Two Queens lawmakers held a breakfast last week to celebrate the crossing guards of the 104th Precinct for their work in keeping schoolchildren safe.
Crossing guards, officers and the elected officials gathered on Wednesday, June 23, at the Ridgewood Youth Center, where about 20 crossing guards in attendance received individual citations of recognition from New York state for their work.
State Senator Joseph Addabbo said a constituent reached out to his office to ask for the recognition, and he was more than happy to do so.
“Day in and day out, they are so important to safety,” Addabbo said.
Addabbo also took a moment to commend the work of the officers from the 104th Precinct.
“Not only are they overseeing the crossing guards, but [I] just [wanted] to say thank you for what they do,” Addabbo said. “Bottom line, ‘thank you’ are the two words they don’t hear often these days and that’s unfortunate.”
He said the precinct’s crime statistics are “good” and crime is consistently down in the area, so it deserves recognition.
“Across the city, I think our police department doesn’t get the appreciation they deserve sometimes,” Addabbo said.
He even shared his personal experience with a crossing guard when he was growing up in Ozone Park.
“That smile, maybe a funny joke,” Addabbo said. “She was the warmest, sweetest person. I remember so vividly and fondly, she meant something to me.”
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar also said that the crossing guards’ work is essential and heroic.
“They worked all through this pandemic. I was proud to honor them this week,” Rajkumar said. “They do their work so humbly every day. I am grateful to them for their service.”
Addabbo said he hopes to honor crossing guards and officers from other precincts in the near future.
