After receiving a complaint by a Roosevelt Island resident alarmed by the
placement of poison rat trap bait boxes in public grassy areas frequented by
children and dogs, the NY State Department Of Environmental Conservation Police came to investigate last Monday. 

Yesterday, I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton
Haynes:

The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation removed rat poison
traps earlier this week from public space under RIOC control adjacent to the
West Promenade across from Starbucks that children and dogs use.

Did RIOC place the rat poison traps in that area? If not, who did?

What is RIOC policy regarding use of rat poison in areas frequented by
people and animals?

It has been a longstanding
RIOC policy not to use rat poison in public spaces. Has that policy changed?

RIOC Public Information Officer Amy Smith replied:

After the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) collected the bait
boxes due to a false claim that a member of the general public was placing
them, it was determined that the bait boxes are in full compliance with DEC
location and safety standards. The bait boxes were promptly returned to RIOC,
who does own the boxes, for replacement.

Will update when results of the investigation are available.

Here’s a 2019 pilot project in Brooklyn to get rid of rats.