14 The QUEE NS Courier • SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Crimes take big downturn in 109th Precinct: cops BY ALINA SURIEL asuriel@queenscourier.com @alinangelica Major crimes from murders to burglaries are down drastically across the 109th Precinct this year, the precinct’s commanding officer reported during the Sept. 9 109th Precinct Community Council meeting in Flushing. According to Deputy Inspector Thomas Conforti, there have been 258 fewer victims of serious crime this year than at the same point in 2014. Burglaries had the steepest decline over the last year at 40 percent, with 198 incidents this year compared to 330 in 2014. Conforti said this is due to the recent arrests of known burglars over the course of the last eight months. Stolen vehicles are also significantly down in the 109th Precinct, with approximately 30 percent less than this time last year. A total of 32 fewer vehicles were stolen altogether. The decrease in car thefts is most clearly seen in the numbers of the most popularly stolen car in the 109th Precinct, the Ford Econoline van. That model of car alone has seen a decrease in theft from over 40 stolen last year down to 22 so far in 2015. Although overall crime is down, the deputy inspector said that lot of crime that does happen can be prevented by locking the doors of parked vehicles. THE COURIER/Photo by Alina Suriel Officers Vlaovich, Gilson, Corcoran and Russack received the officer of the month award for disarming an emotionally disturbed man with a firearm. NET-TV ready to cover Pope’s visit like no one else They’ve been preparing for weeks, and the staff at NET-TV’s “Currents” news program is ready for wall-to-wall coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to the United States next week. The official cable channel for the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens will offer live coverage of Francis’ trip to America, including Masses he will celebrate at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Madison Square Garden, according to Currents anchor Liz Faublas. NET-TV will also have a team in Philadelphia, the next stop for Francis following New York, for his visit to the World Meeting of Families. National media outlets will also offer extensive coverage of Francis’ visit, but Faublas noted that NET-TV’s coverage will be more in depth and directed at local viewers. The network will interview area priests and others who have either met or worked with the pope or one of his predecessors in the past. “What you’re going to hear from us is personal experiences,” Faublas said. “We’re not going to just list historical facts. We’re going to talk with people who sat in a room with Francis or have been part of meetings with him.” Some of those who will be interviewed include Vatican experts Fr. John Kush and John Allen, the latter of whom is covering Francis’ visit for Time magazine. NET-TV will also air 35 different video packages and documentaries in both English and Spanish on topics related to Francis’ visit, including the role of the United Nations in the Catholic faith and the role of religion in government officials. Additionally, Faublas noted, NET-TV aims to help viewers of all faiths understand the Catholic view of Francis as a beacon of hope and peace for the world. “The Catholic faith is so strong, and this man has infused an incredible sense of spirituality and energy and a new way of thinking,” she said. “We want people to know this man the way we know him… to understand why he’s so special and that it’s so important to have him here.” For Faublas, a devout Catholic, Francis’ visit to the U.S. is an emotional time both for her and the network staff. They’ve spent the last three weeks poring over every aspect of the pope’s planned itinerary and the speeches the Holy Father plans to deliver. Even so, they’re anticipating any surprise detours that Francis—who “tends to make his own decisions when he arrives,” Faublas said—may have upon arriving stateside. “I really think getting to know Francis, hearing him speak, hearing his message—whether at the U.N. or at St. Patrick’s Cathedral—we’ll finally let people know why we’re so faithful,” she said. Liz FaubLas Conforti estimated that over 85 percent of larceny from autos would be prevented if residents locked the doors of their unattended cars, including a recent theft in which an envelope with $10,000 in cash was stolen from an unlocked car. “New York City is a safe place, Queens is a safe place compared to years past,” Conforti said, “but we still live in a major city and we’re targets because it’s a nice area.”
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