FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Bayside parents push
for safer streets
Th e P.S. 376 school community wants the
Department of Transportation to do something
about traffi c around the Bayside campus.
PTA co-president Carin Bail-Rosenfeld came
to the Jan. 29 the Bayside Hills Civic Association
(BHCA) meeting and said cars and city buses frequently
speed through the intersection of 48th
Avenue and 211th Street. She believes a safety
signal or crosswalk would help slow things down,
and make traveling through the area safer for all.
“I know that the location is a diffi cult location
in terms of traffi c because it is a roadway where
public transportation runs — the public buses,”
said Bail-Rosenfeld. “Th ere is no safety signal in
between Bell Boulevard and Oceania Street and
it’s a straight run.”
In 2017, Councilman Paul Vallone collaborated
with P.S. 376 Principal Clara Kang and DOT to
install signage that brought down the speed limit
from 25 to 20 miles per hour during school hours.
But parents think that more needs to be done.
Vallone told Th e Courier that he had been
advocating for “additional traffi c calming measures
and devices” at the school site even before
it opened. Th e councilman said that his offi ce has
written “multiple letters” and walked through the
site with DOT.
“Th e school has also collected over 200 petition
signatures supporting these safety improvements.
School safety is always a priority and I will continue
advocating for a favorable resolution for the
P.S. 376Q community,” Vallone said.
Jenna Bagcal
Retired correction
cop shoots car thief
Two thieves picked the wrong vehicle to break
into in Laurelton on Jan. 30, as one of them was
shot dead aft er being confronted by a retired New
York City correction offi cer, police said.
According to authorities, at 1:15 p.m. on Jan.
30, police responded to a 911 call regarding shots
fi red at a home in the vicinity of 138th Avenue
and 227th Street. Upon their arrival, offi cers from
the 105th Precinct found Fabrice Ferrari, 21, with
a gunshot wound to his head.
A preliminary investigation found that the two
men were attempting to break into a car, apparently
belonging to a 58-year-old retired correction
offi cer, at the location. Th e offi cer witnessed
the burglary attempted and confronted
the thieves.
Law enforcement sources said this led to a dispute
that turned violent when one of the bandits
struck the retired offi cer in the face with a
fi rearm.
Cops said the retired offi cer then pulled out his
own gun and opened fi re, striking one of the men
in the head. Th e other suspect fl ed the scene and
remains at large.
Paramedics rushed Ferrari to Jamaica Hospital,
where he was pronounced dead. Police withheld
his identity, pending family notifi cation. Th e
retired offi cer suff ered lacerations to his face and
was also taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he is in
stable condition.
Following an ongoing investigation, at 3:30 p.m
that same day police arrested Solomon Edwards,
18, and Angel Nixon, 17. Edwards was charged
with criminal possession of stolen property, misapplication
of property and unauthorized use of a
motor vehicle and Nixon was charged with unauthorized
use of a motor vehicle.
Emily Davenport
Photo by Mark Hallum/THE COURIER
DOUBLE TO STOP TROUBLE
Bayside pol says DOE will multiply school camera funds by two
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Th e Department of Education
(DOE) is doubling the fi ve-year capital
plan budget for school safety, according
to Bayside-based Councilman
Paul Vallone.
Th e Queens lawmaker received a
letter from DOE Deputy Chancellor
of the Division of School Planning
and Development Karin Goldmark on
Jan. 28, confi rming that the Safety and
Security Program budget within the
city’s Five-Year Capital Plan would
increase from $100 million to $200
million in the upcoming fi scal year.
“Th e Safety and Security Program
equips schools with state-of-the-art
security technology to ensure that
all of our schools are safe learning
environments for children,” wrote
Goldmark in her letter. “Prior capital
plans have emphasized the importance
of school safety through investments
in network-based surveillance,
ID-card access control, radio communication
and metal detectors. Th ese
innovations will continue in this Five-
Year Capital Plan.”
Increased funding for citywide
school safety in fi scal year 2020 to
2024 will begin in July 2019. Vallone
has advocated for some of the funding
to go toward the latest security
technology — including security cameras
— for all New York City Public
Schools.
“I am thrilled to hear that the
Department of Education’s and
School Construction Authority’s Five-
Year Capital Plan includes a doubling
of funds – from $100 to $200 million
– designated solely for the Safety
and Security Program,” said Vallone.
“Ensuring school safety requires capital
investments, especially when a
third of our schools continue to lack
camera systems. Th is allocation will
help ensure the safety of our students,
who must always be our top priority.”
Vallone has been a staunch supporter
of increased security measures in
the city’s public schools. Back in June
2018, the councilman rallied with
New York State Comptroller Th omas
DiNapoli, parents, teachers and students
in support of security technology
including Internet Protocol Digital
Video Surveillance (IPDVS) systems,
communications upgrades and viewing
stations.
Using IPDVS systems, authorized
school offi cials can view live and
archived camera images directly on
their computers. Additionally, authorized
personnel from borough and
central offi ces can view these images
remotely.
In September 2018, Vallone
addressed a letter to Mayor de
Blasio, with the signatures of 11 fellow
Council members, to request that
the city increase capital funding for
enhanced security measures at K-12
DOE public schools. Th e 12 Council
members called on the city to set aside
funding for IPDVS and for the passage
of Vallone’s legislative package
to create a School Safety Emergency
Preparedness Task Force.
Vallone has allocated funding
for these security systems at several
schools in District 19 but is looking
for more DOE investments so
that all city public schools can have
the latest technology. According to
city data from 2018, only 1,123 out of
1,700 NYC schools have IPDVS, leaving
one-third of the schools without
the system.
In District 19, which includes
Bayside, College Point, Flushing and
Whitestone, 62 percent of the schools
lack the modern security system.
“Th ese modern security systems
provide a critical layer of protection
to our city’s schools,” Vallone said.
“Th is important funding allocation
will help ensure that every city school
is equipped to confront emergencies
of all types. We must be proactive –
not reactive – when it comes to school
safety.”
Vallone with State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli back in June 2018
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
