Mayor Adams expands key safety program to Central Park to crack down on aggressive pedicabs, illegal hawking
Mayor Eric Adams is expanding his multi-agency safety initiative to Central Park in a push to address quality-of-life concerns in the city's most iconic green space.
The expansion of the administration's 'Community Link' program will bring in 20 city agencies and cultural institutions as part of a coordinated response to various issues, such as illegal vending, unlicensed pedicabs, excessive noise and park rule violations.
'Central Park is the backyard of New York City,' Adams said. 'Everyone — families, kids, joggers, cyclists, and tourists — must be safe and feel safe while enjoying this iconic space.'
Mayor Adams announced the Community Link expansion Friday
Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
The new initiative, dubbed the Central Park Conservancy Partnership, includes increased enforcement by the NYPD, Parks Enforcement Patrol and the Central Park Conservancy's new Ranger Corps.
Adams said the extra effort will result in a safer and cleaner Central Park.
The program expands on previous Community Link deployments in New York City's worst crime and drug-ridden neighborhoods like Midtown West and Roosevelt Avenue.
A Community Link initiative has already been operating along the park's northern edge at 110th Street. The enforcement has resulted in over 1,000 summonses and 111 arrests since it began in April 2024.
Year-to-date data showed a 50% drop in crime in the Central Park Precinct, including a 90% reduction in robberies and a nearly 29% decline in grand larcenies, according to the mayor's office.
A cornerstone of the Central Park crackdown that Adams announced Friday is the newly launched Central Park Ranger Corps, which now patrols the park daily.
Betsy Smith, president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said it makes the park more 'welcoming and enjoyable.'
'Central Park is one of the most visited places in the country, with millions of visitors every year,' Smith said.
'This creates unique challenges in how we manage the use of shared space for the benefit of everyone.'
Though they do not have enforcement authority, Rangers serve as visible guides and liaisons, responding to complaints, supporting first responders and addressing recurring issues like dogs off-leash, misuse of e-bikes and aggressive solicitation by pedicab or horse carriage drivers.
The New York Pedicab Association will also partner with the interagency task force to rein in rogue pedicab drivers and educate terrorized park-goers of their rights and how to report violations.
To support the stepped-up enforcement and further deter crime, the NYPD, Parks Department and Department of Transportation are also repairing lighting and installing security cameras.
'We are working to make the park more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone,' Smith said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
US Cities Ramp Up Security After Trump's Airstrikes on Iran
(Bloomberg) -- Major US cities are tightening security after President Donald Trump unleashed airstrikes on Iran, a direct military intervention that's deepened Washington's role in Israel's war with Tehran and raised concerns about potential retaliation. Bezos Wedding Draws Protests, Soul-Searching Over Tourism in Venice One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Iran early Sunday warned that the US attack, dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer' by the Pentagon, will trigger 'everlasting consequences' and said it 'reserves all options' to respond. Police in New York, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles have since increased patrols at religious institutions, diplomatic facilities and public spaces. Officials cited no credible threats at this time but highlighted the need for vigilance. In the capital, the Metropolitan Police Department said it's closely monitoring the events in Iran and is coordinating with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to share information and monitor intelligence. The New York Police Department said it's deployed additional officers across the city and is coordinating with the US Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to monitor for any potential threats. Additional resources have been allocated to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across the city. The Greater New York area is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, with about 1.4 million people. Since 2001, the NYPD and its federal partners have disrupted about 30 plots targeting the city, the department said. Officials said those efforts reflect a broad strategy that combines intelligence gathering, overseas partnerships and rapid response capabilities — tools they're now using to assess any fallout from the US strikes on Iran. The department's Intelligence Bureau operates an international liaison program with embedded personnel in 13 countries, including in Israel, where an officer is providing real-time assessments from the region. The NYPD also maintains a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, where meetings can take place without fear of listening devices. Three DHS intelligence analysts are assigned to the department, facilitating the flow of classified information and supporting joint threat analyses. Additional capabilities include a foreign linguist program with more than 1,200 registered speakers across 85 languages, and the Domain Awareness System, a real-time surveillance and analytics platform developed in partnership with Microsoft. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass said that officials in the second largest US city are closely monitoring the situation. 'Out of an abundance of caution, LAPD is stepping up patrols near places of worship, community gathering spaces and other sensitive sites,' Bass said. 'We will remain vigilant.' Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major US cities on high alert following airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
Authorities in New York and Washington are on high alert after U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night. "We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran," NYPD said in a post on X. "Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC." Shortly thereafter, the Metropolitan Police Department released a similar statement on the social media platform. Nypd Ramps Up Security At Jewish Sites Across Nyc After Israeli Strikes On Iran "The Metropolitan Police Department is closely monitoring the events in Iran," the statement said. "We are actively coordinating with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to share information and monitor intelligence in order to help safeguard residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia." MPD said there are no known threats to the District, but that it will increase its presence at religious institutions across the city. Read On The Fox News App Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass posted on X, noting that following the bombings in Iran, the city is "closely monitoring any threats to public safety." "There are no known credible threats at this time and out of an abundance of caution, LAPD is stepping up patrols near places of worship, community gathering spaces and other sensitive sites," Bass wrote in the post. "We will remain vigilant in protecting our communities." Shooting At Capital Jewish Museum Highlights Rising Wave Of Anti-jewish Hate Crimes Paul Mauro is a Fox News contributor and former NYPD Inspector who monitored terror cells in the city. "[NYPD] will put out special attention patrol cars at locations that could track to the conflict in places that have an Israeli connection, and there's a couple of Shia mosques - Iran, is Shia - and there are a couple of Shia mosques," Mauro told Fox News Digital. "You never know what's going to develop. So [they'll] liaise with those communities. They'll talk to them, they'll put special patrol, special attention patrol." "In some instances, they'll even put out what they call a 'HOW' car, which is called a 'house of worship car,' which is, they'll park a marked car right in front of the location." More than anything, Mauro said, the authorities are monitoring online chatter from potentially dangerous bad actors. "You're going to look very closely online," he said. "You're going to be monitoring a lot of the online stuff. NYPD has a very robust cyber counterterrorism program, and you're going to do that very heavily." Mauro said that local authorities in Washington will do the same, and also that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be keeping a close eye on who is entering the country. "You're also going to be looking closely at things coming into the country, to the extent that you can, like at the border, at the airports … CBP is going to be on high alert."Original article source: Major US cities on high alert following airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
New York Post
14 hours ago
- New York Post
88-year-old woman has two front teeth knocked out in random punch attack in Times Square: NYPD
An 88-year-old woman had her two front teeth knocked out by a deranged brute who randomly punched her in the face while walking through Times Square, according to the NYPD. Carly Marder, 88, was minding her own business walking near 35th Street and 7th Avenue when a 30-year-old man slugged her in the face without any warning or previous interaction, according to the NYPD. Marder, born in 1937, was knocked to the ground and had her two front teeth knocked out by the viscous blow and required medical attention, police sources said. Advertisement An 88-year-old woman had her two front teeth knocked out when a random stranger punched her in Times Square, cops said. She was taken to Lennox Hill Hospital for treatment. Advertisement Police are searching for a 30-year-old suspect who fled the scene to parts unknown. This attack is the most recent in a troubling rise in assaults on elderly adults across the city. Brazen attacks on the vulnerable class of New Yorkers has doubled since 2019 with the NYPD recording 1,228 felony assaults against people aged 65 and older so far this year. The NYPD has made arrests in 962 of those cases, a spokesperson told The Post.
