Newtown Historical Society has been providing research to support the street co-naming requests of Council Members Holden and Ariola as well as others throughout Queens.

The Following Co-Namings Took Place This Spring.

Patrolman Arthur Kenney of the 110th Precinct was sent on plainclothes duty assignment in Woodhaven as part of an effort to capture the Radio Burglar, who had been targeting that area in 1926. He confronted the perp as he exited a house and was shot. He later died of his injuries at a hospital. On April 4th, 90th Avenue was co-named in his honor. (above)

Paul Schmalzried of Astoria was a firefighter assigned to Engine 6 in Manhattan on 9/11. He responded that day and subsequently worked at Ground Zero during recovery efforts. He continued with FDNY and eventually rose in rank to Captain before being diagnosed with a 9/11-related illness in 2022 and sadly died shortly thereafter. The section of 31st Avenue where he lived was co-named for him on April 9th. (above)

Patrolman Charles Reynolds, a mounted officer of the 104th Precinct was off-duty when he and fellow off-duty cop Frank Romanella of the 13th precinct pursued a car full of suspects crossing the Queensboro Bridge in 1923. A woman in the car was screaming and they were trying to make sure she was ok. They pulled the car over and one of the 3 men inside shot and killed them both. On April 13th, 62nd Street, where Reynolds kept his horse stabled, was co-named in his honor. (above).(An appropriate tribute to Romanella is being worked on.)

Stanislaw Kozikowski lived a humble life in Maspeth and worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a machinist for decades. But it wasn’t widely known that he was a member of the Lost Battalion during WWI who had been awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross for heroism on the battlefield. Private Kozikowski, together with another soldier, volunteered to carry a message through the German lines, although he was aware that several unsuccessful attempts had been previously made by patrols and members of which were either killed, wounded, or driven back. By his courage and determination, he succeeded in delivering the message and brought relief to his battalion. On April 20th, the section of Perry Avenue where he lived was co-named for him. (above)

School Safety Agent Orville Williams had just broken up one fight at Franklin K. Lane High School and was in the process of responding to another altercation when he suffered a heart attack in 1999. He was only 25 years old. Dexter Court outside the school, was co-named in his honor on May 4th. (above)

While off duty in 1981, P.O. Robert E. Walsh of NYPD’s 7th Precinct was shot execution style in 1981 a block from his Maspeth home during a bar robbery that he tried to stop. The shooter was 16 years old at the time and was released from prison several years ago. We co-named 54th Place in Walsh’s honor on May 18th. (above)

Patrolman John Madden of the 104th Precinct suffered a fatal heart attack in 1968 after pursuing several suspects on foot on Stockholm Street in Brooklyn. After chasing the suspects, Patrolman Madden complained of chest pains. He was taken to Wyckoff Heights Hospital, where he died. Patrolman Madden was a United States Navy Reserve WWII veteran and had served with the New York City Police Department for 19 years. On June 1st, 70th Street in Middle Village, where Madden lived, was co-named in his honor. (above)

On June 22nd, we will be honoring Lt. Henry Schmiemann (above) of the NYPD Inspection Services Division with a co-naming at 82nd Place and Penelope Avenue. Lieutenant Schmiemann was leaving his house on his way to work in 1974 when an armed man approached him and ordered him to turn over this money. Schmiemann drew his weapon and identified himself as an officer. The suspect shot the lieutenant and as he fled, Schmiemann was able to return fire and wounded him. The suspect was arrested later in the day when he sought medical attention for his wound, was charged with and later convicted of murder, and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison where he still resides.