A man and two women appear to be smoking crack cocaine out of glass tubes in Washington Square Park. (Photo: Illustration by The New York Post)
Manhattan
The police stepped up patrols in Washington Square Park after a report depicting rampart drug use and homeless condictions was published that called out the police for allowing the "open-air drug den."
On Thursday the New York Post ran a article with photographs of apparent drug use and dealing
in broad daylight in the famed West Village park and called out the police for doing nothing about it.
A Parks Department worker admitted he and his colleagues didn’t like to clean the area because the vagrants openly smoke crack.
The paper said increased police presents began on Friday at 7:00am with a van driving around and two officers on foot were stationed in the northwest corner of the park — the spot where it was reported that about, "20 strung-out vagrants were seen the previous day dealing drugs and urinating on trees."
“It’s looking like the ’80s lately,” said Martinez, 24. “If [cops] are not being told to do anything from higher up, they’re not going to do anything.”
With police watching on Friday, Parks Department workers were able to safely clean up the druggies’ garbage.
The NYPD admitted receiving more complaints about that area of the park and a spokesman promised additional cops will be assigned.
But the junkies were unimpressed.
Two men approached a Post photographer Friday and began cursing in full view of the cops.
“I’ll beat your f–king a– if you take a picture of me,” one of the men said.
As the man continued to scream, the police walked away.
“You shouldn’t be here,” one vagrant told the photographer. “These cops won’t even be able to help you. Some of the guys here are really pissed off. You should leave. I’m just warning you.”
Later, a cop was overheard joking with the vagrants, saying, “I know everybody, I’ve been working here 14 years.”
Andres Vlez, 20, who works in the area, said,
“The hard drugs that are being used is really sad. I just think they need to do more about it. It’s definitely the cops’ responsibility.”
Apparent drug dealers make a transaction in Washington Square Park Thursday, then count their money (below). (Photo: David McGlynn)
Read More:
NYPD Increases Patrols At Washington Square Park To Crack Down On Drug Use
CBS - August 5, 2016 - By Glenn Schuck
POLICE INCREASE PATROLS IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK,
30 ARRESTED IN RECENT MONTHS
WABC - August 5, 2016 - By Jim Dolan
Cops finally take on Washington Square Park crackheads
New York Post - August 5, 2016 - By Matthew Allan, Abigail Gepner and Linda Massarella
Crackheads, bums and hookers rule Washington Square Park
New York Post - August 4, 2016 - By Matthew Allan and Bruce Golding
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