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Update October 20, 2013- NYPD cars are now parked with lights off on the esplanade, watching over the marina.
Update September 26, 2013- More squad cars of the NYPD have been seen driving on the esplanade.
August 29, 2013- Some very unusual sights were seen today by Wagner Park. An NYPD patrol car was driving on the esplanade. PEP electric carts were trailing, but that was coincidental. There was no arrest or obvious reason for the NYPD car.
The other unusual sight was seen when the PEP cart, with two female officers inside, stopped a pit bull owner in Wagner Park to politely inform him that it was dog free park. The situation was handled well and the owner left the park.
BatteryPark.TV has previously reported on the poor patrolling of the parks, and increase in felony thefts. The images of actual NYPD making an obvious “show of force” with a full cruiser vehicle was a sight of progress.
this is good….
Would be better if they actually got out of the cars and took a walk. Community would appreciate creating a relationship with the cops and would do them good too.
That’s progress, but it would be good if they could also do something about those disgusting mini-fisheries that are set up there every day. The same guys are out there day after day from morning til night usually sporting multiple fishing rods a-piece. Last Thursday evening, I saw 6 men using 14 rods in the Wagner Park area. Their detritus and illegally parked bikes are an eyesore. Everybody knows the fish end up in Chinatown at the end of the day.
Furthermore, an official from the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (under whose rubric this falls – (718) 482-4885) told me that these guys also fish out of season and have been caught doing so. The fine for this is $25/fish. When manpower allows, some have also been followed and caught selling fish in Chinatown and fined for this as well.
As most (if not all) of the fishing on the esplanade is obviously illegal (i.e. for commercial rather than recreational purposes), isn’t it time to ban fishing there altogether?
They are showing up next to The Port Authority Ferry Terminal. Another example of noise pollution attracting lawlessness and further community deterioration. When you look at them they give the same guilty look as the black car drivers who stand near Pick A Bagel.