Following a string of violent incidents at Seth Low Park, Council Member Susan Zhuang is pushing new legislation that would require the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation to publish quarterly reports on park safety and staffing levels.
Zhuang, who represents Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Bath Beach, introduced the bill, Intro 1425-2025, on Oct. 9. The legislation, which has bipartisan support, would require the Parks Department to submit detailed quarterly reports on the total number of Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers and Urban Park Rangers on active duty, how many are assigned to each borough, and the current number of vacancies in both positions.
The department would also be required to provide records of incidents that occurred at parks or properties under its jurisdiction that involved intervention by PEP officers or Urban Park Rangers.
At a press conference Oct. 3 at Seth Low Park in Bensonhurst, Zhuang joined residents and community groups in calling for increased patrols to ensure safer parks and for the passage of the bill to promote transparency in how city resources are allocated.
The busy park has been plagued by violence and unruly behavior. On June 26, a 22-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in broad daylight while students from two nearby schools celebrated the end of the school year. On other occasions, groups of young men on mopeds and e-bikes have raced through the park with little regard for visitors’ safety.
Zhuang and residents said enforcement by the NYPD and the Parks Department has been inconsistent. Zhuang said her office found that in Brooklyn, only four PEP officers were assigned this year to monitor the borough’s 500 Parks and Recreation properties.
The last time the Parks Department publicly disclosed PEP staffing numbers was during a hearing in March, when officials said 395 PEP officers patrol more than 2,000 parks and recreation properties citywide.
“This is not only an issue for my district, it’s an issue for [all of] New York City,” Zhuang said. “I like to know where all the resources go, especially for the parks officers. The first step is to make sure the city publishes this data. Based on this data, we need to know whether we need additional park officers. Which area needs more park officers? We really need to have this information as the first step.”
Zhuang said she has witnessed young people bringing knives to the park.
“We want to see more park police come here to patrol and prevent harmful crime from happening,” Zhuang said.
Parent Alina Lewis told Brooklyn Paper she was concerned about her children, who attend the Brooklyn School of Inquiry across from the park and spend recess there.
“We don’t have a big recess yard at the school, and so this is the kids’ recess yard,” Lewis said. “Our seventh and eighth graders eat lunch out here every day. It’s really, really important that kids have physical activity and fresh air every day. Our principal was debating at the start of this school year not having our kids eat lunch out here because he was worried for their safety.”
Imam Maaz Ali said park safety was the top priority and noted he has seen large groups on mopeds riding through soccer fields while games are in progress. He told Brooklyn Paper that he avoids the park when he notices large groups of young people hanging out.
“We want to prioritize safety for everybody,” Ali said.
The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
