Jackson Heights Residents Fight To Clean Up Roosevelt Avenue

(L. to r.): 115th Police Precinct Executive Officer Captain Johnnie Ramirez Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown (standing), Assemblymember Jose Peralta (D-Corona), Assistant District Attorney Gregory C. Pavlides, Bureau Chief for Economic and Environmental Crimes, Mariela P. Herring, Bureau Chief for Gang Violence and Hate Crimes and Executive Assistant District Attorney Jesse J. Sligh. Photo Jason D. Antos Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and Assemblymember Jose Peralta (D-Corona) hosted a panel discussion on December 9 in Jackson Heights to discuss the area’s growing concerns over public vagrancy, prostitution and gang related activity.

The Town Hall meeting was held at St. Mark’s Church, 33-50 82nd St., and was called to order by Peralta at 8 p.m.

The panel included Captain Johnnie Ramirez, executive officer of the 115th Police Precinct, Assistant District Attorneys Gregory C. Pavlides, Bureau Chief of Economic and Environmental Crimes and Mariela P. Herring, Bureau Chief of Gang Violence and Hate Crimes and Executive Assistant District Attorney Jesse J. Sligh.

The first topic of concern was quality of life in Jackson Heights and its surrounding neighborhoods. Many residents expressed growing concern over a recent stabbing on 100th Street and Northern Boulevard.

“My pledge is to make Jackson Heights safe and family friendly,” Peralta said.

Ramirez delivered some crime rate statistics revealing that homicides and burglaries were down; however, there was a small rise in domestic assault. The cause of this is attributed to the growing number of bars along Roosevelt Avenue that provide alcohol to patrons who are already intoxicated. Ramirez issued a stiff warning.

“There are too many bars lined up in a row and this causes a lot of the disturbances in the area. People get drunk and cause trouble,” Ramirez said.

“These places must be aware that if they are a source for crime they will lose their liquor license.”

Roosevelt Avenue has also become one of the leading areas for forgery in the country. Residents at the meeting complained about young Hispanic males who move up and down the avenue at all hours of the day and night soliciting people for false identification cards, passports, driver’s licenses, and even Social Security cards. Individuals are approached and asked, “Social, social?”

Pavlides, whose department investigates financial crimes in Queens, addressed the topic of identity theft and forgery. “Roosevelt Avenue is a threat when it comes to identity theft,” Pavlides said. “It’s a sad situation, but rest assured it will be brought under control as law enforcement cracks down on these rings.”

Another major concern besides the area’s forged or stolen identity rings is prostitution. Residents from Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City who shop on Roosevelt Avenue have been approached on numerous occasions as they go about their business by shady looking characters who say in Spanish, “Chicas, chicas” or “Girls, girls”. These men then present a white business card with the address where these girls can be found.

“It’s a very uncomfortable situation and it gives the perception that our neighborhood is dangerous,” Sligh said. “People who come into the area from the outside are immediately turned off and refuse to return and this hurts our image and our businesses.”

Peralta agreed. “If you don’t feel safe in your community, you will no longer want to live or spend money in your community,” he said

The cause of all this was narrowed down to one single element: gangs.

Several dozen gangs operate on Roosevelt Avenue and have made a clever use of the city’s street grid system, dividing territory among each other every 10 blocks along the avenue. The Mexican gang “M-18”, for example, operates between 90th and 100th Streets while “Serrano 13” controls the blocks between 80th and 90th Streets. Gangs seek potential new members between the ages of 12 and 14–at the junior high school level.

The NYPD has taken an effective stand against these neighborhood gangs. In the past year gang violence is down. There were only three gang related shootings in the entire area this year. Officers have been specially trained to identify gang activity, style of clothing and the locations gangs frequent. Recruitment is also down. This success is the result of the 116-officer task force that patrols Roosevelt Avenue on a daily basis. “You can feel a police presence in our area,” Ramirez said. “We also have numerous undercover agents patrolling at all times as well.”

Police presence, however, is only one weapon against gangs.

“The community has to realize that if they see something that looks like gang activity, to please call 911,” Herring said. “If you see something, say something.”

In the final analysis, Roosevelt Avenue and Jackson Heights and even all Western Queens, has been deemed safe. Overall crime is down.

“Our homicide rate has decreased dramatically,” Brown said. “There were only 83 homicides this year versus 361 homicides in 1991.”

Automobile theft, which plagued the city years ago, has decreased from 52,000 stolen cars in 1991 to only 3,000 this year.

“Roosevelt Avenue needs to be cleaned up in terms of gangs and shady activity,” Peralta said. “We want to make the area a destination like Austin Street in Forest Hills.”