"Those that have means and resources are able to bring more safety to the area. You suffer if you are not in a tony or sexy neighborhood," said Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, the chairwoman of the Committee on Parks and Recreation.
“Clearly, we have to fight for more resources to ensure our parks are being protected correctly — in all communities,” She said in an interview after the hearing. “There really is a disparity.”
First Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Liam Kavanaugh, and Assistant Commissioner of Urban Park Services Michael Dockett testify at Wednesday's hearing. Despite a 24% increase in Park Crime in 2010 according NYPD statistics, when asked if crime had risen Mr. Kavanaugh replied, "no." He also testified that PEP have no impact on crime. Photos: © Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates (Click on images to Enlarge)
Despite having the least amount of park space and the third highest population, Manhattan has more than 15 times the number of Parks Enforcement officers as other boroughs. On any given day there may be as few as two full-time PEP officers available to patrol more than 6,700 acres of public parkland in Queens, two officers for 6,970 acres in the Bronx, or five for Brooklyn's 4,336 acres, and as few as five for Staten Island's 7, 400, acres. These numbers drop further when you factor in vacations, sick days and regular days off.
And that's the good news: During the summer the number of PEP officers available for patrol declines even more as the majority of its personnel, including seasonal workers, are deployed to beaches and pools. This further leaves the vast majority of the Parks Department's 29,000 acres further unprotected.
By sharp contrast, an increasing number of public parks - almost exclusively in Manhattan that have a dedicated security presence, some even 24/7. More than 50% of PEP are now permanently assigned to parks run by private nonprofits, or other government agencies that buy their services. A few shell out more than $2 million dollars annually. (Battery Park City and Hudson River Park) In fact contractually these parks and others are required to have a minimum number of PEP officers deployed.
To make matters worse the Parks Department continues to misrepresent the number of officers apparently with the blessing of Mayor Bloomberg. Parks spokesperson Vickie Karp said that Manhattan had 34 PEP officers instead of the actual number of 94. Several news organizations including the New York Times and NY 1 reported the erroneous numbers. These numbers also include supervisors who are not dedicated for patrol. (For a break down see below)
Queens Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras asked how many PEP officers were assigned to the heavily utilized 1200 acre Flushing Meadows Corona Park. At first Mr. Dockett tried to represent there were 12 officers. Upon further questioning the number dwindled down to 2. The actual number however is zero as the park does not have a single dedicated PEP officer assigned to the park year-round. In fact the entire borough of Queens has only 7 officers available for patrol.
Missing Officers
This year's budget (FY11) includes an allocation of $11.3 million in tax levy for 151 PEP officers. However Mr. Kavanaugh testified that the city had only 92 tax payer funded positions. When asked why he did not hire as many PEP officers as was allotted in the budget, the deputy commissioner erroneously stated that there is no specific allotment for PEP officers in the budget.
Queens Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley responded by pointing out that she had attended the department's budget hearings and noted a specific number of PEP slots worked into the budget—a number that has been repeatedly higher than the actual officers on staff over the years.
In an effort clearly meant to protect the Mayor Mr. Kavanaugh provided no accounting or explanation for the missing officers other than to say,
“Unfortunately, we are unable to replace people who leave of their own volition,” replied Kavanaugh. He explained that the marked decrease in the number of officers over the years is a result of attrition and promotion, which, according to budgetary stipulations, the department cannot make up for with new hires."
"Where is this money," Joe Puleo, vice president of Local 983 which represents PEP officers asked after the hearing. "The elected officials allocated these funds why isn't it being spent. Where has it been diverted?"
Parks officials made a number of false and inconsistent statements at the hearing.
In the coming months, the Committee on Parks and Recreation plans to hold another hearing jointly with the Public Safety Committee on crime in parks. The hearing will continue to examine these issues as well as the city's compliance with local Law 114 of 2005 which mandates the tracking and reporting of crime in parks. By 2008 the city was supposed to track crime in all parks and playgrounds one acre in size and larger which they are not doing. — Geoffrey Croft
City-Wide
Manhattan's parks have the cash—and the safety patrol that comes with it. As crime rises in the city's parks and the number of patrolling officers decreases, Manhattan's privately managed parkland has plenty of officers on hand, according to the Epoch Times.
Outer boroughs are “getting the short end of the stick,” because they rely on public funds, said Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras of Queens. Private entities, such as Battery Park City Authority, Hudson River Park Trust, and Central Park Conservancy, are drawn to the “sexy” parks of Manhattan, as Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito put it.
“Our communities are sexy, too. It's just that we're broke,” joked Ferreras.
Geoffrey Croft, president of New York City Park Advocates, a nonprofit watchdog group, called it a “tale of two cities.” He took the council members on a virtual tour of the city, passing through Battery Park City, where 35 PEP officers patrol 35 acres, and the Bronx, where 8 officers patrol 6,000 acres.
TALE OF TWO CITIES: Geoffrey Croft, president of New York City Park Advocates, called the distribution of Park Enforcement Patrol officers a "tale of two cities," as he went through different parks on the map and illustrated a disparate allotment of officers to each at a City Council hearing on Wednesday. (Tara MacIsaac/The Epoch Times)
According to Croft’s count, obtained on Thursday of last week, 40 publicly funded officers patrol 28,000 acres of parkland in New York City: seven in Queens, eight in the Bronx, seven in Brooklyn, five in Staten Island, and 13 in Manhattan.
Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Liam Kavanaugh provided a higher number, 92, which more than doubled Croft's count. Croft said Kavanaugh's numbers include officers stationed in recreation centers, as well as officers on vacation, sick leave, or otherwise occupied but not actually walking through the parks.
Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation Liam Kavanaugh provided a higher number, 92, which more than doubled Croft's count. Croft said Kavanaugh's numbers include officers stationed in recreation centers, as well as officers on vacation, sick leave, or otherwise occupied but not actually walking through the parks.
According to Croft's figures, 71 private officers are on patrol in Manhattan, seven in Brooklyn, and none in the other boroughs. This matched the numbers Kavanaugh gave at one point during the hearing, although he specified different figures at another time—and his office provided still different numbers after the meeting.
At one point, the deputy commissioner was asked to account for 209 sworn PEP officers. His figures totaled 149.
Kavanaugh said the privatestewardship of parks is a great relief to the city, allowing the Department of Parks and Recreation to use its resources elsewhere.
Manhattan has half the parkland of any other borough, 102 NYPD officers at the Central Park Precinct, and a wealth of private PEP officers. However, more publicly funded officers are still allocated to the borough.
“Manhattan has the highest population density of any borough and the lowest per-capita parkland, and that creates much more regular use in the parks than we see in other boroughs. The day-time population increases to 4.2 million people, because of all the people who come to work here,” explained Kavanaugh. He also noted that 38 percent of the 311 calls related to parks come from Manhattan, and 45 percent of calls to the Parks Department relate to Manhattan parks.
At one point, the deputy commissioner was asked to account for 209 sworn PEP officers. His figures totaled 149.
Kavanaugh said the privatestewardship of parks is a great relief to the city, allowing the Department of Parks and Recreation to use its resources elsewhere.
Manhattan has half the parkland of any other borough, 102 NYPD officers at the Central Park Precinct, and a wealth of private PEP officers. However, more publicly funded officers are still allocated to the borough.
“Manhattan has the highest population density of any borough and the lowest per-capita parkland, and that creates much more regular use in the parks than we see in other boroughs. The day-time population increases to 4.2 million people, because of all the people who come to work here,” explained Kavanaugh. He also noted that 38 percent of the 311 calls related to parks come from Manhattan, and 45 percent of calls to the Parks Department relate to Manhattan parks.
On March 8, 2011 a single PEP officer was available for patrolling close to 7, 000 acres of Bronx parkland
Ferreras' rebuttal was quick and cutting: “The reality is that my community has a very tough time in understanding why their services are being taken away, and 311 isn't the first thing they're thinking about. They're trying to pay their rent; they're trying to survive; they're trying to learn English. They're trying to participate in this New York society that we're talking about, and 311 isn't necessarily part of the culture.”
Flushing Meadows in Queens spans more than 1,000 acres and has two officers on patrol. If anything happens in the park, it would be nearly impossible to find an officer, Ferreras said.
The city's parks saw a 24 percent increase in crime in 2010, noted Croft. Kavanaugh denied any rise in crime, but NYPD has confirmed an increase.
When asked why he did not hire as many PEP officers as was allotted in the budget, the deputy commissioner responded that there is no specific allotment for PEP officers in the budget.
Croft countered that this year's budget includes 151 PEP officers at $11.3 million. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley added that she had attended the department's budget hearings and noted a specific number of PEP slots worked into the budget—a number that has been repeatedly higher than the actual officers on staff over the years.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to replace people who leave of their own volition,” replied Kavanaugh. He explained that the marked decrease in the number of officers over the years is a result of attrition and promotion, which, according to budgetary stipulations, the department cannot make up for with new hires.
The peak number of officers during Kavanaugh's three-term tenure was 157 in 2007, nearly twice the 92 publicly funded officers currently on duty. Croft pointed out that 450 PEP officers patrolled the city's parks in the mid-1990s.
Councilman James Vacca of the Bronx insisted that even as the department falls far short of the 151 PEP officers allotted by the budget, the budget should actually include even more officers. PEP is a revenue-generating entity, he pointed out.
Kavanaugh reported that PEP handed out approximately 8,300 summonses in 2010, from canine- and alcohol-related offenses to parking violations; the city collected $350,000. Vacca argued that if the city was more stringent in collecting its dues, it could afford to provide all boroughs and parks the kind of security enjoyed by the privately managed parks in Manhattan.
PEP available for Patrol broken down by location including borough as of Thursday April 21, 2011.
Bronx - (For 6,970,00 acres)
5 PEP
2 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
Brooklyn - (For 4,336,00 acres)
7 - PEP
3 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
MaCarren Park (35 acres)
1 PEP - (Privately funded)
Brooklyn Bridge Park (25 acres)
6 - PEP
3 - Sgt.
(Park privately funded through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) from residential charges)
Manhattan - (2,704,00 acres)
Union Sq. (3.5 acres)
2 PEP
(privately funded)
Washington Sq. (for 10 acres)
2 PEP
(Privately funded)
Madison Sq. (For 6 acres)
3 - PEP plus Dedicated Seasonal
(Privately funded)
Riverside Park (South) (For 7 acres)
5 - PEP
1 - Sgt.
(Privately funded through residential charges)
Riverside Park (North) - (For 316 acres)
0 - PEP
Morningside Park (30 acres)
1 - PEP (Privately funded)
Hudson River Park - (For 150 Acres)
26 PEP
4 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
High Line (2.8 acres)
4 - PEP
2 - Sgt.
Battery Park City - (For 35 acres)
35 PEP
6 - Sgt.
1 - Capt.
Plus desk CSA's
(City/State park privately funded through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) from residential charges)
Central Park
7 - North Meadow
3 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
West Harlem Piers - (2 acres)
4 - PEP (Privately funded)
Manhattan North - 125th Street to Tip - (Acres N/A)
3 - PEP
2 - AUPR (Sergeants - Supervisors)
Manhattan South - 59th Street - to the Battery (Acres N/A)
3 - PEP
1 - Sgt.
1 - Capt.
Central Park* - (For 843 acres)
102 available for patrol
20 Supervisors
*Note: Central Park has the only NYPD precinct located in a park.
Queens (For 7,300,00 acres)
7 PEP
3 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
Staten Island (For 7,417,00 acres)
5 - PEP
3 - Sgt.
1 - Captain
Mounted (for events)
2 PEP
1 Sgt.
(On patrol less than four hours out of eight hour tour)
City-Wide
14
Source: NYC Park Advocates, DPR.
Read More:
The Epoch Times - April 27, 2011 - By Tara MacIsaac
Metro NY - April 27, 2011 - By Alison Bowen
DNAinfo - April 27, 2011 - By By Jill Colvin and Jeff Mays
NY 1 - April 28, 2011 - By Dean Meminger
New York Daily News - May 3, 2011 - By Daniel Beekman and Lisa L. Colangelo
The Chief - May 2, 2011 - By David Sims
NY 1 Noticias - April 27, 2011 - Por Luz Plasencia
New York Times - April 27, 2011 - By Ashley Parker
Parks & Recreation Committee Holds Hearing on Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) Program
NYC Council Parks & Recreation Committee Blog - April 29, 2011
WNYC - April 27, 2011 - By By Brian Zumhagen
New York Daily News - April 26, 2011- Lisa Coangelo
Park Enforcement Officers Say They Need More Numbers
NY 1 - March 11, 2011 - By Dean Meminger
A Walk In The Park - March 8, 2011
A Walk In The Park - September 30, 2010 - By Geoffrey Croft
A Walk In The Park - September 28, 2010
A Walk In The Park - March 18, 2010
New York Daily News - September 2, 2009 - By Geoffrey Croft
New York Daily News - June 10, 2009 - By Joy Resmovits, Kenny Porpora and Erin Einhorn
New York Daily News - October 4, 2008 - By Lisa L. Coangelo
