NYPD officials held a community forum on Monday evening to discuss the development of a new NYPD precinct and stationhouse that will serve parts of southeast Queens.
The NYPD officials were joined by dozens of residents and elected officials at P.S./I.S. 270 in Rosedale to review the plans for the establishment of the 116th Precinct and stationhouse, which is currently under construction. The new precinct will cover the neighborhoods of Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Brookville, Laurelton and the southern portion of Cambria Heights.
The precinct is projected to open in the fourth quarter of this year, with the construction of the stationhouse nearly complete. The stationhouse, located at 244-40 North Conduit Ave. in Rosedale, is over 48,000 square feet and includes a community meeting room on the first floor.
Several local leaders were on hand to discuss the plans, including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-27).
The meeting covered building updates and included a Q&A session. Residents were also introduced to four candidates vying to head the 116th Precinct as the commanding officer. Following the meeting, residents were given a QR code to vote for the candidate of their choice.
Project Updates
For over 40 years, residents of Springfield Gardens and nearby areas have advocated for a police precinct, saying that the 105th Precinct, which has been covering the area, was overstretched. The 105th Precinct is currently the fifth-largest precinct in the city, covering 354 miles of roadway.
The southern portion of the 105th Precinct and parts of the 113th Precinct have been incorporated into the new precinct, which has been split into three sectors.
NYPD officials explained that some personnel from the 105th will be transferred over to the 116th, and other officers will be reassigned from posts throughout the city.
Furthermore, each sector of the 116th will have two neighborhood coordination officers dedicated to stakeholders in their respective areas—for a total of six NCOs covering the precinct.
Assistant Chief Kevin Williams, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South, led the meeting.
“We believe that with the establishment of this precinct, we are going to increase community engagement and also reduce response times, because now we have more police resources to service this community,” Williams said.
The 116th features a community room equipped with furniture and AV capabilities. The exterior of the building has outdoor seating, water fountains, bike racks and lighting. The stationhouse also has roof solar panels and electric vehicle charging capabilities.
Commanding officer candidates
The four candidates seeking to be the new commanding officer provided attendees with a rundown of their years of service and interest in leading the 116th. Waheed Akhter, captain at Transit Bureau District 23; Jean Beauvoir, captain and commanding officer of the 105th Precinct; Larry Meyers, captain and executive officer of the 113th Precinct; and Douglas Moodie, captain and executive officer of the 67th Precinct, addressed the attendees.
Some of the candidates focused on their years of experience in the NYPD.
Akhter, who hails from Staten Island, has over 19 years of experience in the NYPD. For the past nine years, he has served as captain of Transit Bureau District 23 and has previous experience working in Brooklyn and southern Queens. He has investigated cases involving gambling and prostitution.
Akhter said he takes pride in serving the community. “One thing I always had in mind is how I can better the community, build a relationship and bring a better quality of life to the community,” he said. Akhter said if selected as the commanding officer, he would focus on quality-of-life issues, such as dealing with abandoned vehicles, blocked driveways and noise complaints. “I would like to have a dedicated car whose job is to answer [311 calls],” he said.
Meanwhile, Beauvoir started his career in 2007 working out of Brooklyn North, before going on to cover housing in East New York, Brownsville and Crown Heights. From 2007-2012, he was promoted to sergeant, where he went to Transit District 33, and eventually to Internal Affairs, where he was promoted to lieutenant. From there, he went to the 70th Precinct.
In 2021, Beauvoir was promoted to captain and went to the 100th Precinct to serve as the executive officer—second in command—for a year. Beauvoir then served as executive officer of the 105th Precinct until late 2023, when he was elevated to his current role of commanding officer of the 105th Precinct.
Beauvoir said he is proud that crime in the 105th Precinct is down this year. Additionally, he highlighted his work with his team and the sheriff’s office in shutting down 23 out of 48 illegal smoke shops within the 105th Precinct. “I know the work isn’t easy; it’s going to take a lot of hard work. I am dedicated to taking this journey with you because I understand working here; I am heavily invested,” he said.
Other candidates projected confidence in their leadership abilities.
Meyers, who also boasts 19 years of experience with the NYPD, said he would bring the success he has had as the executive officer of the 113th precinct to the 116th. “To have success in any precinct, you need two things. The number one thing you need is the cops, [and] they need to feel supported,” he said.
The second is that the officers need to be accountable.
“We do not, no matter what precinct, stand for any type of corruption, only the highest integrity. So when they do their little slip-ups, they are held accountable, and at the same point, I have to do what motivates them,” he said.
Meyers shared that, year-to-date, the 113th Precinct has made 145 gun arrests, more than any other precinct. He said that the 113th Precinct is also actively working on removing large trucks and abandoned trailers that are affecting the quality of life in Springfield Gardens and surrounding areas.
Moodie, meanwhile, opened his speech by saying that he was the right person for the job. “Two months ago, they published a bulletin with a vacancy for the commanding officer of the 116th Precinct; after reading the bulletin, I immediately knew I was the person to assume that role,” he said.
He said an experience he recalled after immigrating from Jamaica to New York changed his perspective on police officers. “I was living in Queens Village in the 105th Precinct, and I was walking out to the corner store. I saw two officers from the 105 standing next to their patrol car. At first, I was hesitant to pass. As I walked by, the officers smiled, waved and said good afternoon, and have a nice day.”
Moodie has been with the NYPD for 16 years, including six years as an officer with Queens Transit. For the past ten years, he has served as a supervisor at Brooklyn South, and in April 2022, he was promoted to captain, serving the residents of Carol Gardens, Redhook, Coney Island and Flatbush. Moodie said he takes pride in molding and mentoring officers to work in the communities that they serve. “There’s no one more invested in safety and improving quality of life,” he said.
Q&A Session
Following the introductions, a Q&A session was held for the candidates.
Council Member Brooks-Powers asked candidates about their experience working with residents, elected officials and key stakeholders. Beauvoir said that residents can lodge complaints or issues directly with the precinct or through elected representatives such as council members. At the same time, Meyers added that officers on the ground should connect with community groups to better understand the neighborhood.
Queens Borough President Richards asked candidates how they would hold officers accountable in the 116th. Many of the candidates’ responses included starting with a conversation and escalating disciplinary action if needed.
Some residents asked the candidates if they would improve police response times.
“I’ve been living in Springfield Gardens since 2019… whenever I call, I am waiting four to five hours for a police response. The response time, how are you going to address that issue?,” said Fayan Grant-Rhoden, in a question directed to Captain Meyers.
Meyers responded, saying the wait time is unacceptable and that the new precinct will help to diminish the response times. “It’s my job to make sure the lieutenants and sergeants are monitoring the radio and dispatching the officers in a timely manner. That is something we need to improve on,” he said.
