By Bill Parry
NYPD Capt. Peter Fortune had just settled in as the new commanding officer of the 114th Precinct in Astoria when Officer Brian Moore was shot in the head less than 10 miles away in Queens Village. He died May 4, sending shock waves through the department and the borough’s station houses.
“It was a rough time,” Fortune said. “Anytime a cop is murdered anywhere it has an effect on the command. It was a terrible time for all my officers, but there’s one thing I know: the NYPD is a resilient force, we brush ourselves off and continue on.”
That’s precisely what the captain did after attending Moore’s funeral. The 16-year veteran went back to the precinct at 34-16 Astoria Blvd. South and continued on, familiarizing himself with the new surroundings, which include Astoria and parts of Long Island City, Woodside and Jackson Heights.
“It’s very different from the Bronx and Upper Manhattan, but I get around with my trusty GPS,” he said.
Fortune replaced Deputy Inspector Kevin Maloney after his surprise promotion to a new squad dedicated to investigating police officer-involved in shootings out of the first deputy commissioner’s office at One Police Plaza. Fortune came aboard after commanding the Housing Bureau’s Police Service Area 5, which oversees public housing developments in Manhattan.
One month later, the captain is becoming comfortable in his new post. “I’ve worked in the borough before as a lieutenant at Queens North and Queens South but not at a specific precinct,” he said. “The community is fantastic and very supportive of the 114th. It’s very diverse here. It’s one big melting pot and I find the whole attitude to be very positive.”
He said he stresses professionalism and courtesy among his charges.
“We must treat the public with professional conduct, but this precinct was in good hands with Deputy Inspector Maloney. He did a terrific job here,” he said.
Fortune worked in Bronx narcotics for several years, but it was his recent work in public housing that framed his view that domestic violence must not be tolerated.
“Coming from Housing particularly, I think that anytime someone puts his or her hands on a family member, well, that’s a real pet peeve of mine,” he said.
Fortune is a family man with two daughter, ages 4 and 7, in Long Island. Law enforcement runs in the family.
“My wife Martine Materasso is the commanding officer of the 41st Precinct in the Bronx,” Fortune said. “She’s a deputy inspector, and yes, our daughters are very well-behaved.”
