Deputy Inspector Powers (Photo: NYPD)
April 28, 2013 By Christian Murray
The commanding office of the police precinct that covers Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside is being replaced.
Deputy Inspector Donald Powers, who has been in charge of the 108 Police Precinct since June 2010, is no longer working at the precinct, according to police.
Powers leaves at a time when the crime rate has been on the decline. In 2012, the number of reported crimes in the precinct dropped 6% compared to 2011.
In November, Powers was promoted from Captain to Deputy Inspector.
During his tenure there have been several high profile crimes—from the subway pusher at the 40th Street station last December; the murder of a drunk man at a Long Island City gas station in September; to the unsolved, arguably bungled investigation of the Lou Rispoli murder case in Sunnyside last October.
“Nobody is perfect and no tenure is perfect,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, speaking about Powers time at the precinct. However, “over all in terms of keeping crime low and being responsive to the community he has done a good job.”
Powers has been replaced by Captain Brian Hennessy, who was previously the executive officer at the 115th Precinct, which covers East Elmhurst, North Corona and Jackson Heights.
In the three years that Powers led the command, there were several persistent problems—from gropings, burglaries to tire theft. However, the number of these incidents has declined in recent months.
The police did not provide a reason for Powers’ departure. However, his 3 year stint is consistent with other commanding officers who have held the top job. His immediate predecessor, Captain Thomas Kavanagh, was in charge of the precinct for 3 ½ years.
However, Powers leaves at a time when one outstanding issue remains.
The community—as well as Van Bramer—still want to know why it took the precinct 36 hours to send investigators to the Sunnyside location (41-00 43rd Ave.) where Rispoli was brutally attacked.
Rispoli was struck in the back of the head with a blunt object shortly after 2:15 am Saturday Oct.20—dying five days later from the injuries he sustained. Investigators didn’t arrive at the crime scene until late Sunday afternoon.
The NYPD launched an internal investigation into the precinct’s handling of the case in November; it has not released its findings.
Weeks after the murder, Van Bramer spoke before Community Board 2, and said: “I have talked to Captain Powers and there are a lot of unanswered questions about the investigation. “
However, Van Bramer said yesterday: “I do not hold him personally responsible for the mistakes and the errors that were made at the scene of the crime—since I know for a fact he was not working that night.”
Van Bramer said he would be speaking to Powers about the status of the internal affairs investigation on Monday and if there have been no new developments he would speak to the NYPD’s top brass to find out why.
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40 Comments
I hope the police are still questioning people who hang out in nearby parks or bars. I would not be surprised if somebody saw something or heard something – even if it is just a rumor of something.
@Sunnyside Native Thank you for your kind words. As for OM, comic relief is fine, so long as there is no disrespect when people are truly hurting. Time may have passed since Lou’s murder, but we are still in deep pain – in large part because this crime has gone unsolved.
@ Heartbroken – you need to get on a long line of all the people who want to accost Oppressed Masses. LOL! On the bright side, he provides comic relief, as he has now become the butt of all of our jokes…
If it makes you feel any better, there are MANY people who do not even know Lou Rispoli, who truly wish they find the assailants who took his life from him. We pray for that!
@JulieJ. If the police had recognized the crime committed against Lou as a potential murder straight away – as they should have – it would have helped. DNA evidence is far more effective than a license plate number. Thank you for your good wishes all the same.
I pray for justice for Lou Rispoli – as well as for the other crime victims in the 108th. Not all crimes are solved, unfortunately. If a witness could have gotten a license plate number that would have been a big help . . .
The dog run is scheduled to have something similar to ‘cool pavement’ added to the top of the asphalt surface. This will keep the temperature of the surface much lower to allow for its use in the hotter parts of the day, it’s coloration will also end up being much lighter.
A sand dog run would be a mess, same goes for dirt, making them unusable during bad weather. Wood chips and pebblestone end up smelling very bad and are a bredding ground for disease, not to mention the fact that they are expensive to replace. We requested the surface that we are getting.
A local store is going to donate a power washer to us so that we can clean the surface of the run regularly.
RD
@Sunnyside Native There is a great deal of hope that Lou’s perpetrators will be caught. Everything will come out in the open one day. As for OM, I’m not convinced that he’s just a harmless curmudgeon. I might have to accost him at the next pub crawl and look at him in the eye – thanks for the info.
@JulieJ I respectfully beg to differ.
Are they going to put sand in the dog run? Is looks just paved at the moment.
Will the rest of the park be concrete as well our at least put down done turf?
@Patricia Dorfman: Pish posh on real names. Craic Dealer is my real name.
Christian can not even begin to make sure people are using their real names. He would need birthday, social security numbers, statements of random crap to confirm.
What you need to know is the ideas behind whatever name is presented.
i don’t know, craic. but a good start would be to start posting under your real name, be heard, and maybe run for office. if you feel the whole system is corrupt, including office holders, and there is nothing you can do about it, i disagree. i have been amazed at the big changes one person or small groups can make. forming a group of voters and speaking to elected officials is also quite effective.
we see we have flaws in our system, but we do have the best form of government in history, and we can stand up where we live and do what is right. most of what is going on right now in our lives we may not like is through the consent of the governed.
hey, sunnysidepostman — why not change over to real names?
@Patricia Dorfman: Thanks. But what if its the NYPD committing the crime? Who do we go to then?
@craic
those on the 108 council board are unpaid volunteers. we come from all sorts of past experiences. our mission is not act as a rah-rah society, but to improve the exchange between the community and the police. often we try to get the da or the nypd to give private attention to someone who has been unheard. all of us feel sad and helpless or angry when we think the police do not care about us or our case. we all get better cooperation if calm, prepared, not on the attack and relentless. cops love to solve crimes and make arrests. help them.
@anonymous
we must be insistent about filng a police report if we feel we find reluctance. always get the name if you have to ask ten times on a 311 call or a 911 call and document your calls. so if you come to the meeting and complain, you have names and times. this is our system. it works better than anywhere in the world, and i imagine, in all of history. but we have to help make it work.
@Heartbroken: I am very sorry for your loss. I am sure Lou Rispoli was a wonderful man. My friends and I took part in the candlelight vigil for him. The 108 Precinct truly did drop the ball here. They didn’t even cordon off the crime scene until the next day. Some neighbors were questioned during the hours that followed, but it was a severely botched attempt at an investigation. I pray that a real lead comes in about the assailants, but with each passing day with no new leads, the chances lessen – unfortunately.
BTW – Oppressed Masses is just a curmudgeon who spouts negativity across the board, whines and complains about things that he has no control over. He does nothing to better our community and never goes to any community board meetings. He doesn’t seem to offer any assistance in any of our community improvement efforts (graffiti cleanup day, SUDS pick up the poop day, planting trees & flowers in our neighborhood green spaces). You would think he would want to take part in the planting efforts, as he has such a love of trees and a desire to be an arborist. But he makes sure that he attends every neighborhood pub crawl. He is a ‘taker’ within our community – not a ‘giver’. The ‘lady of his dreams’ sure is a lucky girl. Insert sarcasm here.
Mr. Rispoli was not the only murder victim in Sunnyside/Woodside. How about justice for all crime victims?
People are unfair to Powers. He did a good job. Period. Not all crimes are solved.
@Oppressed Masses This is the second time that I find having to admonish you for your commentary banter as being disrespectful and inappropriate considering the gravity of the circumstances. A good man was murdered, and we who loved him are up in arms about it, and you speak of dog shit. Enough already.
Native, the Van B oasis is sounding more like heaven every day! Surrounded by yipping feces machines, book in hand, sipping a Grande Caramel Macchiato, watching where the soccer players put their balls, Lordie, Lodie, Lordie it doesn’t get much better
! I bet you and Dave are happy fresh mulch and feed have been put down around all the tree beds covering up the old canine fecal matter spread all over the dirt. This will make it easier for Dave to keep track of doggie BMs in case he has to testify again. And the new mulch has that fresh scent of manure you folks in SUDS seem to love.
For those who have complementary words for Police Precinct 108, there was a time when I would have agreed with you. But unfortunately there will come a time when you will be quietly agreeing with those of us who are dissatistied. If Lou Rispoli were alive today, he would have torn mountains down to set things straight, howled until everyone paid attention. And we who loved him just can’t seem to do enough – that is how much we are missing him.
Constitution is now* shattered.
Your*
Thanks for your time. Kind regards.
@Patricia Dorfman:
NYPD has indeed been diligent in eroding the Natural Rights of its inhabitants. (I can now feel your brain shut down) NYPD has zero integrity in protecting a city’s freedom as the Constitution is not shattered.
I’m beginning to think that the NYPD is jealous of the Boston PD because the BPD had to declare martial law and invade houses to end up having a private citizen finding the suspect.
But I digress because I realize you’re bread and butter come from the NYPD. So please enjoy the corrupt fraternal organization.
“…keeping crime low and being responsive to the community he has done a good job.” – Van Bram.
Van Bram is super wrong. Police do not keep crime low. Morality of the People (Republic) keeps crime low. Morality and crime are negatively related. High morals means less crime and, vica versa, low morality means higher crimes. Police just record (manipulate) crimes statistics.
Police protect your freedoms. That is all they are supposed to do. But the Naz… I mean NYPD are on a power-lust binge.
Oppressed Masses – you do realize that dogs love biting into rubber balls? That’s what will probably happen to the balls that make its way into the dog run. My guess is that after that happens a few times, the soccer players will be a lot smarter about where their balls go! Pun intended. I don’t know why you focus on race, other than the fact that you are a troll. SUDS members are an extremely diverse group of people, if you ever took the time to look at those who march in the glorious St. Pat’s For All Parade. Also, who mentioned anything about the affordability of Starbucks? Of course most people can afford a cup of coffee at Starbucks which is around $1.75, but a refill with the same cup is around $.51. Plus if you buy a bag of coffee like we do and they grind it for you, you get a cup of coffee for free. I, however, enjoy a Grande Caramel Macchiato which is around $5.45, but worth every penny.
Native, don’t you think the new fences around the Van B dog oasis should be higher to keep out the soccer balls and the young fellas who are a different ethnicity than most of the folks in SUDS (and who can’t afford Starbucks)?
The NYPD systematically reassigns Commanding Officers to other commands after three years to give them experience and maintain integrity of the entire department. Posts here implying something about Deputy Inspector Powers are baseless, absurd, and are destructive. We live in safety admired city-wide, and we will be lucky to get a CO as fine as Powers.
I am VP of the 108 Police Precinct Community Council, and we see firsthand the diligence and integrity of those assigned here, often on a daily basis. If you have specific complaints or comments, tonight is the monthly regular meeting, and all are welcome to attend.
7pm
Sunnyside Community Center
1st Floor
43-31 39th Avenue (betw. Queens Blvd. & 43rd Ave.)
At O’Shea couldn’t agree more. That list could go on and on and on. But by Jesus did he love to tell everyone who would listen how low crime rate was. He once sed if u lived in another part of New York ud know what real crime was and I told him that’s why I choose sunnyside to live in. Because crime s suppose to b low here. Good luck to the new Captain. Hope he does a better job at policeing the neigherhood and keeping sunnysiders safe.
Let’s assign Oppressed Masses to 108 Precincts Poop Patrol task force! I mean he is already full of shit, so what is a little more poop on his plate! BTW – no hard liquor for me. Strictly Stella Artois. Soon I can enjoy my Starbucks, with a book and fido at our new dog run. Go SUDS!
If anybody wants to know more about Hennessey just ask Sunnyside Native. She loves to spend an afternoon with Hennessey instead of tea, some quiet time with Fido.
Powers was such a great leader… one of his cops ate her gun after murdering most of her family
Lou rispoli
Chase bank robbery
Ipod thefts, gropings, attempted rape
Homeless encampments
squirts the change bum
…yeah powers was so great.
Crime s down because most of the crimes that happen are not documented by the 108. I hav been a victim of that myself so I personally know its the truth. They don’t want to b bothered to do the paper work. So when they give u the statistics they are not the real facts.
Would like to know more about Hennessey — what has his time been like at his last place, what happened to crime stats there, did he handle any high-profile cases? In general, what might we be able to expect?
Seems like a pretty basic, important part of any article about a tenure change. Hopefully there will be a follow-up focusing on this.
so why did he get fired? Kinda weird since he was promoted in November
Shoddy reporting – makes it look like the Inspector was given the boot.
The police captains do not last long in the 108th. I don’t think that that is a good thing. I love 86 Mets suggestion for a new tv series. I have one also: Law & Order: Special Gropers Unit.
Just to shut up OM for five minutes, perhaps the new commander will set up a new K-9 Unlawful Feces taskforce. It could be the basis for the next tv cop drama: Law & Order: Special Doggie-doo Unit.
This article fails to mention that the biggest quality of life neighborhood issue was not resolved during Capt Powers tenure in the 108 Pct. Hopefully Capt Hennessey will come up with a strategy to go after dog owners who allow their canines to poop and pee anywhere they wish and leave the mess behind for their neighbors to deal with. Maybe Hennessey can tie in policing efforts with the Rick the Wonder Dog campaign based on the student poster competition. I’m certain Hennessey will have the full support of neighborhood notables like Sunnyside Native.
With our powers combined we are…
The author of this article probably should have been able to answer his own question, namely why Powers is no longer working at the 108th. In previous articles Powers’ rank was given as “Captain”. Here it is “Deputy Inspector”. Instead of noting that Powers was promoted and likely given a new job commensurate with the new rank, the writer chooses to imply that Powers given the the boot for incompetence and that the police won’t comment. That’s shoddy journalism, even for a blog.
I have been a long-time resident of Sunnyside and have found the 108th to be very responsive. I hope the new Captain, Brian Hennessey, can measure up to Captain Powers’ excellent leadership in this community throughout his many years of service.
Is this a new kind of journalism in which the writer buries the lead in paragraph six then abandons the topic in the headline altogether?
Nine paragraphs address DI Powers leaving. The headline should have been “Deputy Inspector Powers Leaves 108th Precinct With Crime Down But Murder Unsolved” is that is what you wanted to write about.
There should have been way more about Captain Brian Hennessey if you wanted that headline.