Grant gives mobility to cops patrolling park

Posted

In response to a hike in crime inside Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx Councilman Andrew Cohen announced a $49,000 grant in the capital budget for police to buy an all-terrain vehicle to help patrol the park.

“I’m personally excited because I think it’s just a win-win-win, of all of the things coming together—it’s supporting our police department, it’s supporting our parks, it’s addressing a public safety issue and a quality of life concern,” Mr. Cohen told a news conference Monday at the park’s W. 242nd Street entrance. “To me that is a winning combination.”

The new “Gator” vehicle will arrive in 30 days, police Deputy Inspector Terence O’Toole of the 50th precinct told the joint news conference with Mr. Cohen. The vehicle will be used to help curb park crime, which has been on the rise this year, with several robberies, a slashing and a shooting that left three men injured on Memorial Day Weekend.

“There have been some low-level crimes here, and while the park is overwhelmingly safe—used by thousands and thousands of people without incident—we want people to have the sense of security,” Mr. Cohen said. 

Safety concerns include recreational ATV races that some drivers stage in the park, although ATV use is prohibited, Capt. O’Toole said. But regular police cruisers cannot access narrow trails to apprehend suspected offenders. 

“We have had some issues in the park, [including] on the Putman Trail,” he said.  “We’ve had some ATV’s and stuff like that, and we can’t get cars up there.” 

Capt. O’Toole thanked Mr. Cohen, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council for their support of the police department. 

“Out capital budget has been vastly improved and thank you for that,” Capt. O’Toole said. 

Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, who also appeared at the news conference, added: “The councilmember has been such a good friend to this park, very loyal, very dedicated, very committed to this park.”  

NYPD, Andrew Cohen, Van Cortlandt Park, Anthony Capote