 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Predator Report in Park Leads to Promise of Security Officer The report of a suspected child predator in Tribeca’s Washington Market Park has led Parks Department officials to say they will assign a full-time, seasonal Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officer to the park. The mother of 5- and 7-year-old boys told the Trib that her babysitter was watching the children in the park’s crowded playground on May 9 when she noticed a man, alone, staring at the children. She said the man approached the 5-year-old and said to him, “You run, I’ll chase.” When the babysitter interceded, she said, the man left the park. “That may not sound horrible,” said the mother, who asked not to be identified, “but as a mother all these things go through your mind and it frightens you.” The babysitter described the man as white, in his 20s, with a thin build. He wore a baseball cap and t-shirt. The next day the woman said she notified the 1st Precinct and sent an e-mail to Nelle Fortenberry, president of Friends of Washington Market Park. Fortenberry sent a request to Nam Yoon, the Parks Department’s chief of operations for Manhattan, asking that a PEP officer be assigned to the park. She also requested shift changes so that more park workers are around in the afternoon, when the park is crowded. His response: “Yes to both.” “This solution would go a long way toward making the public feel safe in light of the recent incident,” said Fortenberry, who noted that she knows of no other incidents in the park in the past five years. “It’s a very safe environment,” she said. At a meeting last month of the Friends of Washington Market Park, Ralph Musolino, the Parks Departments manager of Downtown Parks, said the PEP officer would likely come from a new graduating class of recruits, but he could not say when the assignment would be made. Because the job is seasonal—lasting six months—he said the appointment could be more difficult. The mother who reported the incident said she asked the 1st Precinct to post warning flyers but was told it is not allowed. Joe Bellomo, community affairs officer for the 1st Precinct, had been on vacation and was not aware of the report. But he told the Trib that the police could only post signs “if the guy was wanted for a specific crime and we wanted the assistance of the community. But it would have to be some kind of grave misconduct, like exposure or attempted abduction.” “I was a little frustrated,” the mother said. “But I’m letting all my friends know to be cautious and to think about what’s going on at the park.”
[Home][Back][Search] [Advertise][Contact] The Tribeca Trib · 401 Broadway, 5th Floor · New York, NY · 10013 · 212.219.9709 |