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NYPD’s 115th Precinct welcomes new commanding officer

Deputy Inspector Eileen Downing, the new Commanding Officer at the 115th Police Precinct (L), and Deputy Inspector Jamiel S. Altaheri, the precinct’s outgoing Commanding Officer (R) (Photo via @NYPD115Pct/Twitter)

April 5, 2023 By Michael Dorgan

The NYPD’s 115th Precinct in western Queens welcomed a new commanding officer on Monday, April 3.

The precinct, which covers Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and North Corona, celebrated Deputy Inspector Eileen Downing become its new leader at a ceremony inside its headquarters at 92-15 Northern Blvd. The precinct patrol responsibilities also include LaGuardia Airport.

Downing replaces outgoing Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Jamiel S. Altaheri, who has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Equity And Inclusion. His new office is responsible for ensuring that workplace processes and procedures within the NYPD are inclusive and free of discrimination.

Downing joined the force in 2005 and first served with the 1st Precinct in Lower Manhattan. She has also served as a captain with the 115th Precinct and the 112th Precinct, as well as on the Patrol Borough Queens North.

Her most recent position was with the Force Investigations Division at the 115th Precinct.

The Precinct announced the news via Twitter and also tweeted a message from Downing.

“Thank you everybody for your warm welcome … I am proud to be the 20th Commanding Officer of the 115th Precinct,” Downing wrote. “I look forward to working together to make our community a better and safer place.”

Downing now heads up a precinct that has seen overall crime drop by 12.5% so far this year, compared to the same period last year, according to NYPD data. However, crime is up by 46.27% compared to the same period (Jan. 1 to April 2) in 2021.

115th Precinct Crime stats

A map of the 115th Precinct

The 115th Police Precinct building, located at 92-15 Northern Blvd. (Photo: Google Maps)

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