[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6513435,"mediaKeyId","5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085","parentId",5071035,"title","Council hears enforcement, safety concerns over e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs in parks","audioSeconds",3689,"startMs",2652000,"endMs",6341000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085&start=2652&end=6341","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085/thumbnail_2652000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6513435/New-York/Council-hears-enforcement-safety-concerns-over-e-bikes-dirt-bikes-and-ATVs-in-parks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6513435-60c73426a8f713093f9ff30c26ccafe1/orig.mp4?Expires=1774898762&Signature=EKWvsAR4an~w59KUnYL0JoU3er~-okRK8RoEbdLfZy8jnGVxSbgF4Vj5O2wMpv0KFjKnEPa2eVAXKlOWkw5TqdV4Ljql8PdXGQwdctAhKYpWOdNGBRR6U7MnBpoemSVVhRtttN8Ms8KqmF~P9wZH4pPLjYHUZu6jff2tURO8uWBOVMuDmXjRbh~XMhtQd-bp6e-PHRhqELpqUXDKFIpoMM7moDO94TDXpiNi3gA-Uko71~fEUibdjd~ODlLlfN-071Beo7htA7Yzd0h31xh1FgXRXF5hxIhGZFYG2k2H-EpdQFzaQEbbspuGHU28fHwh5upNrIuGGg---ETtmwwP-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of New York, NY","date","2025-06-23T19:26:54.23Z","article","Council members raised persistent concerns about electric bicycles, illegal dirt bikes and ATVs operating in city parks and greenways, asking both Parks and NYPD how rules are communicated and enforced and whether legislation or program changes are needed.

Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa said DPR’s approach to the micro-mobility pilot has been to emphasize education before enforcement, including distributing translated flyers and coordinating with NYPD and FDNY on safety messaging tied to lithium-ion battery fire risks. DPR said the pilot for bikes and e-scooters continues through December 2025 and that enforcement is intended to follow education when voluntary compliance fails.

Council questions focused on how the department communicates where micro-mobility is permitted on greenways and on what PEP officers can and will enforce. DPR said it used pamphlets (translated into Spanish, Bengali, French and other languages) and public details to educate riders, and that PEP officers will prioritize education before issuing summonses.

NYPD witnesses described operational constraints for illegal dirt bikes and ATVs, saying pursuits across park terrain pose safety risks. The department said it focuses enforcement on roadways, bridges and tunnels to seize vehicles safely and uses intelligence to target car meets and organized ride-outs. NYPD also described surveillance tools — cameras, Argus systems, and limited drone deployments to respond to 911 calls — as part of its approach.

Public testimony and an online caller urged the council to consider legislative action banning e-bikes in parks (a public commenter referenced an Intro by a council member). Witnesses and council members also cited local examples — motorcycles racing on Juniper Valley Park fields, illegal vendors, and car gatherings adjacent to parks — as evidence of enforcement gaps and pressed for closer coordination, text-alert chains between community stakeholders and police, and more fixed post visibility.

Several council members said the presence of a uniformed vehicle or officer provides a strong deterrent; parks’ and NYPD’s witnesses described seasonal deployment adjustments and joint strategy meetings to address specific park conditions.

Ending: Agencies will provide additional data on pilot metrics, summons counts and enforcement results; council members signaled interest in considering legislative or budgetary steps if the pilot and interagency strategies do not reduce unsafe riding in parks.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","🔴 LIVE: \"Oversight: Law Enforcement’s Role in Keeping City Parks Safe\"","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and witnesses described injuries, disorder and enforcement limits related to illegal e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs in parks; DPR said it emphasizes education and localized pilot enforcement while NYPD described targeted seizures on roadways and data-driven patrols to reduce park incidents.","taxTitle","New York City Council, New York City, New York County, New York","taxId",77593,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6513440,"Parks officials describe outreach-first approach to encampments; 7-day notice for ordered cleanups except emergencies",132,2338000,2470000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085&start=2338&end=2470","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085/thumbnail_2338000.jpg","/articles/6513440/New-York/Parks-officials-describe-outreach-first-approach-to-encampments-7-day-notice-for-ordered-cleanups-except-emergencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6513440-c64b5a4dc58a4a0eda171a02e6b45f36/orig.mp4?Expires=1774898762&Signature=YJO9gNRHr8xfP3z0bnCQTfXdYUQHQuhRyHPjOYfTPXpgCzZgZFKCuWQHB9jzYKL7jAOsTmQSBqnqsmaZvc4C16h-gHUzgqYbu2RS7hkB5LK6CA~W8G-3KZYFiZ1MD282G09IN2ZFp3RPNcPKP9aM5BfTQ7s1TCnfaDhSz6RBjjqO2ramoCPQTswJWD8SmhO7Nt9PkgBJjqVgVLkYHBTrxyetOfsQrMrV8zi4khZdt82swcyBGsm5pOXa~s048oZ4cDCOwsudiLf8FZXbE3ZEucwYGDnMgaOXRO2cgIEZbzCq1hsMwn8IHV-VQS90GU5YbFwXFOSgPL84wctMS6mV0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a New York City Council Committee on Public Safety oversight hearing, Department of Parks & Recreation officials described how the agency and its partners coordinate outreach and cleanups for people experiencing homelessness in parks, emphasizing an “education-first” approach and interagency care coordination.

Assistant Commissioner Asha Harris said DPR works closely with the NYPD Encampments Task Force, Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to offer services and, where needed, conduct cleanups. Harris said DPR conducts notices and outreach and that “part of it is there’s a trust-building component” when engaging people in parks.

Harris told the committee that last year DPR conducted 665 outreach details across the park system and described several instances where officers helped individuals accept services. She said that when an established encampment is determined to be subject to a cleanup by the Encampments Task Force, individuals receive seven days’ notice unless there is an emergency public-health risk requiring immediate action.

Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa reiterated that homelessness itself is not a crime, and she stressed that PEP officers lead with compassion and work to connect people to services before enforcement. DPR also said it coordinates with DOHMH on overdose-reversal training and with DHS and community service providers to link people to shelter or medical care.

Council members pressed agencies on how decisions are made to escalate from outreach to enforcement. DPR said escalation depends on observed violations and public-health risks. Several council members asked for more regular reports on outcomes, including how many people accepted services after outreach and how many cleanups were executed after notices.

The agencies indicated they will continue to coordinate with harm-reduction groups and to refine deployment of outreach and enforcement resources. Council members asked DPR and NYPD for follow-up data on notice timelines, counts of encampment operations, and metrics on service referrals.","DPR and NYPD told the council their approach to homelessness in parks centers on outreach and interagency coordination; when cleanups are ordered they said individuals receive notice and services are offered, with a seven-day notice for established encampments unless there is an emergency public-health risk.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6513445,"Council hearing spots gaps in Parks Enforcement Patrol staffing as agencies tout interagency efforts",7161,1659000,8820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085&start=1659&end=8820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5071035-aa2814a61c1deb5f50ddf1dff8401085/thumbnail_1659000.jpg","/articles/6513445/New-York/Council-hearing-spots-gaps-in-Parks-Enforcement-Patrol-staffing-as-agencies-tout-interagency-efforts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6513445-a32b8036ba1b995c884a0df23cd9e9f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1774898762&Signature=hCj8R3uuBaUu7uq124YkGf1~EAb8Vwpmq0Cqdl2Z58M17MbKyi0aV1Dcc2Imks9C8QrXhhmweZl8Q2G9ZY272KbVj1keFpIhLCjRPyB3Lfjc8Yce4itQeK9lMCqj8HIv4hvoZuAKvZxDpVboylWymW9Yqr6Em6aY~sZYBtsZJmK9AsKdKC6QheIXQ9y91wgu-FckaU84NXfcpddwGHAc59I6RY3uZKfW-Ncxyvx0QvlP9kqrhnxZJ3eavk9fQ44jBmWkWhQ6P62BFCorpsA9-Hivq1DHDGe5jj-YN9iwUNcanS7tjeYAJG~H055~4r~NsPn4hsTVcKZtPYaFClXZRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New York City Council’s Committee on Public Safety convened an oversight hearing to examine the role of the NYPD and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) in keeping parks safe and accessible, with committee members and witnesses focusing on staffing levels in the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) and how parks coordinate with NYPD on enforcement and outreach.

Chair Yousef Salam opened the hearing by saying the committee would “examine the role of the NYPD, the Department of Park and Recreations, Park Enforcement’s Patrol officers, and other partners in keeping our parks safe and welcoming.”

In testimony, DPR Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa described PEP’s duties and authorities, saying PEP officers are designated “special patrolmen and New York State peace officers” charged primarily with enforcing park rules, educating the public and addressing quality-of-life offenses. She described PEP patrol methods — bicycle, horseback, car and foot — and support functions including a 24/7 central communications unit, an emergency management team and an academy for training.

Deputy Chief Thomas Alps of the NYPD (testifying for the department) described annual joint planning with parks and precincts. “Typically around the month of May, we ask the boroughs and the local precincts to develop a strategy and a plan based on last year’s data,” Alps said, describing shared reviews of index crimes and quality-of-life conditions and the use of joint patrols and targeted operations.

Both agencies and nonprofit witnesses emphasized interagency programs. DPR pointed to the Community Link initiative, Every Block Counts, and a Central Park partnership involving the Central Park Conservancy and multiple city agencies. David Saltonstall of the Central Park Conservancy said those multiagency coordination calls — sometimes weekly — assign tasks and timelines to address issues ranging from broken lights to individuals in crisis, and he cited year-to-date decreases in Central Park crime.

Advocates and witnesses pushed for restoring Parks’ staffing. Adam Ganzer, executive director of New Yorkers for Parks, said the agency has lost staff in recent years and urged restoration of roughly $79.7 million in budget cuts that he said would fund about 60 additional PEP officers. Union testimony from a park ranger sergeant reiterated that a visible uniformed presence deters wrongdoing and urged more permanent staffing.

DPR and NYPD also described other staff who supplement PEP: park security staff employed seasonally (who are uniformed but cannot issue summonses or make arrests), and about 80 urban park rangers who focus on education and natural-area enforcement. DPR testified that private funding provides additional PEP-like presence in some high-traffic parks such as Washington Square Park and the High Line.

Clarifying details presented at the hearing included several staffing figures that speakers used interchangeably. DPR testified that the agency “has 250 [PEP] officers” citywide and stated additional numbers for rangers and park security staff; witnesses and advocates highlighted long-term cuts and that many parks receive limited PEP coverage. DPR also described training for maintenance staff (blood-borne pathogen training) to pick up drug paraphernalia safely.

Council members repeatedly asked for more granular deployment data — for example, how many PEP officers are assigned per borough and how many parks get fixed-post coverage versus mobile patrols — and DPR said it would provide follow-up analysis. Several council members said that while they support broader preventive and social-service efforts, visible enforcement presence matters to residents and event organizers.

The hearing closed with committee members asking DPR and NYPD for more detailed breakdowns of PEP stationing and of restoration needs for the FY26 budget cycle.

Ending: The hearing produced few new policy directives but documented existing multiagency efforts and underscored continuing calls from advocates and council members for restored Parks staffing and clearer, park-by-park deployment data.","At a New York City Council oversight hearing, Parks and NYPD officials described coordinated responses to crime and quality-of-life concerns in city parks while acknowledging persistent staffing shortfalls in the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP); advocates urged full restoration of budget cuts and hiring of additional PEP officers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears enforcement, safety concerns over e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs in parks

Parks officials describe outreach-first approach to encampments; 7-day notice for ordered cleanups except emergencies

Council hearing spots gaps in Parks Enforcement Patrol staffing as agencies tout interagency efforts