FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com DECEMBER 8, 2016 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11 In Astoria, police commissioner says ‘there’s a good chance’ city will be reimbursed for Trump’s security BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Police Commissioner James O’Neill attended an Astoria Civic Association meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 6, where he answered questions from Queens residents, including one about the heavy and expensive police presence at Trump Tower. “Are we going to get that extra money now from the Trump Administration?” one Queens resident asked. “The $35 million?” O’Neill responded to laughs from the crowd. “Is that what you’re talking about?” The commissioner said it costs the city approximately $560,000 a day to provide security for Trump’s family during the transition and that more than 300 cops and 100 traffi c agents patrol the area daily. “There’s precedent,” he said. “We’re in good discussion with Washington, so I’m pretty optimistic that we’re getting that money back.” Mayor Bill de Blasio formally asked the federal government on Monday to reimburse the city for providing security. It is estimated to cost approximately $35 million from the day of the presidential election to Inauguration Day. Congressional Republicans introduced a stopgap spending bill on Tuesday that only allocates $7 million for the NYPD’s overtime work to provide security, the New York Post reported. “NYC taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for 80% of the national bill to protect Trump Tower,” de Blasio tweeted. “DC must step up to pay us back what we’re owed.” Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito also said that the city “cannot single-handedly shoulder the staggering cost of protecting the President-elect and his family.” “The President-elect and Congress must commit to repaying Photo by Angela Matua the NYPD, the tax payers and our city,” she said. “We will not accept anything else.” O’Neill also updated residents on shooting and homicide statistics for the year. The city is on track to have less than 1,000 shootings this year and 335 homicides. Though he said those numbers are still high, he compared them to the 4,000 shootings and about 700 homicides in Chicago. “You may not think that the city is a safe place but it’s never been safer,” he said. According to O’Neill, the fi rst 1,000 body cameras will be distributed to offi cers in spring 2017. The NYPD is working with federal monitors to fi gure out the right policy in terms of when to turn the cameras on and off, he said. “I can’t wait to get the cameras out,” he said. “You know, when I fi rst heard about the body cameras, being a cop for such a long time, I had to think twice about it. In the long run it’s going to be very helpful. It’s going to let people walk in our shoes and see what we see every day.” He also praised the Neighborhood Coordination Offi cers (NCO) program for building a stronger relationship between offi cers and communities. Attendees said they would like to see the program in more precincts in Queens, including the 108th Precinct, which covers Long Island City, Woodside and Sunnyside. The program will be expanding to additional precincts next year Police Commissioner James O’Neill attended an Astoria Civic Association meeting on Dec. 6. but O’Neill said the NYPD needs more offi cers to bring it to every precinct. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last year that 1,300 more offi cers would be added to the department and that they would help to expand community policing. “The NCOs, their primary job is to make sure that there’s that connection between the community and the sector cops so everybody gets a chance to make those connections and to make life better and to continue to push crime down because we’re certainly not done.” Celebrate With Us! Complete Checking Plus 1.00% 0.51% APY1 For the first 90 days On balances of $5,000 or more Join the Grand Opening celebration of our new Flushing Bank location at 61-14 Springfield Boulevard. As part of the celebration, you will earn a special interest rate of 1.00%1 for the first 90 days when you open a new Complete Checking Plus account at any of our branches.1 Plus when you open a new Flushing Bank Complete Checking Plus account you can get up to $200.2 Hurry, this is a limited time offer. Call or stop by a branch today! For more information visit your local Flushing Bank branch, go to www.FlushingBank.com, or call 800.581.2889. Small enough to know you. Large enough to help you. 1. New Complete Checking Plus account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one Complete Checking Plus account per household. The APY is effective October 17, 2016. The APY for Complete Checking Plus is 0.15% for daily account balances between $0 to $4,999. The blended annual percentage yield (APY) for Complete Checking Plus is 0.51% for daily account balances between $5,000 to $49,999 and 0.59% for daily account balances of $50,000 or greater. The guaranteed rate of 1.00% will remain in effect for 90 days after account opening. At the end of this 90 day period the annual percentage yield will revert to 0.35% for daily account balances between $5,000 to $49,999 and 0.45% for daily account balances of $50,000 or greater. Rates may change at any time without notice. You must maintain a daily balance of $5,000 for the statement cycle to receive the disclosed yield. If your daily account balance is less than $5,000 the interest rate paid on the entire balance in your account will be 0.15% APY. You must deposit a minimum of $100 to open the Complete Checking Plus account. A minimum balance of $5,000 is required to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. Fees may reduce the earnings on the account. The rate and offer are subject to change and early termination without prior notice at any time. 2. New Complete Checking or Complete Checking Plus account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one Complete Checking or Complete Checking Plus account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new Complete Checking account is $25 and a new Complete Checking Plus account is $100. No minimum balance required to be eligible for the Bonus. Direct Deposit – You will receive $100 for signing up for and receiving a recurring direct deposit of $250 or more. Tax refund checks do not qualify as direct deposit. Direct Deposits must be completed prior to 90 days after the account is opened. Debit Card Purchases – You will receive $50 for the completion of 5 debit card purchases. Each debit card purchase must be $25 or more. Online Banking Bill-payments – You will receive $50 for completing 5 online banking bill-payments via Flushing Bank’s Online Banking portal. Each online bill-pay must be $25 or more. Debit Card Purchases and Online Bill-payments must be completed prior to 60 days after the account is opened. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE IS $200. The compensation will be credited to the checking account on or about the end of the month following the completion of the above qualifying transactions within the required time after account opening. A 1099 will be is sued in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. All offers are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time. 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