Increase park safety

Bronxites have long treasured Van Cortlandt Park for its wide fields, beautiful greenery, sports facilities and more. The 1,000-acre locale is the perfect amenity for people seeking a bit of peace and quiet in the city that never sleeps.

Sadly, this sanctuary has been desecrated by criminals. A shooting in which three people were injured on May 28, a terrifying robbery on May 21 and a senseless slashing attack on March 22 have raised alarm throughout the community. Citywide, there was a 27-percent increase in crimes at 1,154 parks in the first quarter of the year, according to Department of Parks and Recreation officials.

The city must take immediate steps to restore safety at Van Cortlandt Park and other locations. It should start by hiring many more Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers.

There are currently just 46 PEP officers assigned to 22 locations throughout the borough of parks and universities. The series of crimes in parts of Vannie that are both highly public and a bit off the beaten path show the shocking inadequacy of this presence.

In a budget expected to pass in the coming weeks, the City Council is asking for the same level of funding for PEP officers as last year. The recent stats show that lawmakers need to drastically increase funds for these forces. Unarmed PEP officers both issue summonses for quality-of-life offenses and provide a deterrent for major crimes like the ones Van Cortlandt Park has recently seen.

Unfortunately, PEP officers are not only stretched too thin; they have also been weakened by the City Council’s recent legislation making quality-of-life crimes civil, not criminal, offenses. The change will embolden scofflaws and create an atmosphere in which serious crimes are more likely to occur.

If the council wants to experiment with major changes in law enforcement, it has to make up for the possible costs to public safety. It can do so by hiring more PEP officers. Councilman Andrew Cohen has rightly called for just such a move. His colleagues should follow suit before the summer is fully underway.