FLUSHING, NY (TIP): Councilmember Sandra Ung visited the 109th Precinct on Tuesday July 18 afternoon to present a check for $312,000 to commanding officer Deputy Inspector Louran Hall. The funding secured by the Councilmember in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget will go toward the purchase of new Argus surveillance cameras for the precinct. “When I took office last year, the 109th Precinct was experiencing an alarming uptick in crime,” said Councilmember Sandra Ung. “Working closely with Deputy Inspector Hall, I have made improving public safety a top priority, but there is still more we can do. Our officers can’t be everywhere at once, so these cameras will help serve as their eyes and ears. They will not only be a valuable tool to help solve crimes, but hopefully act as a deterrent for would-be criminals who know they are being watched.”

The FY24 allocation will be used to purchase approximately seven to ten NYPD Argus cameras to be deployed in high-crime areas around the precinct. The NYPD will determine the exact locations, but Deputy Inspector Hall has already submitted several locations for consideration to One Police Plaza, including spots in Murray Hall and around Flushing.

There are currently 32 Argus cameras spread across the 109th Precinct, with a significant concentration in downtown Flushing. The Argus cameras are generally positioned about 20 feet off the ground and attached to a white box clearly marked with the NYPD insignia. Each camera has two views, allowing for 64 unique views of the 109th Precinct.

“This money is going to allow us to improve and increase the amount of Argus cameras,” said Deputy Inspector Louran Hall. “As the Councilmember noted, this is not only going to help us deter crime, but when crime happens will give our investigators the best opportunity to catch the individuals who commit them.”

In December, Councilmember Ung sent a letter to Mayor Eric Adams calling on his administration to direct the New York Police Department to assign more police officers to the 109th Precinct. Since then, the precinct has received officers from several graduating classes of the Police Academy, many of whom were assigned to foot patrols in downtown Flushing.