New 45th captain promises to get involved with commuity

After less than eight hours on the job the new captain of the 45th Precinct, Russell Green stood before a crowded meeting of the Miles Avenue Block Association.

Community residents and business leaders from around Throggs Neck had voiced their concerns about everything from muggings to loud music. Then it was his turn to reassure them the precinct was on the job.

Green’s first day on the job was Monday, August 23. He replacesCaptain Dimitrios Roumeliotis. Community Affairs officials with the 45th Precinct said the NYPD assigned Roumeliotis to a precinct in Brooklyn, although they did not name the exact precinct. He had led the precinct for more than a year.

Since starting out as an officer in the 52nd Precinct about 14 years ago, Green has risen through the ranks, becoming an executive officer of the 42nd, 43rd, 44th precincts. He spent last year as the commanding officer at Orchard Beach.

He said it was his time at Orchard Beach that makes him so comfortable in coming to the 45th Precinct, which covers an area from Westchester Square to City Island, and from Ft. Schuyler to Co-op City.

“I’ve had a lot of experience with different communities, each with diverse neighborhoods, some different than the 45th Precinct, and some similar,” he said. “I don’t have many concerns yet, because I have experience in other precincts and I know what is takes for the precinct and communities to work well together.”

The 36-year-old Captain Green was born in the Bainbridge area of the Bronx and lived there until he was about five-years old. But this is not a homecoming for the new captain, since he has been stationed in the Bronx for the last nine years.

“I do think that the reason I was put here was to address these major issues and to get involved with the community issues here. It’s something I like to do,” he told the community association members. “You will see me out on the streets and I will do everything in my power to be there.”

“Overall we’ve been keeping even with the city-wide crime reductions, and while there may have been some blips here and there the overall trend shows the officers are working hard and we’ll continue those reductions,” he said. “I certainly can see from tonight working with the community is also important.”