FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 12, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11
Jamaica native is NYPD’s fi rst black Chief of Detectives
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
In one of his fi rst offi cial moves Police
Commissioner Dermot Shea selected
a fellow Queens native as his Chief of
Detectives. Chief Rodney Harrison, who
grew up in South Jamaica and graduated
from Benjamin Cardozo High School
in Bayside, was promoted from Chief
of Patrol to become the fi rst African-
American to lead the NYPD’s detectives
division.
Harrison began his career at the 114th
Precinct in Astoria in 1992 and worked
his way up to Chief of the Patrol Services
Bureau where he has overseen the bureau’s
Neighborhood Policing implementation.
“Serving as Chief of Patrol has been
a tremendous privilege,” Harrison said.
“Th rough Neighborhood Policing, we
have transformed how the NYPD works
with community members, grounded in
building strong relationships of mutual
respect, toward our shared mission
of safety. Now, I’m humbled to become
Chief of Detectives, a position I’ve always
strived for, and will work tirelessly to
build the strongest possible cases and bing
those that commit crimes to justice.”
Shea, who was born and raised in
Sunnyside, said Harrison brings “tremendous
leadership experience” to his new
position. During his fi rst Crime Stats
press conference Th ursday, Harrison
spoke of growing up in Jamaica, not far
from where 14-year-old Aamir Griffi n
was shot and killed while playing basketball
at the Baisley Park Houses in October.
Harrison grew up shooting hoops on
the same basketball court where 14-yearold
Aamir Griffi n was shot and killed in
October (Photo by Todd Maisel)
“I am from South Jamaica Queens. I
lived there for 26 years,” Harrison said. “I
grew up in the area where there were some
issues, and there was a recent shooting
that happened there with Aamir Griffi n
that kind of hits home for me. I know
the investigation is pending right now,
but that community has changed around,
and just seeing some of the violence that
I had to see growing up and now where
they’re at now with the great work that
they’re doing in the 113th Precinct and
the investigative units to make that a safer
community to me is remarkable.”
Griffi n also attended Cardozo High
School like Harrison, who spoke about
gun violence especially among the youth
of the city.
“I think it’s important that we get the
neighborhood coordination officers
plugged in a lot more with the community
organizations, the community partners,
to see if we can fi nd a direction for these
kids, to see if we can channel them out of
these problematic crews and get them off
the streets and make sure they are going
to schools and make sure they are learning
a skill set,” Harrison said. “I’m going
to make sure, even in my new assignment,
that this is something that’s going to be
addressed regarding that relationship with
the youth and making sure that we put
ownership with the neighborhood coordination
offi cers and making sure that
they’re engaged in these kids that may be
heading down the wrong direction.”
Meanwhile, the elected offi cials of
southeast Queens will hold a resource
expo to end gun violence Saturday, Dec.
7, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Robert
Ross Family Life Center located a 172-17
Linden Blvd. in Jamaica. For more information
call Tiff any Eason at 718-527-
4356.
Photo by Mark Hallum
Jamaica’s Rodney Harrison was chosen as the NYPD’s fi rst black Chief of Detectives.
Great rates like ours are always in season.
6-Month
1.70%
CD or IRA CD APY1
$5,000 minimum deposit
12-Month
CD or IRA CD 1.85%
APY1
$5,000 minimum deposit
To qualify you must have or open any Flushing Bank Complete Checking account2 which provides you
with access to over 55,000 ATMs, ATM fee rebates, mobile banking and mobile check deposit. Plus, you
can qualify for additional cash bonuses of up to $300.3,4,5
For more information and to find out about our other great offers, visit your local Flushing Bank branch,
call 800.581.2889 (855.540.2274 TTY/TDD) or visit www.FlushingBank.com.
Small enough to know you.
Large enough to help you.®
1) New money only. APY effective December 2, 2019. Annual percentage yield assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for a full year at current rate. Minimum deposit balance of
$5,000 is required. Funds cannot be transferred from an existing Flushing Bank account. For new IRA and rollover accounts, the minimum deposit balance is $5,000. Premature withdrawals
may be subject to bank and IRS penalties. Rates and offer are subject to change without notice. 2) New money required for new checking accounts only. A Flushing Bank checking account
with a $5,000 minimum balance is required to receive the advertised rate. Certain fees, minimum balance requirements and restrictions may apply. Fees may reduce earnings on these
accounts. A checking account is not required for IRA accounts. 3) New Complete Checking account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. A new
checking account is defined as any new checking account that does not have any authorized signatures in common with any other existing Flushing Bank checking account(s). An existing
checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. New money is defined as money not currently on deposit
with Flushing Bank. 4) The Cash Bonus is limited to one (1) account credit per new Complete Checking account. To qualify for the Cash Bonus, a new Complete Checking account must be
opened with a minimum opening balance of $1,000 or more. The Cash Bonus credit will be based on the monthly average account balance of the first three (3) full months after account
opening. The monthly average account balance tiers and respective account credits are as follows: Tier 1: $1,000 - $4,999 a $10 account credit, Tier 2: $5,000 - $9,999 a $50 account
credit, Tier 3: $10,000+ a $100 account credit. The Cash Bonus credit will be posted to the account on or about the end of the subsequent month following the account’s three (3) month
anniversary. A 1099 will be issued in the amount of the account credit. The new Complete Checking account must remain open, active and in good standing for six months. If the account
is closed prior to six months or prior to receiving the credit, the account credit will be forfeited. Other fees and restrictions may apply. Notwithstanding the Cash Bonus offer, a minimum
deposit of $25 is required to open the Complete Checking account. 5) This offer is limited to one Complete Checking account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new
Complete Checking account is $25. 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. Each direct deposit must be $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 Banking 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 issued
in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. The promotion and offer are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any
time. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.FlushingBank.com
link
/www.FlushingBank.com
link
