Noise Complaints, Crime Drop Focus Of 102nd Precinct Council Meeting
Law enforcement leaders focused on quality-of-life matters and honored local officers during the 102nd Precinct Community Council meeting held last Thursday, Oct. 21, at the Richmond Hill library.
Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner, commander of the 102nd Precinct, announced an impressive 26 percent reduction in overall crime in the precinct.
“I very rarely speak in numbers,” he explained, “but sometimes statistics do tell a story.”
Sautner thanked his dedicated staff, as well as local civic, religious and elected leaders, for their persistence in the fight against crime. “This is a team effort,” he added, “We’re very fortunate in Queens South. Our executives are very proactive and community-driven.”
Deputy Chief Galen Frierson, executive officer of NYPD Patrol Borough Queens South, agreed, thanking residents and the community council for their support of officers in the 102nd Precinct.
“I know this is a close-knit community,” he explained, “communication is the key to our success here.”
Sautner spoke of one incident that occurred while he was en route to the previous month’s community council meeting. On the night of Sept. 16, a female jogger was accosted and robbed while jogging along the trails in Forest Park. He got the call and immediately responded.
“Knowing our past issues with that significant sexual assault pattern over the past couple of years, obviously our antennas were raised up ten-fold,” he stated. “But luckily this event had nothing to do with those prior crimes. Our victim, thank goodness, was not physically injured.”
According to Sautner, the case remains open and is being actively pursued based on the detailed description of the suspect the victim was able to provide.
Lt. Courtney Nilan, the 102nd Precinct’s special operations coordinator, addressed ongoing noise complaints against two Richmond Hill nightclubs, C-Bar on Lefferts Boulevard and Crazy Willy’s on Jamaica Avenue.
Nilan, along with Police Officers Jose Severino and Eddie Martinez of the Community Affairs Unit, met with C-Bar’s owner and were optimistic that an amicable resolution to the complaints could be reached.
“We sat down and talked with him and it was a very positive meeting,” Nilan stated. “He was open to everything we were saying.”
According to Nilan, her team conducted sound checks from outside the nightclub and found the business to be in compliance with noise levels. They issued reminders to keep doors and windows shut in an effort to reduce the sound after hours.
“We want to come to a conclusion that’s going to be positive for everybody involved,” Nilan added.
Sautner wants to give the owner of C-Bar a chance to remedy the sound complaints and remains “cautiously optimistic.”
The same could not be said for the owner of nearby nightclub Crazy Willy’s who, according to Sautner, has been slow to comply, if at all.
“This has been a bit too prolonged for my liking,” Sautner added. “I think they were given enough opportunities. Now they’ll have to deal with the consequences, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Sautner cited two other local nightclubs, Flavor and Mocha, both of which were shut down by the 102nd Precinct and outside city agencies for failing to comply with safety and security measures.
“The norm has to be acting in compliance,” Sautner stated. “If they don’t think they can do that and be successful, then I don’t know if they can operate their business within the confines of the 102nd Precinct.”
Schools
Sgt. Kevin Bischoff, who heads the precinct’s School Unit and Forest Park detail, was also on hand to talk about school safety and other youth issues within the community.
Bischoff has a total of 49 schools under his purview, and works closely with the 102nd Precinct School Safety Supervisor Al Woodhall to combat truancy. Bischoff urged residents to call either 911 or the precinct’s school office at 1-718- 805-3220 to report disorderly groups or teens hanging out during school hours.
Bischoff’s team also deploys special Forest Park units to locate truants. He is also working closely with local businesses to deter the sale of eggs and shaving cream to minors on Halloween, and announced bag checks at local schools on the days surrounding the holiday.
Honor for the commander
Frierson was on hand to help present an award honoring Sautner for his service and commitment to the people of the 102nd Precinct.
“You’ve got a good guy in Deputy Inspector Sautner,” Frierson explained. “He’s a hard worker, and he’s going to do the right thing by you.”
Community Council President Latchman Budhai presented the award in recognition for Sautner’s “exemplary performance, distinguished service, loyalty and dedication to the New York City Police Department, as well as his contributions to the success of the 102nd Precinct’s annual Night Out Against Crime.”
Sautner marked his second anniversary as the 102nd Precinct’s commander. He accepted the award but gave most of the credit to his staff and the community.
“I can honestly say without a doubt that this has been one of the most challenging but rewarding assignments of my career,” Sautner explained, “And it’s all done because of my staff, my guys and girls, in conjunction with the partnership with this Precinct Council and the community.”
Cops of the Month
Police Officers Jason Michaud and Matt Hynes were honored with Cops of the Month awards for apprehending a pair of perpetrators who robbed a local man at gunpoint. Michaud, an 11- year veteran of the force, and Hynes, a nine-year veteran, belong to the precinct’s “first platoon,” which operates after midnight.
Hynes and Michaud were on patrol during the overnight hours on Sept. 29 when they responded to a call of an armed robbery at 91st Avenue and 87th Street in Woodhaven. The victim was robbed at gunpoint of his cash and electronics by two perpetrators who sped away in a car.
The victim was able to activate the “Find My iPhone” app that allowed Hynes and Michaud to track the suspects and the stolen property. The officers pursued the car into the confines of the 75th Precinct, where they were able to stop the vehicle and apprehend both suspects.
Upon further investigation, the officers discovered that the vehicle the suspects were driving was also stolen. One of the suspects had a record of nine prior offenses, five of which were pattern robberies of deliverymen in Bushwick. Each suspect is held on $50,000 bail pending a hearing at the end of the month.
For their efforts, Sautner and Budhai presented Hynes and Michaud with plaques donated by the Times Newsweekly.
Severino was also honored for his continued service to the community, as well as for his help in planning the precinct’s recent Night Out Against Crime. Fellow Community Affairs Officer Brendan Noonan, who was not in attendance, also earned a similar award in recognition for his assistance with the event; Severino accepted the award on his behalf.
Sautner also presented certificates of appreciation to local civic leaders for their help with the event. The honorees included Community Council Vice President Ranjit Singh, Sergeant-at-arms Harbani Dhillon and Treasurer Sandra Datnarain; Sanjay Maharaj; Maximo Luna of Fidelis Care; and Anoop Dhanpat of the San Saar Sangeet Orchestra.
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The next 102nd Precinct Community Council meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday night, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Hill library, located at 118-15 Hillside Ave. For more information, call the 102nd Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 1-718-805-3215.
