Three vie for DA on Nov. 7

continued from page 2 the first place? Because here’s a crime victim that should not have been, who we should be accountable to.”

He said running his own business gives him insight to the managerial skills that would be needed to run the office.

Mossa said he is disappointed with how, he believes, Katz has allowed politics to guide too many decisions.

“Her political experience should have made her a better DA, because she knows Queens,” he said. “But what she did was took the easy road. She shifted to the left, because that’s where the waters are calmer for her.”

Before being appointed as a judge, Grasso, near the end of a three-decade police career, was one of those in charge of weeding out and prosecuting bad cops.

He retired from the bench to challenge Katz in the Democratic primary over the issue of increasing crime, particularly in parts of what the NYPD calls Patrol Borough Queens North.

“Queens has a serous, serious crime problem, and she has challengers in this election,” Grasso said.

“I’m not interested in the right-wing smell test or the left-wing smell test,” he said. “What I care about is what I believe works, based on my knowledge and experience accumulated over the years.

“We want to be fair to everyone. We want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

We want to create the path to services for people whenever we can. But overarching, we have to stand up for public safety.”

He also has blasted Katz over quality-oflife enforcement for things like shoplifting and turnstile jumping in subway stations, where he believes enforcement can head off bigger problems down the road.

Grasso said his campaign has been an active one, taking him all over Queens. And when heavy rains last Saturday kept many potential voters home?

“It was a perfect day for phone-banking,” he said.

But he also accuses Katz of ducking any engagements – particularly candidate forums — where she would have to contend with him and Mossa.

“I understand the politics,” he said. “You’re the incumbent and you kind of lay low. That’s politics trumping policy. Her conflict isn’t a scheduling conflict. It’s a conflict with Democratic process. Just lay low and talk about the one or two issues that suit you.

“... She’s been given multiple opportunities to debate the issues,” Grasso said. “If we were out there and she disagrees with my approach, if she disagrees with things I’m saying about crime, quality-of-life issues, seeing prostitution emerging — I’ve been to Roosevelt Avenue — and she challenges me and gives facts, I’ll say, ‘You’re right.’ But I haven’t gotten the chance.” Q