TIMES, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 • 28 ‘Fast & Furious’ Operation Stops Local Drag Racers, 110th Council Learns -CONTINUED FROM PG. 8- going to be doing search warrants on their cars to make sure they are street legal,” the deputy inspector said. “And we also took their cell phones,” he added. “Because they videotape themselves and then post it online.” “I’ve had that as a constant 311 location for months,” Leyson said. “This past week was the first time it was not.” Crime update At the meeting last Thursday, the deputy inspector said crime is down overall in the precinct over the last four weeks. “For the 28-day period, we are down 50 percent in robberies, Leyson said. “We have had 18 robberies this year versus 36 last year. And year to date, we are down 16 percent.” “That’s unprecedented in the 110th Precinct,” Leyson stated. “We’re down 25 percent overall in crime for the 28 days, and for the year, we’re down 6 percent,” Leyson said. “It takes a team,” he added. “We are having a really good run with crime,” he said. The only crime that increased in the period was felony assaults, Leyson said. “We average about 23 felony assaults every four week period,” he said. “We are going against a very low number of 12 for the 28- day last year. For some reason last year, I don’t know what it was, we were really low in felony assaults and now this year we are right on our average of 23.” Burglaries have also been a problem in the area, he advised. “We have been struggling hard,” Leyson said. “For the last few months and for the year we are up almost 19 percent.” But this number actually dropped about six percent in the most recent 28-day period, he said. “We averaged about seven burglaries a week last year, and we are only going against three last week,” Leyson said. “So that’s showing that hopefully we caught the right guy, our deployment is right and people are doing a little bit more at home to help themselves.” Other crime stats show a 41 percent decrease in grand larcenies for the 28-day period, and a 17 percent decrease in grand larcenies for the year, according to the deputy inspector. “We’re locking up the right people, and we’re de deploying to the right areas and doing a lot of good crime prevention,” Leyson said. He also addressed holidayrelated crime near the Queens Center Mall, and said residents will see an “increased patrol presence there.” He promised more police, a temporary headquarters vehicle at Queens Boulevard and 59th Avenue and auxiliary officers around the mall during the holiday shopping season. Capt. Ralph Forgione, the 110th Precinct’s executive officer, will be in charge of the deployment at the mall, Leyson told residents. He also gave a presentation on the 110th Precinct’s Twitter feed and encouraged all attendees to sign up to receive information from the deputy inspector. Cop of the Month Det. Bruce Koch earned the recognition of his commanding officer for October after making five robbery arrests in the month, Leyson stated. Speaking on the award, Leyson said: “Sometimes it’s because of one specific action or arrest. Sometimes we do it just because of the exceptional work a person does over an extended period of time.” The difference between a patrol and a detective robbery arrest is they have to follow-up, the deputy inspector said. “They don’t just work behind Deputy Inspector Ronald Leyson, commanding officer of the 110th Precinct, presented Det. Bruce Koch (center) with a Cop Of The Month plaque for October, donated by the Times Newsweekly, during the Precinct Community Council meeting held last Thursday, Nov. 14 at the Flanders Field VFW Post in Corona. Also pictured is 110th Precinct Community Council President Evelyn DeCoursey. (photo: Noah Zuss) a desk,” Leyson said. “They do a lot of field work, a lot of investigation.” “Detective Koch is one of those detectives that’s very thorough in his investigations and makes sure there is no stone unturned,” he added. “These are the kinds of detectives that we want up in our detective squad.” Koch received a plaque donated by the Times Newsweekly for his efforts. * * * The 110th Precinct Community Council meets on the second Thursday of every month at Flanders VFW Hall, 51-11 108th Street. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. Woodhaven Pitches Million Dollar Budget Ideas During WRBA Town Hall Meet up into four groups, each with a WRBA board member acting as a moderator. Mitchell gave each group markers and large sheets of paper to generate and collect ideas. “The only bad idea is no idea,” joked WRBA President Martin Colberg. Woodhaven’s ideas At the end of the brainstorming session, a representative from each group read their respective suggestions aloud. Maria Concolino’s group advocated for upgrades to the Woodhaven Library, security cameras in business districts and on public buildings, more countdown clocks for buses and trains, as well as the installation of LED streetlights and old fashioned lampposts around Forest Park and Jamaica Avenue. Ed Wendell, WRBA board member and president of the Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Society, also voiced a need for surveillance cameras for commercial strips within Community Board 9. Wendell and his group also put forth the idea of renovating and illuminating the clock tower on Atlantic Avenue, as well as enhancing and refurbishing Lt. Clinton L. Whiting Square on 84th Street in Woodhaven. “With the 100th Anniversary of World War I coming up, that would be something that we’d like to see,” Wendell stated. He also advocated for the creation of a mini golf course near the Forest Park Carousel, as well as a local pigeon mitigation system for overpasses and elevated train tracks. WRBA Vice President Giedra Kregzdys would like to see the greening of Woodhaven Boulevard, with trees planted on medians spanning from Myrtle Avenue to Rockaway Boulevard. Kregzdys and her group also supported the installation of bike racks throughout the district in an effort to encourage shopping and promote visitors to the area. They also suggested repairs to the retaining wall, fencing and faded signage at the Forest Park dog run. Janet Forte, one of WRBA’s directors, also supported renovations to Forest Park facilities. Her group suggested park improvements such as bocce courts, lighting, chess tables, emergency call boxes, benches, new bathrooms, barbecue pits and picnic tables. Forte also called for construction of a Forest Park gazebo. “We want to make it really nice and create a community park,” Forte explained. “If you get a gazebo, you can have a nice band play there and bring the family back to that park instead of the drug addicts.” Forte’s group also advocated for a 9/11 memorial in Forest Park near the George Seuffert Bandshell. The process continues After all of the ideas were read, Mitchell collected the large sheets of paper and placed them in a file box he nicknamed “PB” for participatory budgeting. “We’re gathering ideas from other civic associations, senior centers, schools, libraries and so forth,” Mitchell explained. “After we accumulate all those ideas, we’re going to be meeting with budget delegates. We will then go into the review stage.” Budget delegates are volunteers chosen to represent their respective communities during the participatory budgeting process. The delegates meet with representatives from city agencies, such as the Parks Department or the DOT, and sift through the various ideas and suggestions submitted. The delegates and agency representatives then work to determine which project ideas are feasible based on cost, eligibility and the overall scope of the project. They then select the eligible ideas and formulate actual proposals. The proposals for each project will appear on a ballot and be put to a vote in April 2015. Mitchell passed out budget delegate applications at the WRBA meeting for those who wished to volunteer. To expedite and streamline the process, similar project ideas may be grouped into one proposal or ballot measure. “Instead of having multiple smaller projects, we’ll lump it all together into one larger project, making it more likely that it will pass,” Mitchell explained, “We’re going to have many projects, not just one, for the million dollars.” Certain project suggestions, such as curb repairs, stop signs or traffic lights, would not be considered eligible for capital funding under participatory budgeting. “Something like a traffic study or signal near Oak Ridge in Forest Park would not be eligible,” Mitchell stated. “However, I will put that traffic study in for sure and keep everybody up to date with that.” Mitchell assured residents that he would still follow up on ineligible project ideas with the appropriate city agencies. Residents who could not attend last Saturday’s WRBA meeting will still have ample opportunity to participate in this process and have their ideas and suggestions heard. “This box will be making its rounds around the district,” Mitchell explained. “People that don’t get a chance to come to meetings will still be able to submit ideas and have input as well.” * * * The next Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association meeting is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Dec. 13, at noon at Emanuel United Church of Christ, located at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and 91st Avenue. For more information, call 1-718-296-3735 or visit www.woodhaven-nyc.org. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 10-
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