By Mark Hallum
The 111th Police Precinct hosted the National Night Out Against Crime at Douglaston Mall in the Fairway parking lot Tuesday with Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside), state Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) and commanding officer Captain William McBride. The event took place throughout the city for communities to interact with the officers who serve them and allowed non-profits and city agencies to set up information tables for attendees.
Neighborhood residents were treated to free hot dogs and hamburgers donated by local business, and a DJ who hosted fun activities for the kids. Community Board 11 had a table and was handing out informational material, as well as a representative from the Bayside Village Business Improvement District who was promoting storefronts on Bell Boulevard. The Little Neck-Douglaston Community Ambulance Corps. was giving demonstrations about how they respond to situations.
McBride was given a proclamation from a representative from the Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office for his service in the NYPD.
“People who study this understand that the neighborhoods in the 111th Precinct are considered some of the safest neighborhoods in New York City,” Braunstein said. “The members of the NYPD have interactions with community members every single day. And when we read the media and the press, it seems like there is only a focus on those rare interactions that don’t always have the best conclusion. We need to do more highlighting of the great interactions and the sacrifice that the NYPD makes on those other tens of thousands of interactions.”
Vallone commented that neighborhoods within the 111th are diverse with high standards of living and a hard working precinct makes this possible.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
