It’s a shame that public confidence in Schenectady’s police department has apparently shrunk so low that a vigilante who took the extreme step of amassing a video collection of alleged perverts stalking Central Park didn’t feel like informing police of his suspicions, but instead posted them on a popular video-sharing Web site. The allegations appear to have been accurate because, after receiving other complaints in recent weeks and becoming aware of the videos, police staked out the park and made some arrests Tuesday. That’s good — as long as police don’t forget to pay attention to what goes on in the park after the current furor dies down. Central Park is one of Schenectady’s few treasures, and the city can’t let criminal activity of any kind — whether it’s or public sexual acts, homo or hetero, or drugs — encroach on the law-abiding public. If a parent watching his kid at Tiny Tot Land can’t send him or her to the bathroom without fear of lurking perverts, then not just the park, but the whole city, is done for. The YouTube videos aren’t explicit, nor do they offer any real proof of sexual activity at the park; in fact, without this week’s arrests, they might have been dismissed as scurrilous speculation. But if police had been shown them when they were first made — when snow was still on the ground — one can only hope they would have acted much sooner. Of course, city residents frequently complain that nothing happens when they call police to inform them of criminal activity, so it’s not that surprising the videographer didn’t bother. In any case, it’s apparently that the department still has a ways to go, not just in convincing residents it is willing to respond to civilian complaints, but in getting a handle on crime of all types in all areas of the city. Park officials need to make sure the bathroom “peephole” featured in one of the videos is plugged immediately, and cops need to monitor activities there and in other remote areas of the park at least occasionally — a perfect use of a bicycle patrol, if not an all-terrain vehicle.
Yanno, I'm REALLY getting sick and tired of the Gazette beating up our cops - pardon the pun
Today's Editorial:
Quoted Text
In any case, it’s apparently that the department still has a ways to go, not just in convincing residents it is willing to respond to civilian complaints, but in getting a handle on crime of all types in all areas of the city. Park officials need to make sure the bathroom “peephole” featured in one of the videos is plugged immediately, and cops need to monitor activities there and in other remote areas of the park at least occasionally — a perfect use of a bicycle patrol, if not an all-terrain vehicle.
If the understaffed, underfunded police department didn't have to spend 99.9% of their time responding to domestic calls, lost cat calls, and hundreds of other "keep the peace" calls - only to have residents "not wish to speak to an officer" - maybe they'd have time to be a little "proactive".
This type of crap has been going on for years in Central Park - and it will continue LONG after this wave is over.
What the Gazette fails to mention (big surprise) is that this is a CITY of SCHENECTADY owned park - with it's own taxpayer funded "parks department", including their own fleet of vehicles. This "peep hole" (aka Glory Hole) didn't just form overnight. Folks, that's a 1" thick metal wall. Someone DRILLED that out with a power drill (maybe cordless) - why didn't park security do anything about it? Why didn't they replace the wall? Cover it? Any man who's had to use these facilities knows it has existed for a LONG time. The conditions in these rest rooms is deplorable 24x7 - always has been. The CITY crew has done NOTHING to enhance the security in these buildings, look at the garbage in the videos - this is in the middle of the day! Why won't the Gazette beat up on the City for letting this happen?
Despicable the way they'll beat up the cops but not put ANY blame on the City - who has sole decision making power on how the park is managed, designed, lit and cleaned. (Oh, also - the city takes COUNTY taxpayer money - a gift from all the local municipalities - to keep Central Park as the "Crown Jewel of Schenectady). The "trails" these videos are showing are just the tip of the iceburg. There's SO much more in there that you'd be totally upset with the City if you realized the condition of.
The "trails" are laden with fallen trees, hole and other obstacles. The park has a "Dusk to Dawn" curfew - yet Park Officials (who work well past "dusk" do not enforce, and don't chain off parking lots. There are no lights on in Central Park, especially the trails, at night. Flood the area with light - that's the biggest thing these people DONT want - yet the city won't do it. They barely light the baseball diamonds. Put in security cameras. Nope, haven't done that either. (Vale had to pay for theirs.) What exactly does this park department DO? I dunno, not much apparently.
The Gazette, I'm sorry to say, has once again FAILED to report the entire story, provide ALL the facts and once again shows their total bias against the Schenectady Police Department.
MT I agree. Central park has just become a day camp for Ed Kosiur. (like I'd send my kids there..NOT) I would never go to Central Park. And yes it has always been this way. There are perv's and undesirables everywhere. And who calls Central Park the 'jewel of schenectady'? The dictatorship does. Just like when they say that crime is down. When they say that Schenectady is 'coming back'. When they say there have been 3000 jobs created (when most are relocations). They never mention the businesses that have closed. The businesses that have gone belly up. The Big House (money pit) that never opened. The retail store from Saratoga that has yet to open. Nothing about the miserably failed metroplex. The fleecing of the tax payers.
Central Park is just a piece of crappy land, ladened with undesirables. And you are right MT....it has been for years.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
this here is a private matter why are they accusing people of just having a cup of coffee in the park. What if it was your father ot grandfather that was wrongly accused over here?
They were filmed in a public park...there's nothing private about it. Judging from those videos, it doesn't appear to be a walk in the park. What I saw wasn't a cup of coffee. It was repeatedly visiting a makeshift "fort" commonly used by teens, and the presence of a peep hole in the bathroom area (which appears as if it would be visible to the naked eye - I'm surprised no one has dealt with it yet.)
There are plenty to be blamed for this before law enforcement. Try the city, park workers, perpetrators themselves....
They were filmed in a public park...there's nothing private about it. Judging from those videos, it doesn't appear to be a walk in the park. What I saw wasn't a cup of coffee. It was repeatedly visiting a makeshift "fort" commonly used by teens, and the presence of a peep hole in the bathroom area (which appears as if it would be visible to the naked eye - I'm surprised no one has dealt with it yet.)
There are plenty to be blamed for this before law enforcement. Try the city, park workers, perpetrators themselves....
I couldn't agree with you more!! That peep hole has been there for some time. Who checks these facilities?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Re Aug. 14 article, “Video helps police make three arrests”: Thanks to the Schenectady Police Department and state police for their Central Park public lewdness arrests. Central Park is a jewel in our city and should never be marred by activities that endanger or degrade any family’s enjoyment of the park. To anyone using the park, call in suspicious activity. To the person who made the anonymous “YouTube pervert” video mentioned in the Gazette article, I believe you are involved, and if so, you are a cretin and a coward. JOHN RIZZO Schenectady
Can someone please explain exactly what Mr.Rizzo is saying here? I think (hope) I am reading this wrong!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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