Inside The 114th Precinct
BY LIZ GOFF
Inspector Brian McCarthy is proud of the men and women who work under his command at the 114th Precinct in Astoria. In a

McCarthy said he is proud of the patrol cops at the 114th, who have mastered investigation techniques utilized by detectives and have executed 17 search warrants since January 1-more than any other patrol cops in the borough.

recent interview, the seasoned NYPD veteran

said cops at the Astoria Boulevard stationhouse "go above what most patrol officers do" to address conditions within the command area with a full understanding of the community's needs.

McCarthy arrived at the 114th Precinct in September 2005 with 24 years on the job. He joined the NYPD in 1983 and was promoted to captain in 1999, to deputy inspector in 2001 and to inspector earlier this year. Before coming to the 114th Precinct, he served in the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau, Queens Vice, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Unit and the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force.

According to the latest census, nearly 221,000 people live within the six square miles patrolled by police at the 114th Precinct-an eclectic mix of 31 nationalities, customs and cultures. From the station house located on Astoria Boulevard between 34th and 35th Streets, the 114th Precinct covers communities in Astoria, East Elmhurst, Long Island City and Woodside. Under McCarthy's watch, supervisors run a tight ship, maintaining order on some of the busiest thoroughfares in Queens, including Astoria and Northern Boulevards and the bustling Steinway Street shopping strip.

The number of officers assigned to the 114th currently stands at 190. Based on population, that breaks down to 1,163 people for each officer-hardly enough, but much better than in prior years, when the precinct boasted a roster of only 150 cops, officials said.

Police at the 114th Precinct patrol public venues including Astoria Park, Astoria Pool, Ravenswood Park, Queensbridge Park, Whitey Ford Park, Elmjack, Sean's Place, Dutch Kills Park, the Museum of the Moving Image, the Kaufman Astoria Studios complex, Socrates Park and Athens Square Park, just to mention a few. Volunteer organizations working with the 114th Precinct include the 114th Auxiliary Police Unit, the Astoria Anti-Crime Committee and the 114th Precinct Civilian Observation Patrol as well as the 114th Precinct Community Council.

Cops at the 114th Precinct handle the usual quality of life conditions found on almost every street corner in Queens. But for officers assigned to one of the city's busiest mixed residential and commercial areas, the "usual" can be anything from a double parking dispute to an undercover sting of phony fortune tellers.

Two female officers at the 114th Precinct went undercover recently to expose three phony "readers", who tried to flim-flam the cops out of thousands of dollars in "protection money" to ward-off evil spirits and jealous women out for vengeance. The fake "gypsy fortune tellers" were hauled off to jail by the undercover cops, saving area residents big bucks-and the heartache of being taken in by the women.

McCarthy said the investigation and arrests were carried out by "two cops who went above and beyond their role of patrol cops" to put the phony psychics out of business. "They established cause and obtained search warrants," McCarthy said. "That's over and above what most patrol cops do."

McCarthy is urging anyone who might have been victimized by the women, who operated out of storefronts along 30th Avenue in Astoria as "Readings By Julia", "Readings By Elena" and "Readings By Rose", to call the 114th Precinct at 718-626-9311 to document their complaints.

Cops assigned to the Anti-Crime Unit at the Astoria stationhouse were also responsible for last week's arrest of three men who pulled off an armed robbery at a Jackson Heights jewelry store on July 6, McCarthy said.

The trio walked into the shop at 73-15 Broadway brandishing handguns and made off in a blue Honda with $264,000 worth of precious baubles, McCarthy said. Cops released descriptions of the thugs and their getaway car to precincts throughout Queens-information that stuck in the minds of 114th Anti-Crime Sergeant Michael White and Police Officer Douglas George. While on routine patrol near the Woodside Houses on July 6, the two cops spotted a man fitting the description of one of the suspects, McCarthy said. White and George apprehended the suspect, who was later identified through a lineup by one of the robbery victims. Working streets in the area, the cops found the Honda used in the robbery, McCarthy said. Armed with a search warrant, the cops entered the vehicle, where they recovered some of the jewelry, along with disguises worn by the suspects during the heist.

McCarthy said he is proud of the patrol cops at the 114th, who have mastered investigation techniques utilized by detectives and have executed 17 search warrants since January 1-more than any other patrol cops in the borough. "They are correct and meticulous in working cases and obtaining search warrants," McCarthy said. "It makes them better cops today, and will make them even better detectives and supervisors in the future."

Police Officers Paul Chatham and Cesar Capunay work in the 114th Precinct Community Affairs Unit. Phones ring non-stop in the office as the cops work with residents and businesses on a variety of projects, from policing street festivals and parades to resolving an unending flow of quality of life complaints. Chatham and Capunay are also responsible for maintaining records for numerous police department outreach programs, such as the VIN Etching, CAT and Commuter CAT, HEAT and TRIP programs, each offering a different method of vehicle theft prevention and driver safety. For information on the programs or to sign up, call the Community Affairs office at 718-626-9327.

Crime Prevention Officer Peter Lauinger is the man to contact for information and programs designed to protect life and property. Crime prevention surveys of homes or businesses, conducted by Lauinger or other 114th Precinct cops, will determine weak spots in safety measures. Lauinger and his colleagues will then provide suggestions on locks, window guards, alarms, gates and other devices designed to keep criminals at bay. Call Lauinger at 718-626-9324 to arrange for a survey.

The Crime Prevention Unit also offers a series of programs designed to maintain the safety of valuables, such as Operation ID, which allows a person to register items with police. Under the program, if the items are stolen and recovered they can be returned to the owner and used by prosecutors as trial evidence.

The 114th Precinct also includes Auxiliary Police Officers, civilian volunteers who don a uniform and hit the streets to act as the "eyes and ears" of the Police Department. Auxiliary cops are trained in crowd control and are permitted to detain suspects until NYPD officers arrive at the scene of a crime. They do not have the authority to make arrests or issue summonses, and they do not carry weapons.

Other volunteer programs include civilian volunteers who sign up to work with the 114th Precinct Civilian Observation Patrol (114th Civ-OP), a group of dedicated men and women who work closely with precinct officials on any number of crime prevention and quality of life programs, and the Astoria AntiCrime Program, which offers training in programs "designed to allow you to protect yourself," according to Antonio Meloni, program founder.

For information on any of these programs, contact the 114th Precinct Community Affairs office.