It was standing room only at Monday’s 113th Precinct Community Council Meeting. Community residents voiced their concerns about the recent sex attacks in Southeast Queens, including the recent sexual harassment of women near building 15 in Rochdale Village, overnight parking in residential streets and noise complaints.
Assemblyman William Scarborough stopped by to give NYS Assembly Citations to three 113th precinct plain clothes police officers who recovered a gun that was used in a stick up homicide at a bodega on Guy R. Brewer Blvd.
Three recent sex attacks on women in neighboring Southeast Queens precincts have left the community concerned. Deputy Inspector Milt Marmara has been monitoring the situation, including investigating complaints of women from Rochdale Village that a man has been following women into building 15. Marmara has been working with Rochdale Village security and is reviewing footage from security cameras.
Trucks parking on residential streets has been a long standing complaint of residents. Marmara has begun towing trucks that are parked overnight. It requires getting big tow trucks capable of towing large vehicles from other agencies. Four trucks were recently towed, including a large box truck parked on 142nd Avenue and Guy R. Brewer Blvd. and a large tractor trailer from Springfield and East Gate Plaza as well as a few tow trucks with flat tires.
More than 20 summonses have been issued to smaller commercial vehicles. Trucks are towed to an impound yard, where the cost is $700 for the towing plus payment of all outstanding tickets, often costing the truck owners thousands in fines before they can retrieve their vehicles.
Marmara said truck drivers may be willing to pay $100 tickets as part of the cost of doing business but the high cost of having their trucks towed would deter truck drivers from parking illegally in the streets.
Marmara has set up an email address and encouraged residents to send emails to communityaffairs113@gmail.com. With 6000 less cops on the street, the community has to be the eyes and ears to make up for the fact the precinct is under manned. People have to be vigilant about what is happening around them and work together to prevent crimes and improve quality of life in the community.
Anybody with noise complaints, illegally parked trucks, drug traffic are asked to send emails or call Community Affairs officer Sgt. JoAnn Gonzalez at 718-712-1627. Residents can send an email to be added to the email list for blasts about current issues in the precinct.
Marmara invited the community to the 113th Precints’ Annual Halloween Party to be held on Oct. 28 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Montessori School located at 165-27 Baisley Blvd.
The 113th Precinct Community Council Meetings are held the third Monday of each month and the community is invited to attend and asked to bring their neighbors.
