Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s $124.7 billion spending plan unveiled this week features a plan to chop 100 uniformed officers’ jobs patrolling town’s inexperienced areas this summer time, The Publish has discovered.
The proposed funds would successfully minimize greater than a 3rd of the roughly 300 boots-on-the-ground Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) employees for your entire metropolis, critics mentioned – and create a large hole within the metropolis’s public security system.
“Each neighborhood park can be affected,” Adam Ganser, government director of the New Yorkers for Parks advocacy group, fumed to The Publish.
“Security in our parks is a important high quality of life subject,” he added, “which is why we’re calling on the admin to baseline the prevailing 100 PEP officers who will in any other case lose their jobs in July, and for the council to fund a further 100 PEP officers.”
The uniformed PEP officers, who operate throughout the Parks division as an alternative of the NYPD, are sometimes tasked with issuing summonses for quality-of-life infractions comparable to dumping and vandalism throughout greater than 1,500 parks and playgrounds within the Huge Apple.
In addition they present further safety at a whole lot of occasions within the Huge Apple annually, together with the New York Metropolis marathon, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the U.S. Open, in addition to festivals and concert events.
Different tasks embody returning misplaced youngsters to households; offering details about Parks guidelines and defending wildlife and services, in accordance with the company’s web site.
“Slicing 100 PEP officers at a time when our parks are already coping with quality-of-life points, criminality, and rising wildlife administration considerations is the incorrect transfer,” mentioned Council member Phil Wong, who just lately sponsored laws urging town to develop a plan to guard a whole lot of city species residing inside parks.
“These officers play an essential function in preserving our parks protected,” he added. “Lowering their presence will solely make these challenges tougher to handle citywide.”
The information comes as town reported greater than 1,100 crime incidents at Huge Apple parks in 2025, and practically 600 311 calls referred to Parks Enforcement Patrol officers — for points starting from canines illegally off-leash, smoking, blocked entrances and unlicensed merchandising.
The park with probably the most complete 311 calls final 12 months was Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, the place each NYPD cops and PEP officers responded to 1,708 stories. Trailing behind was Flushing Meadows Corona Park with 635 calls, adopted by Prospect Park (309), Fort Tryon Park (291) and Washington Sq. Park (284).
“We may actually use extra of these [officers], not much less,” mentioned lifelong Harlem resident Joan, 79, who spoke with The Publish at Marcus Garvey Park Wednesday. “[The] greatest drawback round right here is folks killing one another and people Park officers truly assist.
“They see [fighting] occurring, and may cease it earlier than it will get out of hand.”
“The radios up too loud, or stopping the fights, they’re good for that: they maintain that in examine,” mentioned parkgoer Joey, 72. “They’re similar to a presence there, preserving issues chill.
“Get just a few extra of them, [that] would most likely be a good suggestion,” he mentioned.
Stephanie, 19, of Harlem, added that late-night partying will get “uncontrolled” when the officers aren’t round — and with out the inexperienced fleet, “it received’t be protected for the youngsters to return … after college.”
The funds slash would additionally minimize 15 GreenThumb staff who assist practically 500 group gardens throughout town — that are solely out there to the general public when a staffer is round to unlock an city oasis.
Regardless of the Metropolis Council together with funding for the positions in a funds response to the admin launched in April, the positions weren’t included in Monday’s proposed government funds, a Council supply confirmed to The Publish.
The supply vowed the Council plans to proceed advocating for the funding within the coming weeks, in addition to name for PEP funding to be baselined to keep away from the identical annual funds dance.
“In NYC, the parks are our yard, which is why Mayor Mamdani yesterday introduced a historic $15 million annual funding to assist our Parks Division,” a Metropolis Corridor rep advised The Publish Tuesday, including the mayor is “reviewing” the necessity for PEP officer funding throughout funds course of.
A number of electeds advised The Publish they had been hopeful the spare change to reinstate the officers can be discovered someplace.
“We’re persevering with to combat for the remaining $12 million wanted to finish the complete baseline for these 100 PEP officers,” mentioned Council member Ty Hankerson, who chairs the Parks committee. “PEP officers play a important function in preserving our parks protected, welcoming, and accessible, and we are going to proceed pushing for the staffing and assets our parks ecosystem wants.”
“To the mayor’s credit score, he has already restored $15M for Parks upkeep staff, rangers, and forestry employees to enhance circumstances in our parks,” mentioned Council member Lincoln Restler, who beforehand blamed “dangerous” funds cuts beneath former Mayor Eric Adams for mounting refuse and rat points at his districts’ parks.
“I’m assured that we’ll totally fund Parks Enforcement Patrol staff within the remaining funds in June.”
