A Walk in the Park: Park Crime Soars - Mayor Says Crime Is "Rare"

Park Crime Continues To Rise. Violent crime in parks rose twenty-five percent over the last year. Over the last twelve months 7 people were murdered, 18 were raped, 371 people were robbed, and 216 were victims of felony assaults according to the latest park crime data released by the NYPD analyzed by NYC Park Advocates. The de Blasio administration continues to claim that park crime is, "rare." (Click on Graphs to enlarge)

City-Wide

By Geoffrey Croft

As serious crime decreases across the city violent crime in parks have soared over the last year according to the latest figures complied by NYPD and analyzed by NYC Park Advocates.

Six hundred and twelve people reported being the victims of violent crimes in city parks over the last twelve months compared to four hundred and eighty-eight over the previous period, an increase of 25 percent.

Park Crime is up significantly in all four violent crime categories - Murder, Rape, Felony Assault and Robbery.

Total violent crime rose from 488 to 612, a 25% increase: Felony Assault 174 to 216, up 24%: Robbery from 295 to 371, a 26% increase: Rape from 15 to 18, up 20%: Murder went from 4 to 7 incidents, a 75% increase.

This is the first time in the city’s history that comparative crime data for parks is available over a 24 month period.

Over the last twelve months 7 people were murdered, 18 were raped, 371 people were robbed, and 216 were victims of felony assaults.

As a comparison 4 people were raped, 15 were murdered, 295 were robbed, and 174 were victims of felony assaults over the previous year month period.

Statistically a violent crime was reported 1.7 times a day according to the latest figures.

The statistics cover an eighteen month period from July 1, 2014 through June 31, 2016, the latest park crime data released by the NYPD.

The figures do not include Central Park which has its own police precinct.

The De Blasio administration continues downplay crime in parks calling them, “rare.”

A police spokesman said that parks, “are by far the safest place in the entire universe,” and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver called the recent 23% increase in violent park crime, a “small uptick.”

Violent crime in parks rose twenty-five percent over the last year. The city has seen unprecedented job growth recently hiring more than 15,000 full-time employees. Protecting parks is simply not a priority.

For years park safety advocates have called on the city to dramatically increase the number of dedicated park police but they have refused.

Individual boroughs can have as few as two PEP officers available for parol during the summer months when crime is peaking.

This year the City Council refused to allocate a penny for additional park police PEP officers despite the continued dramatic increases in park crime. The city has however hired more than 15,000 full-time emplyees to it workforce since July 2014 the Times reported. Park safety is simply not a priority.

Last week the Police Department’s’ chief of detectives, Robert Boyce said they were deploring “a lot or resources “ in Central Park after the park saw 4 additional violent crimes during the month. “Special attention” would also be paid to other city parks as well said Carlos Gomez, NYPD's chief of department at a news conference providing few details.

Six-Month Comparisons

Total Park Crime is up 39 % during the first six months of 2016 compared to the same period the previous year.

There were 156 robberies - up 36 percent, 94 Felony Assaults up 24 percent.

Second Quarter

During the second quarter 2016 alone over all Park crime jumped 44% percent in the seven categories compared to the previous one time period.

Violent Crime was up 32%, robberies up 58% and Grand Larceny was up 60%.

The striking figures come from the latest crime data tracked by the NYPD under a 2014 law. The NYPD is now compiling crime data from 1,155 park properties, up from just 31 parks police began tracking in 2008.

Twelve Month Data Breakdown