If you’ve ever driven down the Cross Island Parkway or found yourself wandering the quiet, suburban-feeling streets of Glen Oaks, you’ve been in the 105th Precinct. It’s huge. Honestly, the scale of the 105th Precinct in Queens is one of those things that most people—even lifelong New Yorkers—don't quite grasp until they look at a map. We’re talking about roughly 12.7 square miles of territory. To put that in perspective, that’s almost the size of the entire island of Manhattan, but instead of skyscrapers and a grid, you have a sprawling network of residential neighborhoods, major highways, and a massive chunk of the border between NYC and Nassau County.
It’s a weird precinct. I mean that in the best way possible. It covers everything from the busy commercial strips of Jamaica Avenue to the strictly residential, "is this even the city?" vibes of Floral Park and Bellerose. Because it’s so big, the NYPD actually had to open a satellite precinct—the 105th Precinct Satellite in Rosedale—just to make sure officers weren't spending half their shift sitting in traffic on the Belt Parkway trying to get from one end to the other.
The 105th manages a unique slice of the American dream. You have families who have lived in Queens Village for forty years and new immigrants building lives in Cambria Heights. It is a place of deep community roots, but those roots are constantly tested by the logistical nightmare of policing such a massive, geographically diverse area.
The Logistics of Policing the "Great East"
The 105th Precinct in Queens is headquartered at 92-08 222nd Street in Queens Village. If you go there, you'll see it's a bustling hub, but it’s essentially the nerve center for a dozen different micro-communities. Think about the variety. You’ve got Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Bellerose, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, and parts of Floral Park.
Some of these neighborhoods look more like Levittown than Long Island City. We’re talking detached houses, manicured lawns, and a serious reliance on cars. This makes the 105th a "driving" precinct. While a beat cop in the 114th in Astoria might spend their day walking under the elevated train, a cop in the 105th is almost certainly in a cruiser.
Traffic is the bane of everyone's existence here. Between the Cross Island, the Grand Central, and the Van Wyck nearby, the 105th is effectively the gateway to Long Island. This creates a specific set of challenges. High-speed chases? Rare, but they happen. More common? Massive fender benders that bottle up the precinct’s resources for hours.
The Rosedale Satellite: Why One Building Wasn't Enough
For years, people in the southern part of the precinct—places like Rosedale and Springfield Gardens—felt a bit neglected. It’s a valid complaint. If an emergency happens near Brookville Park and the nearest car is up by the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, that’s a long, stress-filled drive through some of the worst traffic in the borough.
The NYPD finally addressed this by establishing the 105th Precinct Satellite. Located at 242-40 243rd Street, this isn't just a small office; it’s a fully functional base of operations designed to cut down response times. It was a massive win for the community. It’s basically like having a "105-B" precinct without officially splitting the command in two, which would involve a whole mess of bureaucratic red tape regarding precinct numbers and boundaries.
Safety, Stats, and the Reality of Crime
Let’s talk numbers, but keep it real. If you look at the CompStat reports for the 105th Precinct in Queens, you’ll see a pattern that reflects its geography. This isn't a high-crime area compared to some other parts of the city, but it’s not immune to the "suburban" style of crime.
What does that mean?
- Grand Larceny Auto (GLA): This is a big one. Because so many people own cars and park them in driveways or on quiet streets, car theft and "rim sliding" (stealing tires/rims) are persistent issues.
- Residential Burglaries: Thieves often target the quieter streets of Laurelton or Glen Oaks, betting on the fact that neighbors might be at work and the streets are empty.
- Identity Theft: Since the 105th has a higher-than-average percentage of homeowners and seniors, financial crimes and scams are frequently reported.
According to recent NYPD data, major felony crimes in the 105th generally trend lower than the citywide average per capita, but when spikes happen, they are usually driven by property crime rather than the violent street crime you might see in more densely packed urban centers.
The Impact of Community Policing
One thing the 105th does fairly well is the Neighborhood Coordination Officer (NCO) program. In a precinct this big, you can’t just have "random" cops patrolling. You need guys who know which house has the loud dog and which corner always has the illegal double-parking. The NCOs in the 105th are often seen at community board meetings (Community Board 13 is the big one here) and precinct council meetings.
These meetings aren't just for show. They’re where residents yell about the drag racing on 222nd Street or the "zombie houses" that have been abandoned since the 2008 housing crisis and are now attracting squatters.
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The Creedmoor Factor
You can’t talk about the 105th Precinct in Queens without mentioning Creedmoor. The Creedmoor Psychiatric Center is a massive campus that has seen better days. While much of it is still a functioning state facility, parts of the grounds have been repurposed or left dormant.
Recently, the site has been a flashpoint for political and social tension. Plans to use parts of the campus for large-scale migrant centers or new housing developments have put the 105th Precinct right in the middle of a community firestorm. Protests, town halls, and increased police presence around the 105th’s northern border have become the "new normal" as the city grapples with how to use this historic, underutilized land.
Officers here have to balance the rights of protesters with the concerns of residents who feel like their quiet neighborhood is being transformed overnight without their input. It’s a delicate dance.
Why the Border Matters
Living in the 105th means living on the edge. Literally.
One side of the street might be the NYPD’s jurisdiction, while the other side is the Nassau County Police Department. This creates some interesting jurisdictional overlaps. If a crime starts in Bellerose, Queens, and ends in Floral Park, Long Island, it involves a handoff between two of the largest police forces in the country.
Residents often play a game of "which side of the line am I on?" when calling 311 or 911. The 105th works closely with Nassau’s 3rd and 5th Precincts. They share intel on burglary rings that cross the border, knowing that a thief doesn't care about the "Welcome to Queens" sign.
Navigating the 105th: A Resident's Guide
If you’re moving to the area or just visiting, the 105th Precinct is generally a safe, stable environment. But you have to be smart.
- Secure your vehicle. It sounds cliché, but the 105th is a "car" precinct. Don't leave your keys in the ignition while you run into the deli on Jamaica Ave. Don't leave packages visible in the backseat.
- Join the Precinct Council. The 105th Precinct Community Council meets on the last Wednesday of every month (usually). It’s the best way to get direct access to the Commanding Officer. If you have a recurring issue with a specific block, this is where you go.
- Understand the Satellite. If you live south of the Belt Parkway, don't go to the Queens Village station house for a simple report. Use the Rosedale Satellite. It’ll save you forty minutes of travel time.
- Know your NCOs. Look up the specific "Sector" you live in. The 105th is divided into sectors (Adam, Boy, Charlie, etc.). Finding the email address of your specific NCO can get things fixed way faster than a generic 911 call for non-emergencies.
What People Get Wrong About the 105th
Most people hear "Queens" and think of the 7 train or Citi Field. The 105th is nothing like that. It’s a precinct of backyards and driveway basketball hoops. It’s a place where the biggest news might be a water main break or a particularly bad backup on the Hempstead Turnpike.
But it’s also a place of immense pride. The people who live here—many of whom are city workers, nurses, and teachers—view the 105th as the last bastion of the middle class in New York City. The relationship with the precinct reflects that. There’s a high expectation of service because the people here pay their taxes and take care of their property.
The officers of the 105th have a tough job because they are essentially "small-town" cops in the middle of the world’s biggest city. They deal with the mundane—lost dogs and noise complaints—while remaining ready for the high-stakes reality of NYC policing.
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How to Contact and Get Involved
If you need to reach out, here is the basic info you’ll need:
- Main Precinct: (718) 776-9090
- Community Affairs: (718) 776-9160
- Crime Prevention: (718) 776-9207
Keep in mind that for any real emergency, 911 is still the only way to go. For everything else, the 105th's social media accounts (specifically X, formerly Twitter) are actually surprisingly active with updates on road closures and community events.
Next Steps for Residents:
- Check the NYPD "My Precinct" tool to identify your specific Sector and NCO names.
- Attend the next Community Board 13 meeting to hear about local zoning and safety issues.
- Sign up for the "Operation Safe Shopper" program if you are a local business owner within the 105th’s boundaries to help link your security cameras with police investigations.