NYPD, NYC Parks work together to combat illegal vending on Coney Island Boardwalk

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The NYPD and NYC Parks are working together along with other city agencies to combat illegal vending on the Coney Island Boardwalk. NYPD Community Link posted an illegal vending operation on X on Tuesday afternoon. “After 6pm most people don’t realize when the lifeguards go off duty, parks officers need to police the waters," said Maya Miller, owner of Coney Island Beach Shop. Miller, along with other business owners in the area say it was a chaotic scene on the Fourth of July, adding illegal vendors took over the boardwalk. “The warmer it is outside, the more vendors that come out," Miller said. "It directly affects all of our businesses whether it be the restaurants or our beach shops.” The Executive Director of the Alliance for Coney Island told News 12 there is not much he can do to keep them away. However, Murphy says police have stepped up this season. “When the businesses are regulated, and when folks feel safe and they feel like they know what they’re coming to get and they have an enforcement presence, it just makes the experience of Coney Island a lot more fun," said Daniel Murphy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Coney Island. Brooklyn residents say they don't mind the illegal vendors. “Brooklyn is hard, everything is on the hustle," said Don Francis, of Brownsville. "Don't penalize these people for serving the community out here because they’re doing better for us.” Business owners say the summer months make or break their business, so they are grateful Parks is stepping up and taking action at such an impactful issue. “We’re hopeful that they continue to do it so it can deter all the vendors that are coming out here," Miller said. In a statement to News 12, NYC Parks says: "Our Parks Enforcement Patrol’s first course of action is to educate in order to bring violators into compliance but they can issue a summons as necessary. Vending without a permit is unsafe, it impacts quality of life in our city, and it negatively impacts the business owners who do have permits to operate in our parks." "