Designate Isham Park as an off-leash area pursuant to New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation Ru

Isham Park has been home to many violent muggings over the last five years. The presence of a group of dog owners and their dogs in the late night and early morning hours, when the violent muggings have historically been perpetrated in the Park, has decreased the number of muggings and has driven potential perpetrators out onto well lit and populated streets where it is far more difficult to attack pedestrians.
Isham Park has a long history of being a dog park, as many long-time neighborhood residents can attest.
The core group of regulars who walk their dogs off-leash in Isham Park are law abiding citizens and maintain control over their dogs at all times. None of the dogs who frequent Isham Park from 9pm until Park close, and from Park opening until 9am are aggressive, or have ever behaved in a disorderly or menacing way to any person in Isham Park.
Those who would use the Park to exercise their dogs during the off-leash hours commit to full compliance with the Park Rules as set out in New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation Rules & Regulations Section 1-04 i. 2. i., ii., iii, and iv. The group of dog owners and custodians are self-policing, and will not tolerate abuse of these rules by anyone choosing to take advantage of the 9 to 9 off-leash rules.
The policy in Isham Park toward off-leash dogs has been very inconsistent, sometimes allowing off-leash exercise, and then sometimes forbidding the same. This inconsistency is confusing to all who enjoy Isham Park.
The undersigned ask that Isham Park, or in the alternative, the north-west corner of Isham Park (which is fenced on three sides), be designated an official off-leash area for dogs pursuant to Section 1-04 of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Rules & Regulations as detailed above. The undersigned also ask that, pursuant to the discretion in enforcing Section 161.05 (ticketing for unrestrained dogs) of the New York City Health Code allowed by Section 161.25 to the Health Commissioner, that ticketing people with unrestrained dogs from 9pm to 9am be determined an unusual hardship and impractical in light of the the persistent muggings and violent crime in Isham Park.