June 27, 2007 - Acting Commissioner Ash Responds To Senator Flanagan About Security At State Park

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June 27.2007

Honorablc John Flanagan' New f61;6 Stare Senare Room 817 LOB Albany,IVY IZZ47 Dear Senator Flanagan:

I'm wrihng in response to your June 7, 2007 lenerregardrng security concems at rhe formcr lftngs pari psychiarnc Center. current'ly, rhe office of parks, Recreadon and Historic heservation (opRHp) and the Health (oltffl) rrrrt. opurarional $ffi:"Yental '"rpor,rilttiry for Kings park.

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All v2ga'l burldings on the 530-acre complex

and entralces are locked and secured _ and

have been posred .,No Trcspassing,, *t an n"."s$ary are resecurcd.

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oPRHP rs responsible for security 3ld..n"ir,*n.n.e on rhe 153 acrcs transferred to rhe agencv in 2000, creating rr,L Nrrs"q;;ilil;;r srare park.

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jurisdiction to portions of Kings park and contnues to operate :il'frj'ffi::1*':i ilH iT::il:," " P*p; ;: d"c' i' ." s p o,,, iilr J io, i". u,,, y has rerained

The majonty of rccent trespass incidents have occurred in abandoned buildings Iocated within the 330 acres of ,i, X_g, p*k;"r_;u"* *", were transferrerl to OPRH' rn Iare December, 2006. On*i"ont;";.;;; prcsence on the 330 acres. lvhln.ue, evidence drscovercd, staff resecu* ,t. ", nJ."ssary t*n." opRl{p marntcnance 'MFI staff assisr in securing _buirdrng U"if Oini."rran."r1.

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New york Srare park porice ma,<e vehicre parors rhrough rhe acre Krngs Parkfacitityenrire 5301es^urr In response to concerns raised by the i-*J.o^*un,ry, earlier this month OPRHP rncreased.its pgk p;i;.'.;rence, csrabrishing a furtime park police night shift on the t
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OPRHP and OMII staff remain in close communication ro assurc effectlve coordination of our.loint adminishation of the Kings park faciliry

Pliase be assured that the office of Parks, Recreation and Histonc presenration rs awarc of and takes very seriously security issues at Kings park. Sincerely,

Carol Ash Commissioner