Murder Suspects Busted For Killings In Kew Gdns., Oz. Pk.

In the left photo, Police Officers Richard Waters and Jason Fritz (at center) of the 102nd Precinct were honored as Cops of the Month by their commanding officer, Capt. Charles McEvoy (at right) and 102nd Precinct Community Council President Maria Thomson (at left) during the council's Nov. 18 meeting in Richmond Hill. Also honored during the session was Scott Jordan, an Ozone Park resident who helped to capture a pair of graffiti vandals in September. Accepting an award from the community council on his behalf, as shown in the right photo with Thomson and Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park President Eric Ulrich (at left), were Jordan's wife, Phyllis and son, Christopher. (photos: Robert Pozarycki) Quick police work by detectives led to the arrest of suspects behind a pair of recent murders in Kew Gardens and Ozone Park, the commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct reported to residents at last Tuesday's meeting of the 102nd Precinct Community Council.

Capt. Charles McEvoy informed the audience at the Moose Hall lodge in Richmond Hill that police made an arrest in the shooting death of a man on Forbell Street, just hours prior to the Nov. 18 session.

According to police, the victim— a male in his 30s—was discovered shot in the head inside the private dwelling at around 1:40 p.m. McEvoy told attendees that detectives investigating the case tracked down the suspect responsible a short time later in Manhattan.

Previously, members of the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad collared the perpetrator behind the Nov. 9 stabbing of a man in front of a location on Metropolitan Avenue between Lefferts Boulevard and 118th Street in Kew Gardens.

The 41-year-old male victim was stabbed in the chest after getting involved in a physical dispute with the suspect, later determined to be a Hispanic male in his 30s, law enforcement sources said. The victim later died at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

The commander told residents at last Tuesday's meeting that the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad tracked down the perpetrator the next day in Mount Vernon in Westchester County and took him into custody on murder charges.

"Unfortunately, we had a couple of homicides, but with swift work, we were able to take care of it," he said.

Both homicides brought the total number of murders reported in the 102nd Precinct so far this year to eight, the captain said.

Small groups in street crime

Crews of individuals have been observed taking part in criminal activities in local neighborhoods, according to Sgt. Michael Gargan of the 102nd Precinct Anti-Crime Unit.

Though the precinct has received reports from residents regarding incidents allegedly perpetrated by members of high-profile gangs, Gargan stated, investigations by the unit have determined that most of these street crimes were caused by bands of five or six suspects.

While some of the crews have been involved in minor crimes such as excessive noise or public drinking, he said, others have taken part in more serious crimes. He pointed to the recent arrest of crew members charged with weapons possession following an investigation conducted by the unit.

Another group of suspected criminals were also arrested after being caught in a narcotics probe, the sergeant added.

Gargan urged residents to notify police immediately if they observe suspected gang activity or street crimes in progress in their area. Those who may not feel comfortable contacting police by phone may choose to send an anonymous letter or note to the 102nd Precinct directly, addressed to the Anti-Crime Unit.

All calls and notes, he said, are kept confidential.

Crime report

Overall felonies rose slightly in the precinct's confines over the 28- day period that concluded on Nov. 16, McEvoy reported. In all, 135 crimes were tallied by the precinct during the four-week stretch, according to the CompStat report, an increase of three from the same time last year.

Members of the command are working to squash a recent spike in burglaries throughout the area, the captain said. He estimated that 90 percent of the break-ins have occurred during daytime hours at residential locations.

"There were two really bad days last week which resulted in a slight spike in the period," he said. "It is safe for us to say that it was the same type of people" behind both series of burglaries.

McEvoy said that the precinct's Conditions Unit "is on it" and has increased patrols in the area to prevent future break-ins throughout the area.

"They work very hard and do extensive follow up," he added. "They work well with the Detective Squad. So I'm confident that will no longer be a problem."

The CompStat report also found that robberies had risen throughout the command over the 28-day period. Captain McEvoy stated that many of the holdups have been cell phone thefts involving youths during daytime hours.

McEvoy added that an additional officer has been assigned to Richmond Hill High School and has been working closely with School Safety agents to reduce thefts and other problems in and around the campus.

Council President Maria Thomson asked the commander about assigning additional patrols to local shopping strips during the holiday season. McEvoy stated that the precinct will have a "holiday plan" in effect to keep local shoppers safe through the assignment of additional officers in the area and other operations.

Cops of the Month

Two 102nd Precinct officers who resisted offers of a bribe allegedly made by a suspect caught in a prostitution sting last month were honored as Cops of the Month.

As described by Captain McEvoy, Police Officers Jason Fritz and Richard Waters arrested a man while taking part in a sex sales bust known as "Operation Losing Proposition" in the precinct's confines on Oct. 29.

Shortly after arresting the suspect, the commander said, the perpetrator offered them $200 in cash for his release. Both officers then reported the attempted bribe to their supervisors.

During questioning at the Richmond Hill stationhouse, the captain noted, the suspect repeated the offer and was then arrested on bribery charges.

The commander and Council President Thomson presented Officers Fritz and Waters with plaques donated by the Times Newsweekly for their efforts, which McEvoy observed "speaks to their integrity."

Honored for stopping vandals

The community council also paid tribute to an Ozone Park man who helped police track down two alleged graffiti vandals who tarnished scores of businesses in the precinct's confines.

Thomson stated that Scott Jordan, who was not in attendance to received the award, was on his way home from work early on the morning of Friday, Aug. 29 when he observed the two suspects painting tags along Rockaway Boulevard near 88th Street.

According to the council president, Jordan notified police immediately and tracked the vandals' movements until police arrived to make the arrest.

It was later determined that the suspects, identified by police as John Colasanti and Zolina Lindo of 107th Avenue in Ozone Park, allegedly scrawled their tags onto numerous buildings and fixtures in surrounding neighborhoods, causing thousands of dollars in property damage.

Eric Ulrich, president of the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park, joined Jordan's wife, Phyllis and son, Christopher, in accepting the award on Scott Jordan's behalf.

Other news

Thomson thanked Brendan Foley from the office of Assemblyman Rory Lancman for the legislator's recent allocation of a $1,000 grant to the community council.

The 102nd Precinct Community Council will not hold a December meeting. Their next session is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 at 8 p.m. at Moose Hall located on 118th Street south of Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill.

For more information, call the Community Affairs Unit at 1-718- 805-3215.