FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Long Island City residents team up to raise funds for private
security to patrol waterfront, local offi cials voice concerns
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Long Island City residents have taken it
upon themselves to hire private security
guards to patrol the waterfront and parks,
aft er what they say has been months of
partying and littering in their neighborhood.
A group of residents began a GoFundMe
page to raise funds for additional security
earlier this month, and in less than a week
have nearly met their goal of $8,000 with
more than 100 donors. But some community
members and elected offi cials have
expressed disagreement with the method.
“Th e reason the community came
together to do this is because we thought
this would be a good way to help support
constructive activities in the park and
quality of life,” said Yolanda Tristancho-
Helwig, one of the organizers. “We’ve
been experiencing a lot at the waterfront.
Th e pandemic has caused people to need
an outlet and it’s gotten worse throughout
the summer.”
Tristancho-Helwig and other Long
Island City residents say there’s been
ongoing instances of “organized parties,
drag racing, motorcycles, fi reworks,
extremely loud music, hookas, drugs, and
alcohol” in the last two months. Th ey also
contend there have been about two dozen
food trucks stationed at the waterfront
without permits.
Photos shared with QNS show some
empty bottles, smashed bottles and graffi -
ti left along the waterfront’s Gantry Plaza
State Park and Hunters Point South Park.
Both parks close at 10 p.m., but waterfront
residents said the parties begin aft er
nightfall and continue well until 3 a.m.
When asked about the Long Island
City residents’ eff orts, a spokesperson
for the NYC Department of Parks and
Recreation said, “Hunters Point South
Park is a valued recreational space open
to all New Yorkers. As per our normal
protocol, this park is patrolled daily by
Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) offi cers.”
PEP offi cers take an educational
approach whenever possible, as opposed
to making arrests or issuing summons.
Typically, summonses are only issued if
park patrons refuse to comply.
Th e spokesperson said the parks
department recently “added some night
patrols to monitor the park and surrounding
area.”
Rob Basch, president of nonprofi t
and volunteer-run Hunters Point Park
Conservancy, which helps take care of
the newly opened parks, said complaints
have gone up this summer compared to
previous years.
“Hunters Point Parks Conservancy has
been concerned for some time about the
illegal and disruptive activities that have
been occurring in our waterfront parks
at night,” the organization said in a statement.
“During this time, we have been in
constant contact with many stakeholders
in the community including park offi -
cials, elected offi cials, neighbors, local
business owners and the 108th Precinct.”
Basch andTristancho-Helwig say they
understand the 108th Precinct is “overwhelmed”
and “strained” in the wake of
COVID-19 and the ongoing protests for
racial justice.
Th e 108th Precinct, which patrols the
waterfront, did not respond to multiple
requests for comment by press time.
Tristancho-Helwig said her and fellow
neighbors have reached out to their elected
offi cials and city agencies for help, but
their calls have gone unanswered.
Local Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer
took to social media to address the situation
on Tuesday, Aug. 25. He said that
he’s had many constituents reach out to
his offi ce about the decision to hire a private
security patrol, “some in favor, many
opposed.”
“Quality of life concerns are real and
the City and State have to do a better job
of responding to them,” Van Bramer said.
“But in this moment, where we face a
global pandemic, record unemployment
and a recession, a city budget defi cit of
$10 billion, and a national uprising over
racial injustice and all forms of inequality,
I am deeply uncomfortable and oppose
a plan where wealthier individuals fund
private security to patrol public parks
and spaces.”
Van Bramer said the waterfront parks
are not a “war zone” like some residents
have depicted it in groups online, and
that a “private security force is a slippery
slope toward a situation that could get out
of hand quickly.”
He added that he’s been in contact with
the Queens Parks Commissioner Michael
Dockett about a possible communitywide
meeting to talk about the issue and
come up with other options.
When asked by QNS if there were any
set dates for a community-wide virtual
meeting, his offi ce did not respond.
Th e following day, a petition against
the hiring of the private security began
to circulate, stating private security could
“increase the risk for Black and Brown
residents of the community.”
“Aft er months of reading posts on
the Hunters Point Civic Association
Facebook page, I worry that many in
the community actually have issues with
black/brown sic and low-income folks
in the neighborhood,” the petition read.
“Th ere are signifi cant amounts of coded
language and the ‘othering’ of the subjects
of the posts.”
Th e petition has garnered almost 400
signatures. Th e petition states its creators
will deliver it to Van Bramer and State
Senator Michael Gianaris.
Senator Gianaris’ offi ce said it is “in
touch with residents and working on
steps to ensure the community remains
vibrant, safe and clean.”
Tristancho-Helwig said Van Bramer’s
response was “very disheartening.” She
sent the councilman a letter days prior to
his online statement, but heard back from
him days aft er his statement.
“We’re not discriminating, just telling
folks to have a good time but clean up.
Th at’s the goal,” she said. “It’s not about
telling people to get out. I think the climate
… has leant people to be more sensitive
to the word security. Th ey think it’s
us being elitist.”
Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan said that
while she’s against the hiring of private
security, she’s calling on Mayor Bill de
Blasio to convene a task force to address
the issue, with the Hunters Point Parks
Conservancy as the lead.
Th e Conservancy — which recently
invested in Bigbelly Trash Cans to alleviate
accumulating trash in the parks —
said they would gladly work to fi nd a
solution.
“Th e Conservancy is committed to
working with all concerned stakeholders
to solve the problems we collectively
face,” their statement read. “We will continue
to partner and off er support to initiatives
that support our mission through
the proper channels.”
Tristancho-Helwig appreciated Nolan’s
response and possible task force, but said
that organizing a task force will take time.
She also said she understood Van Bramer
File photo/Courtesy of Hunters Point Parks Conservancy
and other community members’ concerns
regarding safety of park-goers as
well as the security guards.
Th e group hiredOnPoint Security,
a Long Island City-based company
launched by Urban UpBound. According
to their website, their staff are “personable,
friendly, and committed to the success
of your business or event.”
Th ey began their patrol on Th ursday,
Aug. 27 with a community meet and
greet, which Tristancho-Helwig said was
successful and allowed supporters and
opposers to “speak respectfully and gain
a better comfort zone with this initiative.”
Tristancho-Helwig said there will be
two, unarmed security guards wearing
all black with shirts that say “security”
patrolling the parks from 10 p.m. to 4
a.m. until the end of October.
She added the security guards will help
“document illegal or dangerous activity”
and tell park-goers to keep it down while
they enjoy the park. Th e private security
guards do not have the authority to arrest
anyone they suspect of perpetrating illegal
activities.
“They’re trained to de-escalate
situations,”Tristancho-Helwig said. “It’s
better than a community watch by residents.”
Tristancho-Helwig said they’re not
looking to make the public park private,
just “regain peace and quality of life.”
She said she’s even received calls from
people in Manhattan’s Upper West Side
who have organized a community watch
and are looking to hire private security
guards.
A spokesperson for the Parks
Department said they encourage New
Yorkers to be the “ears and eyes of our
parks,” and to report any prohibited activity
to 311 or in the case of true emergency,
911.
“We are also working with the local
police precinct to enforce Parks’ rules and
address noise and vehicle complaints,”the
spokesperson added. “Parks has no plans
to authorize a private security contractor
to patrol Hunters Point South Park.”
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