The City of Newburgh Police Department is in the midst of an active investigation following the discovery of an unidentified male at Crystal Lake. It has been reported that a local fisherman had called local authorities at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 22 to report the body.

Mayor Torrance Harvey has been in communication with the city executive staff about the situation. “Public safety is always our number one priority. I know that’s an active investigation. At this point, still trying to identify the body that was found at Crystal Lake,” he said. “There’s been public outcry to designate Crystal Lake as a park and once that designation happens and I believe it’s going to happen very shortly, we’re going to be able to do some things, some wonderful things that with that park, and making sure that it’s not only maintained, but it’s also policed the right way, which it should always be.”

“I want to first and foremost say that my heart goes out to the family of the victim and that the loss of life in our community, in any fashion, is a loss for all of us,” said Anusha Mehar, Co-Director of the Newburgh Wants a Park Campaign (NWaPC). “This tragic incident underscores the pressing need to prioritize the safety and well being of our public spaces. It also highlights the City of Newburgh’s liability exposure, given they own the property, but have not yet invested in public safety by way of formal park designation. Although we do know that council and the mayor are very supportive of the project.

“We know that there are many ways that we can increase public safety by protecting public land, including by implementing principles of crime prevention, through environmental design, such as enhancing visibility, limiting hiding spots, and improving lighting, all of which have been shown to reduce crime by up to 50%, according to the National Institute of Justice,” she continued. “As we mourn the loss of life at Crystal Lake, we call on residents to join us in turning this tragedy into a catalyst for positive change.”

The city administration had not responded to a request for further information from the Mid Hudson Times, as of Tuesday’s deadline.