114th Precinct Puts 'Safety Corridors' Around LIC H.S.
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

McCarthy said safety corridors have been established along Broadway and students at Long Island City H.S. are being advised to use that route when going home after school. The school is located at 14-30 Broadway.

Six recent incidents of robbery involving students on their way home from Long Island City H.S. have been identified as a robbery pattern by police.

Between the hour of 3 and 4 p.m., as people leave Long Island City H.S., six robberies have been reported involving youthful victims and youthful perpetrators, Inspector Brian McCarthy, commanding officer of the 114th Precinct, said.

"I'm confident we're going to get the people in these robberies and stop it before it goes further," McCarthy said at the October precinct community council meeting held at Riccardo's.

McCarthy said safety corridors have been established along Broadway and students at Long Island City H.S. are being advised to use that route when going home after school. The school is located at 14-30 Broadway.

In addition, school safety agents and uniformed personnel are being deployed throughout the area, McCarthy said.

McCarthy also reported a current burglary pattern involving five roof break-ins at commercial establishments in the precinct.

A crime pattern is identified after two or more reported incidents with similar circumstances, according to McCarthy.

"Almost 10 months into the year, we are approximately down 7 percent (in crime)," McCarthy said. The 114th responds to the most radio calls and the most written complaints in Queens, McCarthy said. "We have a very high volume."

Police Officers Michael Thompson, Wayne Kendall and Joseph Morabito received Cop-of-the-Month awards for September.

Thompson, working the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, was noted for a felony assault arrest. "Felony assault is the only category that we're up in," said McCarthy. During September, with the help of Thompson and other officers, felony assaults dropped by 6.4 percent in the 114th, although they are still up by almost 8 percent compared to the year before.

The two remaining officers honored for September, arrested people with loaded firearms.

"Man waving a gun," crackled the radio call and Kendall responded to 29-15 41st Street on September 1. Encountering a heavily intoxicated person with a loaded gun, Kendall was in a situation described by Inspector McCarthy as one "where he could have, almost should have used his (own) firearm."

Kendall made the arrest without incident.

Morabito was cited for nine arrests during September. "Really, a kick-butt amount," said McCarthy.

On September 28, Morabito, like Kendall earlier in the month, responded to a radio call reporting an intoxicated man with a firearm. Finding the man sitting in a car with the gun, Morabito was able to safely make the arrest without harm.

McCarthy praised both Kendall and Morabito for taking the proper cover and using their heads "to protect themselves, the public, and the individuals they apprehended".

Cop-of-the-Month presentations are made by representatives of state Senator George Onorato, Assemblymembers Michael Gianaris and Catherine Nolan, City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., the Broadway Merchants and Professionals Association and the 114th Precinct Community Council.

Donations for the annual children's Christmas Party were accepted on behalf of the precinct community council. The party, for 200 deserving children from infant to age 10 is by invitation only. This year, the event will take place on December 1 at 9 a.m. at the Astoria Manor. "If you know of a family that's really in need, please let us know," 114th Precinct Community Council President Ann Bruno said.