NYC budget secures parks jobs as calls for more parks officers continue
News 12 previously reported that only about four Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers were assigned to cover all of Brooklyn's parks.
Residents and elected officials continue to push for more Park Enforcement Patrol officers at Seth Low Park in Bensonhurst.
The calls come after months of safety concerns at the park, including complaints about reckless moped riders and a 22-year-old man who was stabbed there.
News 12 previously reported that only about four Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers were assigned to cover all of Brooklyn's parks.
Advocates and the DC 37 union have been urging the city to expand the force, saying staffing levels have not kept pace with Parks’ needs.
The city's fiscal year 2027 budget did not add new PEP officers, but it permanently funds 276 existing Parks Department positions by making the funding part of the city's baseline budget.
“I thank the mayor, they’re going to continue to have their jobs," said Joseph Puleo, president of DC 37 Local 983 – the union that represents Park Enforcement Patrol officers. "But nothing new was added."
Some parkgoers say they've noticed more NYPD patrols at Seth Low Park in recent months, but the union argues PEP officers are better equipped to enforce park rules because they specialize in park safety.
Council Member Susan Zhuang, who has advocated for more PEP officers at Seth Low Park, passed legislation requiring the city to publish a report showing how Park Enforcement Patrol officers are distributed across each borough. The first report is expected by the end of July.
