Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  BENNETT LANCE
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
01/26/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES INC [DCOM]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
209 HAVEMEYER STREET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive VP & General Counsel
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

BROOKLYN, NY 11211		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 7,448
I
401(k) Plan
Common Stock 14,973
D
 
Common Stock 9,276
I
ESOP
Restricted Stock Award 12,793
I
Restricted Stock Award

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 05/01/2011 05/01/2017 Common Stock 11,250 $ 13.74 I Stock Options
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 04/29/2012(1) 04/29/2021 Common Stock 4,758 $ 15.46 I Stock Options
Stock Options (Right to Buy) 01/27/2009 01/27/2014 Common Stock 11,250 $ 19.9 I Stock Options

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
BENNETT LANCE
209 HAVEMEYER STREET
BROOKLYN, NY 11211		       Executive VP & General Counsel  

Signatures

/s/ LANCE BENNETT 01/26/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Amount vests in equal annual installments on April 29, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.