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Crime continues to fall in the 108 Precinct

Captain Ralph Forgione

Sept. 13, 2017 By Christian Murray

Crime has plummeted in the 108 Police Precinct this year, even more so than the significant decline citywide.

There were no murders within the confines of the 108 Precinct–which covers Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City–for the year through September 3, compared to three for the same period in 2016.

This trend mirrors the decline in the number of murders reported citywide, where there were only 179 homicides for the year through September 1, down from 231 for the same period a year ago.

“We’re going in the right direction,” said Captain Ralph Forgione, commanding officer of the 108 Precinct.  “We continue to see crime go down in most of the major categories.”

For the year through September 3, the precinct reported 648 major indexed crimes, down 8.5 percent from the 708 reported for the same period in 2016. Across the city, the number of major indexed crimes is down about 6 percent year to date.

Crime has been going down in the 108 precinct for a number of years. For instance, in 2014 there were 149 robberies for the entire year compared to 103 robberies in 2016 year. The number of reported burglaries in 2014 was 229, compared to 149 in 2016.

Forgione said that the former precinct commander Deputy Inspector John Travaglia did a great job getting those numbers down during that two-year period. Forgione said he is glad that the trend is continuing.

The number of reported rapes for the year through September 3 was 7, down from 9 for the same period last year. The number of reported robberies was down 20 percent for the year through September 3, from 74 to 59; felony assaults were down 2.1 percent from 96 to 94; grand larcenies were down 7 percent from 360 to 334; and stolen vehicles down 20 percent from 77 to 62.

The only category where there was an increase was in the number of burglaries. The number reported was up a little over 3 percent for the year through September 3, from 89 to 92.

Forgione said the precinct has done a good job reducing the number of burglaries in recent months. He said at the beginning of April there were 21 more burglaries compared to the same period 2016 year. He said the difference has been whittled down to three.

The precinct has been working on reducing the homeless population in recent months.

Officers have been going to sites known for being homeless hotspots with the non-profit agency Breaking Ground that provides services and shelter.

The precinct has focused on locations such as 61st Street and Roosevelt Avenue, 61st Street by the LIRR tracks, Doughboy Park, Big Bush Park and Noonan Playground.

Forgione said that unless the homeless are drinking or committing some sort of crime there is little the precinct can do other than try to connect them with social service providers.

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24 Comments

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El Loco or not

Crime is down because Fat Al from sunnyside was down in Miami looting last week. He’s back now so look for the crime rate to rise.

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Anonymous

You guys try so hard to romanticize the past. NY was a warzone for much of its existence. Sunnyside was always relatively safe, but right now Sunnyside and the city as a whole may as well be disneyland. Youre complaining that crime is underreported because a condo manager who harrasses tenants and loves fascists isnt in jail. If that and drunk drivers hitting cyclists are our biggest problems, we’re doing pretty good. You do realize that people used to get held up at gunpoint on the regular in your hey day? Even queensbridge goes a year between murders and you could jog around it at night if you wanted to.

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Bks40

True. The city as a whole is much improved in regards to crime. I remember when Sunnyside was a tough working class neighborhood with no shortage of violent crime. That doesn’t excuse the police of manipulating the numbers. Especially when it’s your car that was hit while parked and the cops blow you off.
Maybe the precinct is understaffed with the tremendous population growth within its boundaries.

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la la la la, la la la la....... E L M O S W O R L D!!!!

my theory is that its become so lucrative in Times Square with the 5000 or so Times Square Elmos and Desnudas that all the drunk little mens hanging out in the parks have invested in furry Times Square Elmo suits.

They’re making a killing in Times Square! They dont need our apartment contents anymore and they get to peek thru the furry eye slots and check out Desnudas all day. Win Win for everyone!!!!!

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Anonymous

I saw a drunk homeless guy sexually assault a passed out woman in Doughboy Park last summer. Called the cops. They came quickly, but didn’t do anything.

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Anonymous

How many people besides me have reported a crime to the 108th and gotten no response. It has happened to me at least three times.

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Biggie Smalls apt # 2A

Oh, and don’t get me started with Neal Milano, had it not been for the media he would not have been charged and arrested. There must have been at least 20 calls to the 108 regarding harassment, intimidation and assaults by Neal Milano and not one arrest. The illegal parking,littering, graffiti, postings on the side regarding “despicable animals” Neal’s words not mine, and yet nothing was ever done and I mean nothing was done about that despicable animal until the media got involved, shout out to Rikers Island, we got an old fart going your way:).

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Al from sunnyside

Al from Sunnyside is a hard working electrician who works every day except this week. I’m heading up to my house upstate on my Harley. Have fun in your little smelly condo. Big Ralph in the 108, good job buddy. But your not done until you Lock up el loco. I guess a commanding officers job is never done. EEF el loco.

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Preet 3B and Barbara 6G

BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSShit. Crime has not been accurately reported at the 108th is a better description of what’s happening. The 108th has to suppress the crime statistics, how else are they going to get people to move into those 4k per month one bedrooms?? I got robbed twice and there was no report taken by the cops from the 108th on either of these two instances. Every cop I see from the 108 is on his cell phone, worst cops in the CIty of NY, hands down. Oh and btw, one time I got into a car accident and I went to the 108th to make a report, about 30 minutes after leaving I get a call from an attorney asking me if I wanted to sue. I asked him how did he get my number and he hung up, the clerk who took the report at the 108th sent over my info to this attorney. i went back to the 108th and reported her, but again, nothing was done. Be careful with the 108th.

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Bks40

This had been the trend for several years. Police actively discourage people from reporting crime. They make getting a police report extremely difficult. Crimes not reported don’t count. Crime may actually be down but the numbers are manipulated to show better results.

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Anonymous

crime has been up in Sunnyside Long Island City and Woodside for a very long time — so stop with this — it is a well known fact – homeless are all over these areas and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is being done —

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Fan of dough boy park

Crime is up, pencils have erasers for a reason. Officers are being threatened to lose OT if they report crimes for what they are. My army buddy is in the 108, he was told to down grade everything, a man beats his wife is now an “argument” , domestic disturbance. It’s insane .we have a mayor who hates white people. If he loses he can go to ESPN.

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Michael B.

yup, my ex gf is a cop at the 108, she used to tell me the same thing. She drives around all day posting on social media , we met on tinder too. Crime is way up. Stop this nonsense about crime being down, who are you trying to fool? Arrest Neal Milano and do your job oink oink.

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El loco

The reason for the drop is because Al From Sunnyside has been under house arrest. He is a human crime wave.

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