportedly arrested a man for weapons possession on Jan. 3 in the vicinity of 103rd Street and 52nd Avenue in Corona; a suspect for possession of crack cocaine on Jan. 6 at the corner of Woodhaven and Queens boulevards in Elmhurst; another drug possession suspect on Jan. 18 in the area of 53rd Avenue and 108th Street in Corona; and a teenage cell phone thief on Jan. 28 near the Queens Center Mall.
Leyson and DeCoursey presented Musante with a plaque donated by the Times Newsweekly for his efforts.
The next 110th Precinct Community Council meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday night, Mar. 19, at 7 p.m. at Flanders Field VFW Post 150, located at 51-11 108th St. in Corona. For more information, call the 110th Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 1-718-476-9310.
