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TIMES, THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 • 30 Commander Tells 106th Council That Cops Won War On Local Crime In 2014 Cuomo Pitches AirTrain Plan For LaGuardia Airport boroughs. These projects and the LaGuardia AirTrain, according to the governor, would be paid for in part through $5 billion in funds the state received last year through settlements reached with financial institutions over various misdeeds. “Between the bank settlement funds, the state budget and existing MTA and Port Authority budgets, we can cover the cost of this construction,” Cuomo said. City Pumps Millions Into Expanded After-School Youth Pgms. special needs youth at the Samaritan Village DHS family shelter in Elmhurst. “We are very grateful to be providing two new SONYC programs, because each of these new programs fills a gap in services in our community,” Executive Director of Sunnyside Community Services Judy Zangwill said. “This addition to our programming means that in Sunnyside, we will be able to provide continuous services to students from pre-school through college, and in Elmhurst, we will be able to provide much-needed support to youth living in the Boulevard Family Residence.” “These high-quality providers represent some of the many faces and faiths in New York City, and will offer positive programming that is educational, engaging and fun, so that young people can make the transition from early adolescence to becoming responsible young adults,” Chong said. This investment in expanding afterschool programs for middle school students is part of the de Blasio administration’s plan to grow public education in the city. Some other steps taken to expand education include: Pre-K for All, the creation of new community schools and a historic contract with NYC teachers. “Afterschool programs are vitally important and provide a link between the school day and what students do after school,” City Council Member Daniel Dromm, who chairs the Council’s Education Committee, said. “Students’ learning is reinforced in these afterschool programs. They also provide desperately needed support for parents.” Of the 49 new SONYC programs, the ones that operate within the Times Newsweekly’s coverage area include: the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council Inc., at Ridgewood Bushwick Youth Center; Central Queens YM & YWHA, Inc., at 67-09 108th Street; NY Tibetan Service Center, Inc., located at 30-81 Steinway Street; Sunnyside Community Services, Inc., at 43- 31 39th Street; Sunnyside Community Services Inc., at Boulevard Family Center; Council Of Peoples Organization, Inc., at the Razi School; DIVAS for Social Justice, Inc., at the Linden Seventh Day Adventist School; and Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, Inc., at Saint Adalbert School. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 14- In a joint statement released following Cuomo’s speech, Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye and MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast stated the agencies are “working closely to establish the scope, schedule and management of the LaGuardia AirTrain, just as they worked closely to create the successful JFK AirTrain.” “We will build this project in a cost-effective way that minimizes disruptions to nearby communities as well as airport operations, and we can get it done within five years of obtaining all necessary approvals,” they noted. “Both our organizations recognize the importance of these infrastructure projects and congratulate the governor on his foresight.” The governor formally presented these ideas and other proposals in his “2015 Opportunity Agenda” to state lawmakers in Albany during his State of the State address yesterday, Jan. 21. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 6- IITT’’SS NNEEVVEERR TTOOOO EEAARRLLYY TTOO RREEGGIISSTTEERR TTOO VVOOTTEE!! CCAALLLL 331111 TTOO GGEETT AA RREEGGIISSTTRRAATTIIOONN FFOORRMM Hondas and BMWs. Officers formed a deployment plan and flooded the area with a strong police presence in an effort to combat the thefts. Schiff considers identity theft a citywide problem and an “insidious” crime to fight. The sharing of stolen personal information often crosses state and national boundaries, making it difficult for police officers on the local level to combat. “This is a bigger fight,” Schiff explained. Despite these larger obstacles, there are certain precautions the public can take to protect against identity theft. Schiff advised residents to keep an eye out for skimming devices at ATMs, restaurants and gas stations. He urged the community to call 911 if they spot a tampered ATM or credit card reader. The commander also addressed a New Year’s Eve Howard Beach home invasion. According to Schiff, three suspects approached a home while wearing fake UPS delivery uniforms. When the homeowner answered the door, the perpetrators used force to push their way into the house. They brandished guns and robbed the homeowner of cash and jewelry. A portion of the incident was captured on video and the investigation is still ongoing. A similar incident also occurred recently in Long Island. As a result, officers from the 106th Precinct are sharing information with Nassau County law enforcement. Residents were advised not to open their doors to anyone, especially if they are not expecting a delivery. “Crime may be down, but there is a lot more that needs to be done,” Schiff explained. Cop of the month Schiff presented the Cop of the Month award to P.O. Jennifer Martinez for her role in the arrest of four robbery suspects on Dec. 4, 2014. Martinez is a member of the precinct’s Domestic Violence Unit and is considered to be a “utility person” around the precinct. Police said a BP gas station on Rockaway Boulevard in Ozone Park was robbed at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2014. According to Schiff, the suspects entered the gas station mini mart and brandished what appeared to be a handgun. The weapon was later revealed to be a BB gun. They assaulted the gas station clerk on duty and hit him over the head with the weapon while shoplifting items from the store. The perps fired at the clerk and sped away in a maroon Suburban SUV. A witness called 911 with the vehicle’s description and plate number. Officers from the 106th Precinct checked the license plate number and discovered that the vehicle was registered to a home on 103rd Street, mere blocks away from the precinct itself. A deployment plan was created and officers were stationed on the streets surrounding the home. Martinez reportedly spotted the suspects and the vehicle as they drove down Liberty Avenue. Four suspects were apprehended and the BB gun used in the robbery and assault was recovered. For her efforts, Schiff and Precinct Council President Frank Dardani presented Martinez with a plaque donated by the Times Newsweekly. New officers welcomed P.O. Brenda Reddick of the 106th Precinct Community Affairs Unit introduced six rookie officers newly assigned to the 106th Precinct. The recent police academy graduates have already met with several local civic leaders and elected officials, including State Sen. Joe Addabbo. P.O. Timothy Gernon will supervise the officers and serve as the group’s training officer. The six new 106th Precinct members are Police Officers Mustafa Young, Keith Solomon, Tim Winter, Frank Castillo, Charlie Giglio and Renna. Thanks for support Members of the 106th Precinct expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support and gratitude in the weeks following the murders of Detectives Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. Schiff thanked the community, as well as elected officials, for their messages of encouragement. “It helps officers to see that the community supports us,” Schiff explained, “It’s really appreciated. It hits home.” Dardani thanked Schiff and his fellow officers for helping precinct council members attend the officers’ wakes and pay their respects. According to Dardani, the 106th Precinct also helped accommodate officers flying into nearby JFK Airport from across the country to attend the funerals. Officers from the 106th Precinct made arrangements to pick up visiting officers at the airport and helped drive them to the funerals and back to their respective hotels. Dardani also thanked local residents who attended the candlelight vigil held at the 107th Precinct as a show of unity and support. Members of the S.T.A.R.S. Community Center in Howard Beach in conjunction with Addabbo created blue lapel ribbons to show support for the NYPD. The ribbons were made available to everyone at the -CONTINUED FROM PG. 6- Six newly-assigned officers at the 106th Precinct are pictured with Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff, 106th Precinct commanding officer, and 106th Precinct Community Council President Frank Dardani. (photo: Kelly Marie Mancuso) community council meeting. The 106th Precinct Community Council also sent letters of condolence to the 84th Precinct in Brooklyn, where Ramos and Liu were assigned. According to Dardani, the letters are read to the platoons each day. The council also sent letters of sympathy to the families of both officers on behalf of the 106th Precinct and the surrounding community. The 106th Precinct Community Council will not meet in Feburary; its next meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday night, Mar. 11, at 8 p.m. at the Ozone Park stationhouse, located at 103-53 101st St. For more information, call the 106th Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 1-718- 845-2228.


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