Parks Department Pledges To Deploy More Patrols At Night In Up Town Parks After Spike in Crime

Manhattan

The 34th PCT's new commanding officer Barry Buzzetti is on his 7th day at the helm and told residents new vehicle units with computers and maps and more police officers will be on the streets from now on, according to WPIX News.

Officers will be transferred from tourist areas in the city to patrol the uptown neighborhood during the day and at critical times according to Deputy Inspector Buzzetti.

Police are also working closely with the NYC Parks Department to deploy more patrols in parks at night and requesting auxiliary police officers to be used in the area as well. He also asked residents continue to be vigilant saying "we need true collaboration".

"I actually want to see it done, maybe in a month, two three months when things calm down, if I see a better result, then I will feel better," Gerard Urciuoli, an Inwood resident said.

A self defense class hosted by the Guardian Angels is scheduled for Thursday, September 1 from 6:45-8:45PM at Northeast Academy.

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WPIX - August 24, 2011- By Lolita Lopez

Sword-Wielding Man Arrested In Clove Lakes Park

Staten Island

A sword-wielding lunatic was collared after he was spotted in Clove Lakes Park in West Brighton, authorities said, according to the New York Post.

Dylan Vok, 28, was seen waving the 4-foot blade at Martling and Slosson avenues at 9:20 a.m. Monday, court papers state.

Vok, who was arrested in May for allegedly vandalizing 10 cars with a skateboard, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a knife.

NYPD Daily Blotter

New York Post - August 24, 2011 - By Doug Auer, Jessica Simeone, Kirstan Conley & Jamie Schram

Two Men Wanted In String of Robberies Near Morningside Park

The two suspects sought by police for multiple robberies around Morningside Park can be seen walking by park benches in the video released by police.

Manhattan

Police are looking for two men wanted for a string of broad daylight robberies near Morningside Park, according to DNAinfo.

The suspects — one who threatened and robbed the victims while the other acted as a lookout — struck four separate times around the park beginning Aug. 12, according to police.

In the last incident, on Aug. 21, one suspect, wielding a knife, stole money and a cell phone from a 23-year-old man at Morningside Drive and 116th Street about 2 p.m., police said.

The duo also allegedly stole three other cellphones and an iPod during the spree. In one other case, they simulated a knife, police said.

The first suspect is described as a man between 16-25 years old, 5-feet-7 to 6-feet-1 and between 160 and 190 pounds.

The second is described as 18-21 years old, between 5-feet-7 and 5-feet-11 and between 160 and 170 pounds.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477), submit tips to Crime Stoppers' website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by text tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

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Duo Robs Four in Broad Daylight Near Morningside Park, Police Say

DNAinfo - August 24, 2011 - By Ben Fractenberg

Mother Robbed, Punched In The Face In Fort Tryon Park Incedent

Manhattan

A heartless crook was nabbed after he robbed a mother in front of her two young children as they strolled outside an Inwood park., according to the New York Daily News.

Ishmael Velez, 40, walked up to a 33-year-old woman as she pushed a carriage near the park at Broadway near Dongan Place, just inside Fort Tryon Park about 1:30 p.m. yesterday. Without saying a word, he slugged the woman in the face and he snatched her purse, then fled, said police.

A witness to the attack came to the woman's aide and called police.

Cops nabbed Velez a few blocks away on Dyckman Street near Nagle Avenue about a half hour later, police said. He was still carrying the stolen purse when they nabbed him, said cops.

The woman was not seriously hurt.

Velez was charged with robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

New York Daily News - August 24, 2011 - By John Doyle

Man Murdered In Rosewood Playground - Shot Twice

Bronx

A male black was murdered in a Bronx playground on Sunday night. The victim was shot once in the head and once in the chest in Rosewood Playground in Bronx Park at approximately

7:23 p.m. according to police. The victim died at the scene.

According to the New York Post the incident happened when a fight broke out after a barbecue in Rosewood Playground.

No arrests have been made.

The NYPD were unable ID the victim and no other information was available at this time.

- Geoffrey Croft

Armed Robbery In Central Park

Manhattan

A man was robbed of his I-Pod by 5 male Hispanics inside Central Park yesterday at approximately 10 p.m, according to law enforcement sources. The armed robbery occurred between 59th Street to 61st Street near Fifth Avenue inside the park. No arrests have been made. No further information on the weapon used was available at this time.

This was the second Apple devise robbery in the park this week. On Wednesday, August 16, at 8:45 p.m, a 39-year-old man was robbed while riding a bike in the park near 102 Street and Cross Drive. Two men snatch his I-Phone from his hand. The perps fled on foot. The cyclist chased them and one of the assailants tripped and droped the phone. The cyclist recovered the phone but the robbers escaped. No injuries were reported.

On June 22nd, muggers beat a jogger carrying an iPad in Central Park. - Geoffrey Croft

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Alleged Central Park Muggers Beat Jogger Carrying an iPad

DNAinfo - June 22, 2011 - By Tom Liddy

Parks Department Layoffs Avoided For This Year

The city and its largest municipal union DC 37 reached an agreement to spare 465 jobs in the Parks Department. After the three years is up, however the workers will be phased out. This will be in addition to the hundreds of Parks Department jobs that have been lost over the last few years.

Parks Not the City's Responsibility: During his radio address Friday morning, Bloomberg declared that the responsibility of maintaining the city's parks would increasingly have to be turned over to private individuals and organizations, according to DNAinfo.

"We're gonna have to find other ways to lock in the funding because city government is just not gonna have the resources," the mayor said. "Next year and the year after are gonna be very, very tough."

City-Wide

With just days to go before the layoff notices went out, the city and its largest municipal union reached a breakthrough agreement late yesterday to spare 465 jobs in the Parks Department.

The pact allows the city to proceed with a plan to ask a number of full-time parks workers to voluntarily switch to six-month seasonal duties over the next three years, according to the New York Post.

At the end of their stints, the workers would have to leave the payroll entirely.

Officials estimated the reduction in full-time staffers would save $16 million this fiscal year -- enough to avert the long-threatened layoffs.

"As the mayor has said repeatedly from the beginning of the budget process, if a union is willing to sit down and work with us to create savings, we can avoid some layoffs," said mayoral spokesman Marc LaVorgna.

"This requires both sides being realistic about what's possible and making real compromises."

The deal came just a couple of days after Cas Holloway, the former environmental-protection commissioner, assumed the duties of deputy mayor for operations and took over labor relations.

Also looming was the stunning contract ratified this week by members of the Civil Service Employees Association, the state's largest public-employee union, who agreed to a wage freeze, nine furlough days over two years and higher employee health-care contributions to avert 10,000 layoffs threatened by Gov. Cuomo.

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts issued a statement saying she was "pleased" to save so many parks jobs.

"The union protected the jobs of over 500 of its members when it agreed to allow the city to offer a voluntary attrition program," Roberts said, coming in with a possible job-loss number slightly above the city's.

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City park 'pre$erve': 465 jobs saved in labor pact

New York Post - August 19, 2011 - By David Seifman

Parks Department Layoffs Averted in Deal with Union

DNAinfo - August 19, 2011 - By Olivia Scheck

Parks Department Layoffs Shelved Under New Deal

NY1 News - August 19, 2011

WSJ(8/19) City Reaches Deal To Avert Parks Layoffs

   (From THE WALL STREET JOURNAL)     By Michael Howard Saul 

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration reached an agreement with New York City's largest municipal union to avert 465 layoffs in the parks department, a resolution both sides touted as a win.

"As the mayor has said repeatedly from the beginning of the budget process, if a union is willing to sit down and work with us to create savings, we can avoid some layoffs," said Marc LaVorgna, a spokesman for Mr. Bloomberg, in a statement. District Council 37, which represents the parks workers, agreed to allow full-time employees the option of taking seasonal jobs to avoid layoffs. This allows employees to work six months a year for the next three years. Lillian Roberts, the union's executive director, said she's "pleased" with the agreement.