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THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 27, 2002
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FACING TERMINATION
Ozone Park Group Seeks Help For Stray Animals
by Jennifer Stevens
The 102nd Precinct Community Council joined a budget battle to save a citywide anti-crime program during last Tuesday’s meeting in Richmond Hill.
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For pursuing and arresting a suspect who had allegedly robbed a store at gunpoint, Lieutenant Scott Cunningham and P.O. Ernest Martinez were awarded December Cop of the Month awards at last Tuesday’s 102nd Precinct Community Council meeting in Richmond Hill. Lt. Cunningham (far left) and P.O. Martinez (second from left) are in the photo on the left with Council President Maria Thomson and Lieutenant Mark McDermott, who posed twice that night. Lieutenant McDermott is seen accepting a community service award from the Moose Lodge’s Bill Gramlieh in the photo on the right. (photos: George Flo)
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According to Brienza, this program is essential for the safety of the elderly. For example, the Glendale-based Queens Multi-Service Center uses its funds to assist elderly crime victims and to help seniors make their residences safer.
The City Council recently cut funding for the program, forcing its temporary termination.
The 102nd Council agreed to write a letter to the City Council calling for the reinstatement of those funds.
Help for animals
Steve Seroto gave a presentation on behalf of Bobbi and the Strays, an Ozone Park group that rescues animals that are stray, hurt, undernourished or otherwise in need.
“Animals are just children that never grow up,” said Seroto. “They depend on us for support.”
Bobbi and the Strays rescues animals from all over the area, giving them medical attention, food and love, while preparing them to live in a home environment. The animals are then placed in foster homes as families adopt them.
Seroto argued that city shelters were not a good way to help stray animals. He explained that there are two kinds of shelters: kill and no-kill.
No-kill shelters are ones that take in animals and do not exterminate them, but because of this policy, are often overcrowded.
Kill shelters will eventually put down animals to make cages available for the most adoptable animals. Some of these shelters will kill animals within 24 hours of their arrival.
Bobbi and the Strays is seeking to build a bigger facility, because as of now its shelter can accommodate fewer than 30 dogs.
People interested in making donations to the shelter can mail money to Bobbi and the Strays Inc., Box 170129, Ozone Park, NY 11417.
The nonprofit is always looking for volunteers and people who would like to adopt pets. For more information about the shelter, send an e-mail to BobbiCares@aol.com or surf to www.bobbicares.petfinder.org.
Cop of the Month
Lieutenant Scott Cunningham and P.O. Ernest Martinez took the December Cop of the Month honors. This was a repeat performance for both officers, who had received the October award for apprehending two criminals that had assaulted a woman on Liberty Avenue.
This time around, Lt. Cunningham and P.O. Martinez were informed that the Quik Stop at 101st Avenue had been robbed at gunpoint. The perp had robbed the store and a customer, and had fired a shot at the clerk from a .25 caliber gun before fleeing the scene by car.
Cunningham and Martinez were eight blocks away from the store at the time of the robbery, and noticed a white vehicle turning a corner too fast. They pursued the vehicle and caught the robber, who was identified by the clerk and the customer and arrested.
Another 102nd Precinct cop was also presented with an award that night. On behalf of the officers of the Moose Lodge which hosts Council meetings, Bill Gramlich presented a community service award to Lieutenant Mark McDermott for “dedication and outstanding service in our community in 2002.”