Curtis Sliwa calls for security cameras in Manhattan park where three women attacked
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa on Friday urged the current mayor to “immediately” add surveillance cameras in the Upper Manhattan park where three women were recently attacked within about an hour.
“I’m calling immediately upon the mayor to allow for the use of the police surveillance cameras … so that we can somehow to try to manage the problems that is exploding in terms of vandalism, assaults, muggings and rapes and attempted rapes in the park system of New York City,” said Sliwa at a press conference in Inwood Park, where the trio of women were attacked Wednesday in broad daylight.
“I ask this simple question of the Parks Department and Mayor [Bill] de Blasio — we have the technology available, we have police camera boxes at the ready. Why aren’t they being installed in the park system of New York City that in many instances become a haven for those who commit crimes and mug people?”
Sliwa said the “vandalism, assaults, muggings and rapes” have recently been committed by “vandals, drug dealers, pervs” in other city green spaces such as Fort Tyron Park and Highbridge Park.
On Wednesday, a man snuck up on a 34-year-old woman inside Inwood Hill Park about 10:50 a.m. and said he wanted to rape her before punching her, cops previously said. The thief stole the woman’s iPhone, Apple Watch and headphones and fled, according to police.
Shortly after, cops say, the same creep threatened to rob a 40-year-old woman walking her dog in the park, and told her he wanted to sexually assault her, police previously said.
And just before noon, a man hit a 44-year-old woman on the head with a branch, cops said.
The man attempted to pull her pants down before fleeing, said police.
No suspects have been arrested after the three disturbing park attacks.
In response, Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents Inwood and surrounding neighborhoods, said de Blasio should add 25 more cops in three neighborhoods parks on top of the fiscal year 2022 budget’s funding for 80 parks enforcement patrol officers in the neighborhood.
“We know that the P.E.P. officers are important because they send a message. People can see them in their uniform. They know that they are patrolling, making our parks stronger and safe,” he said Thursday.
Isidro Medina, executive director of the Washington Heights Business Improvement District, told The Post he was “very, very concerned” about the safety of Upper Manhattan residents following the string of attacks.
“We want our children to play, to feel safe. We want our residents to feel safe, and for anyone that comes in [to] actually feel that this is a welcoming neighborhood,” said Medina on Thursday.
“And for people that want to go out, that want to enjoy Mother Nature, now they have opportunity having a clean park,” he added. “They should not feel that this is an unsafe neighborhood.”
