Tuller Leaves Queens For Manhattan South
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Tuller previously served as Executive Officer in both the Manhattan North and Manhattan Borough Commands. He also served as commanding officer for Police Service Area (PSA) 5 in Manhattan and Support Services for the Housing Police Department.

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has appointed Assistant Chief James Tuller Borough Commander of Patrol Borough Manhattan South. Tuller previously served as Borough Commander of Patrol Borough Queens North for seven and a half years.

The announcement was confirmed at the February meeting of Community Board 1. "Chief Tuller has been transferred to Manhattan South," Community Affairs Officer Paul Chatham said on behalf of Inspector Brian McCarthy, commanding officer of the 114th Precinct.

When he joined the New York City Housing Police Department in November 1973, Tuller began his career on patrol in Queens at Police Service Area (PSA) 9. Rising through the ranks, Tuller was promoted to Assistant Chief in July 1999 when he assumed command of the eight precincts in Patrol Borough Queens North.

"Chief Tuller brings a wealth of experience to this new and demanding assignment, having served with distinction for more than three decades," Commissioner Kelly said in a February 20 press release. Kelly cited a decline of 6 percent in major crime last year and another decline of 9 percent so far this year in Queens North. [Chief Tuller's] experience and responsibilities to date rival or exceed those of most major city police chiefs in the United States," Kelly said.

No successor to replace Tuller as Borough Commander in Queens North has been named as yet. Tuller replaces Assistant Chief Bruce H. Smolka Jr. who retired to take a position in security with the Revlon Corporation.

Crime has dropped almost 38 percent in Queens North for the past six years during Tuller's tenure. In 1998, the year before Tuller arrived at Queens North, a total of 28,017 major crimes were reported in the borough command. In 2006, Tuller's last full year, 15,403 major crimes were reported.

Tuller previously served as Executive Officer in both the Manhattan North and Manhattan Borough Commands. He also served as commanding officer for Police Service Area (PSA) 5 in Manhattan and Support Services for the Housing Police Department.

The New York City Housing and Transit Authority Police Departments were merged with the New York Police Department in 1995 and are now known as the Transit Division and the Housing Bureau.

Tuller will return to his roots at the February 28 PSA 9 community council meeting in the Ravenswood Community Center, honoring a commitment made before he was reassigned to Manhattan South, PSA 9 Council President and Community 1 Board Member Juanita Brathwaite said.

In other business, Demetrios K. Demetrios and Nasimun (Nini) Wahed, member delegates of the Queens General Assembly, gave a presentation. Speaking for Borough President Helen Marshall, Susan Tanenbaum, the Borough President's Coordinator of Cultural and Community Affairs, said Marshall is to appoint new delegates to the General Assembly later this year.

Demetrios, a member of Community Board 1, said the General Assembly was

a force to fight discrimination" and Wahed, a member of the Bangladeshi community, said, "The diversity of Queens is our greatest strength."

The board also approved applications to modify the unenclosed sidewalk café at Steinway Café & Billiards, 35-25 Steinway St. from 20 tables and 40 seats to 10 tables and 20 seats and to establish an unenclosed sidewalk café at Dino's Pizzeria, 30-01 Broadway, for 12 tables and 24 seats. No successor to replace Tuller as Borough Commander in Queens North has been named as yet. Tuller replaces Assistant Chief Bruce H. Smolka Jr.