Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz today joined NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Bill Chong to announce the expansion of 17 new Saturday Night Lights (SNL) program sites in Queens County, an important step in increasing access to this public initiative that is focused on youth development and violence prevention.

DA Katz said, “The growth of the Saturday Night Lights (SNL) program reflects the importance of empowering young New Yorkers to make good choices. Without such choices, Saturday nights can provide too many opportunities for getting into trouble. Saturday Night Lights is a program that enables young participants to spend that time in positive ways, engaging in team building experiences, high-intensity sports and other recreational activities. This expansion across Queens represents keen investment in our youth, our communities, and public safety in our borough.”

NYPD Commissioner Shea said, “The expansion of Saturday Night Lights is an exciting step on the path forward for the NYPD and our partners to build trust and create opportunities for young people.  This has always been important – but it has never been more important than at this moment.”

Designed to reduce city-wide trends of heightened weekend crime rates, Saturday Night Lights offers recreational programming for young people ages 11 – 18, on Saturday evenings from 5 to 9 pm. Community and government partners have collaborated on a citywide effort to have 100 Saturday Night Lights programs in operation between July 10, 2021 and June 30, 2022.

New Saturday Night Lights sites in Queens include:

• YMCA of Greater New York Rockaway YMCA (207 Beach 73rd Street) NYPD Precinct: 100
• The Child Center of NY Ocean Bay Cornerstone (57-10 Beach Channel Drive) NYPD Precinct: 101
• The Child Center of NY Redfern (1544 Hassock St) NYPD Precinct: 101
• The Child Center of NY Oceanside Cornerstone (339 Beach 54th Street) Precinct: 101
• Greater Ridgewood Youth Council Boys and Girls Club of Metro Queens (110-04 Atlantic Ave) NYPD Precinct: 102
• Jamaica YMCA Jamaica YMCA (89-25 Parsons Blvd) NYPD Precinct: 103
• SQPA IS 8 (108-35 167 Street) NYPD Precinct: 103
• SQPA South Jamaica II 109-04 160th Street) Precinct: 103
• YMCA of Greater New York Ridgewood YMCA (69-02 64th Street) NYPD Precinct: 104
• YMCA of Greater New York Cross Island YMCA (238-10 Hillside Avenue) NYPD Precinct: 105
• CITC Thomas Edison High School (165-65 84th Ave); Original Location (Re-opening Date TBD): August Martin High School (156-10 Baisley Blvd) NYPD Precinct(s): 107 & 113
• YMCA of Greater New York Long Island City YMCA (32-23 Queens Boulevard) NYPD Precinct: 108
• The Child Center of NY Latimer Gardens Cornerstone (34-30 137th Street) NYPD Precinct: 109
• The Child Center of NY S. 72 (133-25 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.) NYPD Precinct: 113
• HANAC Inc Astoria (4-05 Astoria Blvd) NYPD Precinct: 114
• Greater Ridgewood Youth IS 204 (36-41 28th Street) NYPD Precinct: 114
• Police Athletic League (PAL) Edward Byrne Center 116-25 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. 11434 Precinct: 103 

Three other sites in Queens are expected to be added in the weeks ahead.