Queens leaders devise plan for patients at Creedmoor

The recent escape of a convicted killer from the state-run Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility in Bellerose is a serious concern to the civic leaders of this community and other nearby community organizations.

Creedmoor is in an area of single-family homes and is close to Glen Oaks Village, a co-op of 10,000 residents. It is across the street from a children’s playground in Alley Pond Park, one of Queens’ largest parks.

This incident is troubling since individuals with a history of committing violent acts continue to be housed at Creedmoor. Community leaders have long been concerned about security at the Creedmoor complex. Security failures at Creedmoor tie up local police resources, which must respond every time an incident occurs.

This takes needed police protection away from the communities served by the 105th Precinct, which under normal circumstances must serve the largest coverage area of any police precinct in the city. As civic leaders we will continue to partner with elected officials, the NYPD and representatives of all agencies involved to ensure that safety of our communities remains the highest priority.

To achieve this goal, we have put together a seven-point plan:

1. A full investigation of this incident.

2. Adoption of a comprehensive security plan for the entire Creedmoor campus that would prevent a recurrence of a similar incident in the future.

3. The state Office of Mental Health must provide the resources to fund a proper level of security.

4. Disclosure and transparency as to the type of individuals being housed at Creedmoor.

5. A Community Notification Protocol to provide immediate alerts of dangerous situations.

6. A similar review and assessment of security at nearby Zucker-Hillside Hospital.

7. The inclusion of nearby civic associations and other stakeholders in the outreach and development of a security plan.

Jerry Wind

President

Bellerose Hillside Civic Association

Bobby Sher