Council Member Robert Holden recently called for increased NYPD presence in parks across District 30, requesting an enforcement operation to address ongoing quality-of-life concerns.
Holden held meetings with key NYPD officials, including Chief of Patrol John Chell, Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera, and Chief of Patrol Borough Queens North Christine Bastedenbeck, as well as representatives from the 104th Precinct and the NYC Parks Department. These discussions aimed to address recent issues that have affected local parks.
The initiative focused on several district parks, including Juniper Valley Park, Frank Principe Park, Joseph F. Mafera Park, Rosemary’s Playground, Evergreen Park, and Grover Cleveland Playground.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, the NYPD’s Community Response Team (CRT), along with tow trucks and the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), were deployed to these locations, sending a strong message about maintaining order and safety in public spaces.
At Rosemary’s Playground, several enforcement actions took place, including one OATH summons issued by the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) for a gas generator, another OATH summons for unlawful vending, and five traffic tickets issued by NYPD Traffic. Additionally, six unauthorized volleyball games were shut down.
In Joseph F. Mafera Park, PEP issued an OATH summons for a gas generator, while NYPD Traffic issued one traffic ticket, and three unauthorized volleyball games were halted.
At Grover Cleveland Playground, PEP issued one OATH summons for unlawful vending, and the NYPD issued another OATH summons for alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, at Evergreen Playground, one unauthorized volleyball game was shut down.
In Juniper Valley Park, a car wash was prevented from setting up on park property, and a new unlawful vendor was educated on park rules and regulations.
The crackdown on unauthorized volleyball games will come as welcome news to many District 30 residents, who raised concerns about this issue during this month’s Community Board 5 meeting. Evergreen Park, in particular, was a focal point of the discussion, with residents reporting disruptive behavior and unsafe conditions caused by a group of volleyball players.
Resident Cynthia Balzaretti-Torres shared how the park has been “taken over” by men setting up these unauthorized volleyball courts, further highlighting the need for increased enforcement in the area.
“These men completely take over the park so that families who live in the neighborhood cannot use it at all. Nobody can walk or ride bikes at all. They gamble, and they drink large amounts of alcohol during their games, leading them to urinate in the open,” she said.
Balzaretti-Torres also explained how they drill holes in the concrete to set up volleyball nets with metal hooks, which is dangerous to other park users. She also claimed that broken glass is left behind after their sessions, which adds another danger to children using the park.
District Manager Gary Giordano addressed these issues later in the meeting during his report and identified Rosemary’s Playground as an area of significant concern.
“These volleyball players have basically taken over numerous Ridgewood parks. They’re fairly obnoxious, and they’re driving spikes for the poles to support their nets. Things I have never seen before in my life,” Giordano declared.
He added that this demonstrates the need for more police officers, as he used to be able to get officers to these parks much more quickly than he currently can.
However, Holden’s recent operation shows more positive things to come with an initiative that can benefit Queens residents.
“Our parks are the heart of our neighborhoods, and I refuse to let them become overrun by neglect and disorder,” said Holden.
“Broken windows policing works because it focuses on the most important details of our communities. This operation sent a strong signal: we are reclaiming our parks. I appreciate the partnership of Chief Chell, Chief Rivera, Chief Bastedenbeck, Captain Chowdhury, and the Parks Department in prioritizing this. This is just the beginning, and I assure you, we will be back.”
