Letter: Parks Department snubs qualified candidate for PEP

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September 21, 2013– Letter from Julian Fernandez

Dear BatteryPark.TV

I applied for a New York City Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) job recently and was not selected. They were looking for “experience and education” which require 60 credits. I have 123. I also have 20 months of conservation internships with americorps.gov and the SCA.org, and almost 2 years security experience at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Furthermore, I am a bilingual minority (Guatemalan) with past wilderness-first-responder certifications.

Unfortunately, my degree is in Art, and I now understand that the department does not like artists. However, criminals, sexual harassers, and nepotism is OK, as I will explain.

One might say that I am simply bitter about not being selected, however that is incorrect. Rather, I am upset to be told that my education and experience was a factor in my rejection, while there are clear indications that the PEP employs questionable individuals and engages in acts that waste tax payer money.

That being said, I wonder if you can help me?  I’d like to see this issue (The Parks Department drastically limiting artists, musicians and dancers in the hiring process), discussed more.

I am offering my experience in attempting to get a job with the parks as one example of the problems that plague the quality of life in NYC. None of my references, including a Security Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art were contacted. Yet, it is not only candidates with less experience but also with past criminal records, and candidates promoted due to family connections That really upset me.

Is this linked story not a clear example of nepotism?  It is called “Mother, daughter duo: Answering the call of public service. “. I find it hard to believe that, at age 23, she “worked” her way up to the rank of Sergeant in the PEP. She even says, “I was very influenced in my choice of job by my mother…I said to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ And here I am now, a UPR who completed my Seasonal Sergeant training last summer, following in my mother’s footsteps”.

I think it is extremely unfair that I, being a qualified minority with 20 months of volunteer (conservation) experience with Americorps and the SCA.org, am not good enough for the academy. Also, I am not from a rich family. I am a  lower class Bronx Resident.

As I  have said, there is proof of past hiring of criminals in the Parks Department and sexual harassment  of  female workers. The NY Daily News reported, “….many of the women harassed were part-timers and mothers on welfare — [who ] were encouraged to pole dance to get their bosses’ approval”

There are also various videos on YouTube depicting the PEP arresting art vendors in Central Park that lead me to believe that my art background may have been seen as a conflict of interests for the department.

Thank you, Julian Fernandez

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