$70mm for New 116th Precinct, $292mm for Queensboro Bridge, $357mm for Water Tunnel No. 3, $778mm for Southeast Queens Sewer System

QUEENS, NY –Borough President Melinda Katz stated the following regarding Mayor Bill de Blasio’s FY 2017 Executive Budget, which includes $70 million for the creation of a new NYPD 116th Precinct, $292 million to rehabilitate the Queensboro Bridge, $357 million to accelerate work on City [Water] Tunnel No. 3 to better serve Queens and Brooklyn, and $778 million for a sewer system buildout to address chronic flooding in Southeast Queens.

“Mayor de Blasio’s FY 2017 Executive Budget unveiled today includes substantial investments of new monies toward critical infrastructure projects that affect our borough,” said Borough President KATZ. “I commend Mayor de Blasio for the over $1.5 billion in new capital specifically allocated toward our water arteries, bridges and sewer systems, all of which have a direct impact on Queens and our families.”

“The Mayor’s investment toward the creation of a new 116th Precinct is especially welcome news,” Borough President KATZ continued. “Many families in Laurelton, Rosedale, Brookville and Springfield Gardens have long identified the need for a new precinct closer to the neighborhoods it protects and serves. The size of the existing 105th Precinct, which covers nearly 13 square miles and has its stationhouse on the northern end of the vertically-long territory, has posed significant geographical challenges that make it difficult to fully serve neighborhoods in the southern half of its jurisdiction.”

The proposal to create a new 116th Precinct was included in Borough President Katz’s 2014 Strategic Policy Statement (below). The existing 105th Precinct map can be found at www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/precinct_maps/precinct_finder.shtml#.  The proposal for a new 116th Precinct was also the topic of discussion when Borough President Katz met with NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton in December 2015, and has been a part of the Queens Borough President’s budget requests every year as far back as under the prior administration:

Create a New 116th Precinct by Splitting the 105th Precinct

The 105th Precinct covers the largest land area of any police precinct in New York City, a coverage area of nearly 13 square miles, half the size of the entire Borough of Manhattan. The precinct’s vehicles currently travel more than 1,000 miles per week due to the distances within the precinct boundaries. Although the Queens South Task Force Headquarters is located in the southern portion of the 105th Precinct and serves as a satellite command, this is not enough to provide sufficient police protection for southeast Queens. Bordering John F. Kennedy Airport to the south and the Nassau County line to the east, a strong police presence is a must to curtail criminals from utilizing changes of jurisdiction to obfuscate law enforcement. Funding must be provided to divide the territory of the 105th Precinct into two and to create the 116th Precinct (the precinct number has already been reserved) to reduce the time it takes police officers to respond to crimes and emergencies (queensbp.org/Queens_Strategic_Policy_Statement_2014.pdf – page 115).