Police Patrols Suggested for Florissant Parks in 2013 Budget
Florissant Police Chief, Parks and Recreation Director pitch trial program to get parks and recreation centers safer.
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Despite discussions for the 2013 budget being a few months away, Florissant Police Chief William Karabas and Parks and Recreation Director Ron Veach gave the Florissant City Council to consider for the next fiscal year already.
Monday night, during the council’s executive session, Karabas and Veach proposed a trial program that would place two part-time Florissant police officers in the parks.
“This is not to replace park rangers,” Mayor Tom Schneider said. “This would be part-time police officers who patrol the parks.”
Chief Karabas explained that with the constant growing vandalism in the park, such as the burning down of a jungle gym in one park and the shooting of solar panels in another park, has brought the part-time officers idea to the forefront.
“We’re more concerned with the safety of residents and visitors who use our parks,” he said.
Karabas said that the two part-time officers would be either retired or working other jobs but still have police officer certification. They would assist park rangers with patrolling the parks and both recreation centers.
Parks and Recreation Director Veach pointed out that a number of people don’t respect the rangers, and part-time police officers would have more authority by being able to arrest and respond to problems.
Chief Karabas said that the positions would be included in the department’s proposed 2013 budget.
Mayor Schneider said that if the trial proves successful, he would hope to possibly expand in the future to include more officers.
Ken
6:39 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Kudos to all for this. Please increase police presence as much as possible to let all the thugs know that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated, and the police and residents will not roll over and let them have this area.
Katie Towner
11:14 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Please patrol Behlmann Park. So sick of punk teenagers thinking they can go do their drugs and other in appropriate things.
Randy Jorel
6:24 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Why not put a substation at some of the parks?
Randy Jorel
6:26 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Why not install police substations at some of the parks.? Not to say they would spend all time at the parks , but rather return to parks after other calls.
Colleen Hoette
8:42 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Excellent idea - almost every night after St. Ferdinand Park closes I can hear cars and motorcycles racing through there. With the vandalism on the sand volleyball courts and the need for fencing around the courts, this move is long overdue. I too support substations at the parks.
Angela M. DeVito Gahan
8:06 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
My house butts into Duschene PK and granted its not a big park but after it gets dark it seems to be the busiest place on earth. I see lots of cars go in there and with lights on and then park and lights off. I really don't like having people in a park at night. I don't know how many times kids would get on top of the roof of the Pavilion and take the roof apart. Then when you walk out there the next morning and I do while walking my dog you see all the empty beer bottles or cans and other things. Its a mess the next morning. That parking lot needs to be lit better then the cars wouldn't come and sit there. Its way to dark in that park.