By Michael V. Cusenza
Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) recently launched a new smartphone application aimed at helping parents and caregivers report inappropriate and/or illegal behavior at playgrounds and parks across the five boroughs.
Kim said ParentPatrol empowers parents and caregivers; and, unlike the City’s 311 system, the app “is hyper-localized and engages all community stakeholders, including elected officials and advocates, to combat unwanted behavior near our children.”
Crime in city parks and recreational facilities has recently become an urgent issue, with violent offenses jumping 25 percent over the past year, according to an October report compiled by NYC Park Advocates. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park leads all city green spaces with 65 total crimes reported over the past year. Flushing Meadows finds itself at the top of several dubious lists, according to the NYCPA analysis: the 897-acre park has clocked the most felony assaults, robberies, burglaries, and car thefts of all Big Apple parks July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
“If developed and utilized properly, this could be an important quality-of-life tool for parents in city parks,” said NYCPA President Geoffrey Croft. “Unfortunately parents encounter situations daily in these spaces that impact public safety: from drug sales, public intoxication, and vandalism, to unauthorized people who shouldn’t be in playgrounds without kids. This app could help track hot spots in order to direct more resources to address these issues.”
For more information and to download ParentPatrol, visit parentpatrol.org.
