Audit Report on the Parks Enforcement Patrol of the Department of Parks and Recreation

MD03-176A
April 9, 2004

AUDIT REPORT IN BRIEF

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This audit determined whether the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) of the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) is in compliance with its own policies and procedures as specified in the Parks Urban Parks Service (UPS) Officer’s Field Manual and whether PEP has adequate operating controls in place for the issuance of summonses and the handling of "requests for services."

Audit Findings and Conclusions

In general, PEP is in compliance with its policies and procedures as specified in the Parks UPS Officer’s Field Manual. However, our review disclosed the following weaknesses:

• One of PEP’s functions is to handle requests for services that come from the public or from the Parks Central Communications Division. Of the 960 requests for services reported in the PEP June 2003 Monthly Productivity Report, 747 (78%) were not recorded in borough offices’ Request for Service Logs or other request-recording documents.
• Two borough offices (Manhattan and the Bronx) do not show any evidence that they follow up the requests for services that they have recorded.
• Four (16%) of 25 sampled officers’ memo books were missing.
• Seventeen (89%) of 19 inspected officers’ memo books lacked required supervisory reviews.

Based on the findings for our sample, we make the following recommendations, namely, that Parks officials should ensure that:

• Requests for services are recorded accurately and timely in Request for Service Logs.
• PEP officers adequately document action taken on requests for services.
• Memo books are completed and safeguarded against loss.
• Memo books are properly reviewed and signed by designated supervisors as required.

Parks Response

The matters covered in this report were discussed with Parks officials during and at the conclusion of this audit. A preliminary draft report was sent to Parks officials on February 6, 2004, and was discussed at an exit conference held on March 5, 2004. On March 12, 2004, we submitted a draft report to Parks officials with a request for comments. On March 24, 2004, we received a written response from Parks officials. In their response, Parks officials agreed with the audit’s findings and stated that they have already taken steps to implement the audit’s recommendations.