BUSINESS AS USUAL: Mayor, NYPD Promised To Evict Cops from Harlem Bus Stop — But Nothing Has Changed

By Gersh Kuntzman and Adam Light
Aug 12, 2020

On Wednesday, police officers' personal vehicles still filled the M10 bus stop, one day after Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD said the situation would change. Photo: Adam Light

Is this really so difficult?

After Streetsblog reported this week that police were consistently blocking a Harlem bus stop with their personal vehicles, Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD promised on Tuesday that they would fix the dangerous, disrespectful situation — but nothing had changed when we returned to the scene of the crime on Wednesday morning.

How Streetsblog handled the story. — How Streetsblog handled the story on Monday.

Housing Bureau police officers’ vehicles are still filling the M10 bus stop at Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 147th and 148th streets.

The stagnation is simply unfathomable, given how much attention has been paid not only to illegal parking and public space theft by police in general, but to this exact bus stop in specific.

A year ago, The City wrote about the problem. At that time, NYPD spokesman Al Baker said the problem would be taken care of.

We returned to the scene for our Monday story and found that nothing had changed — police officers’ vehicles still filled the bus stop, parked perpendicular to the curb to cram in even more vehicles and narrow the roadway to a dangerous constriction.

Neighbors said they have been reporting the conditions to 311 and their local officials, but have gotten no response.

Yes, Harlem residents are still forced into the street because their bus can't get to the curb. Photo: Adam Light — Yes, Harlem residents are still forced into the street because their bus can’t get to the curb. Photo: Adam Light

Then on Tuesday, after our story came out, Marsha Kramer of CBS2 asked Mayor de Blasio about it: “Can you do something about it so these people don’t have to risk life and limb and stand in traffic to get a bus?” she asked.

“Yeah, we’ll get on that,” the mayor said. “Thank you for raising that as well, Marsha. I don’t know the exact situation there, but we’ll coordinate with the NYPD and the MTA to figure out a way to keep people safe. Most important thing is that the community residents who need to get a bus [can do it] safely. And we’ll make the adjustments so that we can do that.”

Later in the day, the NYPD agree with the mayor, but did not provide any details. Det. Sophia Mason would only say, “We are aware of the condition at the location and are working to correct it.”

The “work,” apparently, continues. An officer at Housing Bureau 6 told Streetsblog that the problem is being addressed “in house.”

“Everyone has direction not to park there,” said an officer who gave the name Rosario. “I’m not giving an interview or anything. … There is an issue with double parking there, but we’re taking care of it.”