Cops & COMET Eyes Traffic & Robberies
School parking woes and a string of pattern robberies topped the agenda at the latest Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET) civic association meeting last Monday, Oct. 6, at the Bethzatha Church of God in Elmhurst.
Executive and community affairs officers from the 104th, 108th and 110th precincts jointly addressed residents concerns over the lack of parking and traffic safety in the blocks surrounding P.S. 229 in Woodside.
Residents allege that a local auto repair shop charged with fixing school buses has actually been parking them on local streets overnight, taking away much-needed parking spaces for those who live there.
“The shop owner shuffles the buses from 51st Avenue down 67th Street to Maurice Avenue,” one resident stated. “It leaves us with no place to park.”
Det. Thomas Bell of the 104th Precinct Community Affairs Unit explained that the school buses are permitted to park on the streets directly surrounding the school, or in the “school zone.” This includes overnight parking, as well as the parking of school buses from other bus companies and districts.
Bell added that while some elected officials are trying to issue laws limiting overnight parking, the police cannot ticket or summons buses parked around a school’s perimeter. However, Bell pointed out that buses are not permitted to park across the street from a school or in spots in front of private homes and residences. He also added that it is illegal for school buses to double-park at any time of day.
Captains Ralph Forgione and Richard Hellman, executive officers of the 110th and 108th Precincts respectively, also addressed the school bus concerns surrounding P.S. 229.
According to Hellman, the 108th Precinct commander, Capt. Brian Hennessy, and P.O. Luis Diaz of the 108th Precinct Community Affairs Unit investigated the auto repair shop and stated that the shop owner denied any affiliation with the school buses.
COMET President Rosemarie Daraio promised to investigate the repair shop further.
In addition to the buses, residents voiced concerns over parents who double and triple park on 51st Avenue at Jacobus Street surrounding I.S. 5, the Walter Crowley School. Hellman assured residents that his school safety officer submitted a report to the DOT requesting additional signs in school zones.
With regard to school safety, Forgione credits the “Vision Zero” program, specifically the 25 mph speed limit in school zones, with a reduction in accidents and injuries across the board. He also cited the Passing School Bus Initiative, in which two teams from the 110th Precinct began issuing summonses to drivers who pass school buses while their lights are flashing and bus stop sign is out.
As part of the initiative, community affairs officers also were sent to area schools to speak with bus drivers regarding the importance of always signaling while letting students on and off buses.
Other police matters
Capt. Christopher Manson, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct, updated members and residents on crime statistics and arrests in the area known as “COMET-land” for the previous 28-day period.
“The 104th Precinct is having a good year this year,” the captain explained. While the precinct saw a 13 percent drop in crime within the past month, grand larcenies and auto theft remains on the rise.
According to Manson, cars eight years of age or older are at the highest risk for being stolen, as proof of title or ownership is not required on cars of that age. The stolen cars are being sold to junkyards for scrap metal or are stripped for parts and abandoned.
Cars such as Honda Accords, Honda Civics and Toyotas are the most popular among thieves because they are common and their parts are in higher demand. Manson urged drivers to use a theft deterrent device, such as a steering wheel lock or The Club, as thieves will often bypass those cars rather than extend the effort needed to rob them.
A bank robbery pattern is also plaguing the 104th precinct. According to Manson, the recent robbery of a Chase bank on Grand Avenue in Maspeth last month is only the latest in a string of bank robberies in Queens.
In this incident, a male Hispanic in his 30s passed a note to the teller demanding cash. The suspect also had a firearm concealed in his umbrella. He made off with $6,000 in cash.
The FBI and local law enforcement are currently searching for him.
In an unrelated incident, a man was robbed at gunpoint on the morning of Sept. 11 at the corner of Grand Avenue and Remsen Place in Maspeth as he walked to work, Manson reported.
Reportedly, a car approached with a white female driver and black passenger. The couple asked for directions, and when the victim stopped to help them, the male suspect pointed a gun at him, demanding his wallet.
Forgione also noted an overall decrease in crime in the 110th Precinct, with robbery and grand larceny auto also remaining a chief concern. He cited an incident in which two laptop computers were stolen from a car on Van Horn Street and urged residents to take certain precautions, such as never leaving personal belongings or valuables in their vehicles.
P.O. David Saponeri of the 110th Precinct Community Affairs Unit also announced the creation of a Block Watcher Program where residents can volunteer and receive one hour of training and ID cards. Those interested in signing up can contact Daraio at www.cometcivic.com.
Regarding the 108th Precinct, Hellman also cautioned against a pattern of robberies occurring in northern Queens. According to Hellman, a group of three Hispanic males in their late-teens or early twenties robbed a victim of his cell phone and wallet last month on 65th Street and Laurel Hill Boulevard in Woodside.
The captain noted that the suspects have used bicycles as a means of escape and questioned whether the robberies could be gang-related. He vowed to crack down on traffic infractions involving bicyclists as a possible method of crime prevention.
The next COMET meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday night, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at Bethzatha Church of God, located at 85-20 57th Ave. in Elmhurst. For more information, visit www.cometcivics.com.
