Police Flooding Parks With Deputies to Break Up Groups

New York - The de Blasio administration is flooding public parks with more than 1,000 deputized officers to help police deal with an influx of people gathering illegally.

Employees from the Parks, Sanitation, Fire and Environmental Protection departments will aid officers in breaking up any gatherings of more than 100 people, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. Fines will be between $500 and $1,000.

“We’re going to keep building this ability to be out there in public spaces — educating, patrolling but also enforcing,” de Blasio said during his daily virtual coronavirus press briefing. “If you’re talking 100 or above, there’s just nothing to discuss you’re going to get fined and if you resist you’re going to get arrested.”

Even small groups will be asked to disperse. If they refuse they will receive summonses.

“We’ve been at this for two months. Let’s get real. Anyone who thinks about planning a large gathering or facilitating a large gathering or participates in a large gathering is really taking a chance with their own health and everyone else’s health,” de Blasio said.