Every month, the 102nd Precinct sends one or more representatives to the meeting of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association. This is a wonderful opportunity for the residents of Woodhaven to get to know the officers that serve and protect them on a more personal level -- an opportunity you might not always get on the street.
For man years, that role has been filled by Officer Fisher. But it is with mixed emotions that we announce that Officer Fisher will be hanging up his hat, retiring from the force after 25 years of service, all of them right here in the 102nd Precinct. At this meeting, Maria Thomson summed it up very well when she said that Woodhaven "really came to love him, and depend upon him."
At the May meeting of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association, Officer Fisher introduced his replacement -- at these meetings, and as the cop on the beat along Jamaica Avenue. Here, Officer Fisher introduces Officer Ioele to Woodhaven:
Officer Ioele can be seen walking along Jamaica Avenue. Having an Officer walking the Jamaica Avenue beat affords him the opportunity to get to know us -- our shopkeepers, their customers, and all of the Woodhaven residents that live here. It's a big avenue, with a lot of ground to cover - but you'll see Officer Ioele walking his beat. Don't be afraid to say hello! Below, the two Officers address the community. And, at right, a little history of the 102nd Precinct (located on 118th Street). Here is Part 1 of Officer Ioele's introduction to Woodhaven. In this video, they address noise pollution and their efforts to curtail it. It's not just the cars passing by that can be annoying -- it's cars parked in front of your house blasting the radio, or a party going on late at night. And with summer right around the corner, it's a problem that's bound to escalate.
Here, in Part 2 of Officer Ioele's introduction to Woodhaven, Maria Thomson asks about the efforts to cut down on the number of sidewalk vendors, especially those that walk along Jamaica Avenue, selling ices. These vendors are troublesome for two reasons. First off, we have businesses along Jamaica Avenue that pay rent and taxes - so to have sidewalk vendors that pay neither, cutting into their business, is unfair. But more importantly, these sidewalk vendors are never visited by health inspectors -- and you take a big chance putting anything into your mouth purchased by an unlicensed vendor on the street. They also address graffiti vandalism, barking dogs, etc.
Right at the end of their presentation, WRBA President Vance Barbour announced that Officer Fisher will be given a Community Service Award. Congratulations! We'll be posting more coverage in the weeks and months ahead as we say farewell to Officer Fisher, thank him for his many years of service, and wish him luck in his retirement. And here is one last look at Officer Fisher and Officer Ioele from that evening. We welcome Officer Ioele to Woodhaven and look forward to getting to know him better. 
If you have any comments, or would like to suggest other projects, drop us a line at info@projectwoodhaven.com or projectwoodhaven@aol.com.
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