News Of The Neighborhoods
COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF

New York's Finest Hit The Streets

The city's newest class of police recruits took the oath in Queens last week, where Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly applauded their past achievements and welcomed them to a future of bright possibilities with the NYPD.

"You have just joined an organization that is known throughout the nation and throughout the world for its excellence," Kelly said to the class of 1,028 new recruits gathered at the ceremony at Queens College.

Kelly applauded the diverse group, which includes 277 applicants with bachelor's degrees, five with master's degrees and one former Westchester County assistant district attorney.

The class boasts recruits native to China, Jamaica, Bangladesh, Albania, Russia, Trinidad-Tobago, Belarus, Romania, England and Nigeria. More than half of the recruits, 55 percent, are city residents, Kelly said.

Anyone interested in applying for a future as a New York City police officer is encouraged to contact the NYPD Recruitment Unit for requirements and other information at www.nypdrecruit.com or at 1-212-RECRUIT.

Plastic Bags Blitzed

The City Council last week voted 44-2 to mandate that supermarkets begin recycling programs aimed at curbing the number of plastic bags that end up littering trees and city streets. "You shouldn't have to walk around and think the city's flower is a plastic bag that's eternally blossoming in a tree," said New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Under the new mandate, supermarkets that are part of chains of five or more stores, or those more than 55,000 square feet in area will be required to place recycling bins in stores, use plastic bags that are clearly marked recyclable and accept customer bags from other stores, along with shrink wrap and dry cleaner bags.

Violators will be subject to daily fines of $300 for each infraction.

Queens Cops Top Ticket Writers

Queens motorists see orange more often than any other city drivers according to recently released NYPD statistics. Vehicles lining borough streets accounted for 40 percent of parking tickets issued citywide in 2007. That equals 676,868 orange envelopes glowing from Queens drivers' windshields last year.

Police at the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights issued 46,077 parking tickets to motorists in Jackson Heights, North Corona and East Elmhurst in 2007, more than any other precinct citywide, police officials said.

Officers of the 114th Precinct in Astoria which includes the Steinway Street, Ditmars, Broadway and 30th Avenue shopping districts, issued the second highest number of parking tickets citywide, said officials.

Most tickets were issued for double-parking, no standing and expired meter violations.