East Village residents call on city agencies to clean up drug use in Tompkins Square Park
NEW YORK -- Drug use and litter plague Tompkins Square Park in the East Village and on Thursday some people who live there took their concerns to top city officials.
A gathering on a park basketball court got the ball rolling to find solutions, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
While about 20 volunteers spent much of the day getting rid of leaves and trash, neighbors at the other end of the 10.5 square acre green space met with various city leaders to brainstorm ways to beautify and uplift the park.
They say crime, litter and neglect ruin the quality of life.
"I just think this park needs to be cleared up," said Angie Nicholson, who walks alongside or through the park everyday.
Nicholson wants a curfew enforced, and so do others.
"Close the park at midnight," said Deb O'Nair. "It is not the homeless people who are committing the crimes, it's not. It's the people who are coming from outer areas because they know there's no enforcement here, the curfew's not being upheld. So they can come here and they can take advantage of that situation. They can sell their drugs."
The NYPD said 9th Precinct officers are in the park and making arrests with the recent drug bust.
"We're not looking necessarily for the drug users. We get them the help that they need, but sometimes we have to arrest them. But the drug dealers are who we're going after," said Deputy Inspector Ralph Clement. "It takes a village to get this park back to the way it was."
The volunteer cleanup team led by Antonio Lopez of the Lower East Side Ecology Center said the key is less talk and more hands-on action like this.
"I think it brings back the morale and just kind of, people start feeling more confident and positive when they see people working on taking care of the park," said Lopez.
Residents want NYPD, the Department of Transportation and Parks Department to work together more effectively to enforce curfew, make arrests and keep the park clean and safe.