FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com March 10, 2016 • THE COURIER SUN 3 105th Precinct Satellite in Rosedale is now a 24-hour operation By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@qns.com @robbpoz The 105th Precinct Satellite in Rosedale is now a 24-hour operation, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced on March 4. SIDEWALKS NEAR A HOWARD BEACH SCHOOL ARE DANGEROUS, PARENTS SAY By Courtne y Oben g editorial@qns.com/@QueensCourier Drop off and dismissal isn’t as safe as it used to be at P.S. 146 in Howard Beach. The sidewalk near the school’s main entrance on 99th Street has been seriously damaged, with pieces of the pathway missing or cracked, according to school officials. While some parts of the sidewalks have been replaced, much of it been left untouched, making it hazardous for pedestrians. In response to the rising number of unresolved complaints, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder is demanding that something be done. “Our families should not have to wait years to see repairs as simple as replacing the cracked sidewalks at P.S. 143,” Goldfeder said. “I urge the city to make immediate repairs to give parents some well-deserved peace of mind and again make the school a point of pride for the entire community.” Goldfeder sent letters to the School Construction Authority (SCA) and the Parks Department urging both agencies accept responsibility for the damaged sidewalks and fix them. Goldfeder reported large slabs of broken concrete around the school that created a potential trip hazard for parents and students during dropoff and dismissal time. A majority of the damaged sidewalks are located around numerous pits created by the Parks Dept. when they removed trees, according to Goldfeder. Broken sidewalks are not the only problems plaguing the Howard Beach school. P.S. 146 suffered extensive damage during Superstorm Sandy and as a result took hits to its heating and electrical infrastructure. Currently, P.S. 146 is receiving FEMA funds for repairs. “For all the progress we’ve made after Sandy, we will not be whole until we can address these infrastructure issues that still plague P.S. 146,” Goldfeder said. For some parents, the issues go beyond safety into pride. Sally Ann Sinisgalli, president of the P.S. 146 PTA, said the situation is embarrassing. “There’s chunks of asphalt, patchwork and holes everywhere. It’s embarrassing to have your school with such poor infrastructure around it. It’s really an eyesore,” Sinisgalli said. It’s not quite a new precinct, but for many south Queens residents, it’s close enough. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced on March 4 that the 105th Precinct’s Satellite office in Rosedale is stronger than ever, with a 24-hour schedule and expanded staffing. As of Feb. 23, the satellite now has an additional 18 officers and two sergeants. The NYPD opened the 105th Precinct Satellite at 242-40 North Conduit Ave. in 2007 adjacent to the Rosedale Long Island Rail Road station. The goal of the satellite was to address law enforcement needs in the 105th Precinct, which is the fourth-largest precinct geographically in the entire city. Though it covers a geographic area of southeast Queens that’s about half the size of Manhattan Island, the actual 105th Precinct headquarters is located on the northern end of the precinct in Queens Village. For years, residents in Laurelton, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens have asked the city to create a new 116th Precinct out of the southern area of the 105th Precinct’s confines. “The expanded coverage at the 105th Precinct Satellite will create a full-time police substation in the southern area of the command,” Bratton said. “By providing a 24-hour presence, the community will enjoy the benefits of more locally available police resources.” Before it was made a 24-hour operation, the satellite was only open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Councilman Donovan Richards said the additional officers “will be welcomed with open arms and now the doors of this precinct won’t be closed during the hours when most crimes are committed.” “Our pleas for help have finally been answered as our communities and NYPD officers are finally getting the resources we have been calling for, year after year,” Richards said. Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman called the satellite expansion “a major victory for the residents” of her district, while state Senator Leroy Comrie noted that “this enhancement is critical to allowing for faster response times by our officers.” Even so, there were hints that the fight to create a 116th Precinct would continue. State Senator James Sanders remarked that the satellite expansion was “a step in the right direction” after lamenting that the district “did not get the additional police precinct that we have been asking for.” Councilman Barry Grodenchik, while also praising the increase in satellite resources, indicated that he has submitted a City Council resolution calling on the police commissioner to create a new precinct concentrated on the southern area of the 105th Precinct. “The precinct’s area extends from Queens Village to JFK Airport, an area that is too large for just one precinct,” he said.
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