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Decades-old NYC policy requires NYPD to open public pools, leading to frequent delays
By
Liam Quigley
Published Jun 26, 2026
Modified Jun 26, 2026
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Liam Quigley / Gothamist
By
Liam Quigley
Published Jun 26, 2026
Modified Jun 26, 2026
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New Yorkers eager to take a dip in one of the city’s public pools last summer were repeatedly kept waiting by police officers who failed to show up to their shifts on time, according to data shared by the parks department.
A decades-old city policy requires NYPD officers to be in place before the parks department can let swimmers into the city’s 51 outdoor pools across the five boroughs. Most pools are open for two daily sessions throughout the summer, one from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and another from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The city’s pools reopen for the 2026 season on Saturday, though city officials say the Red Hook Pool's opening has been delayed due to an as-yet undetermined date due to equipment damage.
City data shows parks department employees reported cops were late to their shifts during 214 pool sessions last summer, which breaks down to nearly three incidents per day over the course of the season.
The delays caused by the policy reduced swimming time that was already limited in prior years by a lifeguard shortage that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 12 people drowned at city beaches over the last two years.
NYPD officials disputed the data, and said in many of the reported cases police officers showed up on time to the pools — and found the openings were delayed for other reasons like mechanical problems. Parks officials also said delays caused by a lack of police presence only accounted for a fraction of lost swimming time.
NYPD spokesperson Bradley Weekes wrote in a statement the department "reviewed and disproved” the parks department data.
“We dispute these findings and continue to hold our officers to the highest standards, including strict expectations around punctuality for staffing at New York City's public pools" Weekes said.
Parks officials said each of the incidents reported came from a department employee filling out a form and selecting an option stating the NYPD did not show up on time. The officials said none of its pools experienced a full-day or full-session closure last summer due to a lack of NYPD staffing.
Adam Ganser, executive director of the advocacy group New Yorkers for Parks, said that the delays accumulate into an unacceptable loss of badly needed swimming hours for the public.
“New York City has an enormous struggle every year just getting enough lifeguards generally so they can open all the city pools,” he said. “To have pools with lifeguards unable to open because the NYPD doesn’t show up, that’s criminal.”
The parks department began requiring NYPD presence at public pools following several bouts of violence in the 1980s and 1990s.
A 1989 shooting at Highbridge Pool in Upper Manhattan left a 13-year-old dead, and several sexual assaults reported at pools in 1993 and 1994 prompted then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani to station cops at all outdoor pools, according to news coverage.
Police officials confirmed that two officers are typically assigned to each of the city’s pools during the summer.
Adrian Benepe, a former parks department commissioner who also served for six years as the Manhattan borough parks commissioner, said that the police are an essential part of keeping pools safe.
“It’s better to have a slightly delayed opening than an unsafe situation,” he said. “You have to keep it safe everyday. Otherwise, the parents lose confidence that they can bring their young kids there.”
Iris De León, who lives near Crotona Pool in the Bronx, agreed.
"It’s good that they open it and put police there to control things, because they always fight there," De León said. "Every year there are always fights there, and the police have to come. Always."
The parks department has several other decades-old policies for poolgoers. People cannot bring their phones into pool areas, and are required to bring a lock to secure their personal items. Visitors are subject to visual checks. New Yorkers are also banned from bringing newspapers to the pool, and are only permitted to take in “bound periodicals.”
Gregg McQueen, a parks department spokesperson, said that it is agency policy to wait for NYPD officers to arrive before letting swimmers in, but that delays were minimal.
“In summer 2025, we were proud to welcome more than 1 million patrons to our outdoor pools, which serve as important, free resources for New Yorkers to stay cool, have fun, and stay fit,” he wrote in a statement.
This story has been updated with more information.
Tagged
new york city
parks
public safety
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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