New Yorkers for Parks and New York League of Conservation Voters Support Council Members’ Call to Reallocate Funding from NYPD to Parks Enforcement Patrol
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2020
Contact: Megan Douglas, megan@anatgerstein.com , 347-925-0101
New York, NY -- Adam Ganser, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks, and Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, founding members of the Play Fair campaign, released the following statement in support of Council Members Andrew Cohen, Peter Koo, Barry Grodenchik and other New York City Council Members calling on Mayor de Blasio to reallocate funding from the New York Police Department to the city’s Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) team in the FY 2021 budget:
“We applaud the leadership of Council Members Cohen, Koo, Grodenchik and every other member of the New York City Council who joined them in calling on Mayor de Blasio to reallocate funding from the NYPD to the Parks Enforcement Patrol. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how essential parks and open spaces are to the physical and mental health of New Yorkers. However, it’s also clear that these spaces are not equally welcoming to everyone and that we must do more to make them truly accessible to all. Putting safety and enforcement responsibility into the hands of NYC Parks staff will go a long way toward doing so, while also helping to ensure that parks are well-maintained and cared for.
The NYC Parks Department controls 14% of all city land and yet on average it receives just a little over 0.5% of the city budget. Last year the Play Fair campaign secured an additional 80 PEP officers in the fiscal year 2020 discretionary budget. Those positions are due to expire at the end of the month, and we are calling on the mayor to baseline them. It is long past time for the city to invest in the infrastructure and services that keep communities healthy and whole. We strongly urge Mayor de Blasio to follow the recommendations put forth in the letter from the Council Members, and to reallocate funding from the NYPD to PEP in the FY 2021 budget.”
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About New Yorkers for Parks:
For over 100 years New Yorkers for Parks has been the independent champion for quality parks and open space for all New Yorkers. Through research, advocacy, and the Daffodil Project, New Yorkers for Parks works with communities and elected officials to promote and preserve quality open space across the city. They are a founding member of Play Fair, a multiyear campaign to protect and create jobs, ensure open spaces receive essential maintenance and care, and provide equitable access to nature, particularly in light of the increased need for parks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more: www.ny4p.org or www.playfair.nyc
About The New York League of Conservation Voters:
The New York League of Conservation Voters is the only non-partisan, statewide environmental organization in New York that takes a pragmatic approach to fighting for clean water, healthy air, renewable energy, and open space. They are a founding member of Play Fair, a multiyear campaign to protect and create jobs, ensure open spaces receive essential maintenance and care, and provide equitable access to nature, particularly in light of the increased need for parks during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.nylcv.org