President Joseph Puleo Testifies on Parks Safety and Cleanliness Crisis 

NYC Council Committee on Parks and Recreation - March 20, 2025

Last summer, the city’s parks were flush with maintenance crews as New Yorkers streamed into green spaces after a long pandemic winter.

"We're in a crisis situation when it comes to both cleanliness and safety in our parks. It is probably the all-time worst and what I find most frustrating is it's not coming from enemies; this is coming from friends. These are people who were elected and told us they were going to do things for us, like the 1%. Not only did we not get the 1%, but we got a reduction in workforce, just the exact opposite of what we were promised. So this, from my standpoint, is frustrating and it's outrageous how we could put our people out there in harm's way. Not only the patrons but also our PEP Officers with a reduced force. That means that they are scattered thin," Local 983 President Joe Puleo testified. CLICK HERE to watch his testimony before the Committee on Parks and Recreation.