Queens Assemblymember Sam Berger has secured $300,000 in state funding for the Queens Borough Safety Patrol (QBSP) Shmira, a non-profit, community-based emergency services group dedicated to enhancing public safety in Queens.
The announcement was made last week outside QBSP Shmira’s Kew Gardens Hills office on Main Street, where Assemblymember Berger presented the check to the organization’s leadership and volunteers. The group gathered to discuss the pressing safety issues facing the community, including retail and car theft, rising antisemitic attacks and the strain on local police departments.
“Queens Shmira and its selfless volunteers have been at the forefront of ensuring community safety for years,” said Assemblymember Berger, who represents District 27, encompassing Pomonok, Electchester, Kew Gardens Hills, College Point and Whitestone. “As the representative of a district that benefits greatly from Shmira’s services, I am proud to provide this critical funding to help continue their mission of keeping thousands of Queens families safe.”
Levi Leifer, Director of QBSP Shmira, expressed deep appreciation for Berger’s support. “The Queens Shmira organization wishes to express its deepest gratitude to State Assemblyman Sam Berger for his remarkable dedication to the community and his generous grant of $300,000 in support of our public safety initiatives,” Leifer said. “We are deeply appreciative of Assemblyman Berger’s trust in our organization and his commitment to the well-being and safety of our community. His support will have a lasting impact on our ability to prevent and respond to criminal activity, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with him in serving the community.”
The funding will bolster Shmira’s efforts, including patrols, search and rescue operations, safety awareness programs and disaster response initiatives. A significant portion of the grant will be directed toward enhancing the organization’s security capabilities, including expanding its CCTV civilian network and deploying advanced surveillance technologies such as License Plate Readers and optical cameras in critical locations.
With this new funding, the organization aims to strengthen its ability to protect and serve the residents of Queens.
