Queens Borough President Richards convened his quarterly Hate Crimes Task Force on Thursday, December 14, continuing a critical, boroughwide conversation on how to keep our communities safe amid the rise of hate crimes in Queens and the city. “With hate of all kinds on the rise, it’s never been more important to live up to our name as the World’s Borough,” said Richards with efforts of the Task Force poised to ensure that Queens remains “that place where our diversity is our truest strength.”
Present were Deputy Inspector Kevin Chan, an Executive at Queens South, with Captain Mo Tsang, Commanding Officer at the 107; Deputy Chief Raymond Porteus, Executive Officer at Queens North; Michael Brovner, Hate Crimes Bureau Chief, Queens DA; affiliates from all local CUNY branches; Rabbi Mayer Waxman, Executive Director, QJCC; Zev S. Berman, Executive Vice-President, QJCC; David Aronov, Community & External Relations, UJA-Fed. of NY; Moshe Vatch, Founder, Misaskim of Queens and Great Neck; Shabsie Saphirstein, Community Outreach Coordinator, Queens Shmira; and members of other groups and government agencies. The Borough President said his office, like the members at the meeting, are committed to an open dialogue between a diverse set of community members, faith leaders, law enforcement and government partners, and promoted a January interfaith dinner in the works to foster unequivocal unity. “I’m committed to this work. I know everyone at today’s meeting is, too.”
