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Vandalism at city owned and maintained parks occurs all too often

Vandalism Costs Parks

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Vandalism at city owned and maintained parks occurs all too often. The various aftermath effects incurred from this type of crime delve deeper than what is on the surface. The effect that strikes the hardest is the cost of repair due to vandalism.

Playground equipment can cost as much as $150,000.

Without the proper funds to repair vandalized playground equipment, child safety comes into question and the area where the damage has occurred will have to be closed to the public. Vandalized maintenance equipment can cost thousands of dollars to repair and the park cannot be properly maintained. Due to the already tight budgets allocated to city parks, it can take weeks or months before a park can be reopened to be enjoyed by the public once again.

When vandalism befalls one of our national parks, the consequences can prove disastrous. Fragile ecosystems can be rendered unrepairable from illegal dumping or littering, causing lakes and streams to become polluted. Natural rock formations and caves adorned with much graffiti are beautiful no more. When these gorgeous areas are defaced, it costs everyone, as they are meant to be enjoyed by all. Money spent to repair a vandalized national park would be better spent to improve their natural beauty and a park patron’s experience.

It is important to try to prevent park assets from being vandalized. These assets often include playground equipment, trashcans, restroom facilities, tables and benches, and recreational structures. All these items can cost quite a bit to repair or replace.  Prevention, crime deterrent methods, are better than repair and replace. We must do what is in our power to keep our beautiful parks open for all to enjoy.

Nuisance crimes bring the Park’s responsibilities to a full swing and winning the battle against crimes like vandalism and graffiti is a must.

Parks – Fight Against Nuisance Crimes

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Nuisance crimes bring the Park’s responsibilities to a full swing and winning the battle against crimes like vandalism and graffiti is a must.  Keeping the graffiti and vandalism away rather than cleaning up is more effective. Once the crime has been committed and the community knows about it, the park is marked as no longer safe.

Nuisance crimes that plague the parks are very disheartening to the community, affecting those that would like to enjoy the parks.  Nobody wants to go to a park that is riddled with graffiti on the playground or the sidewalks and walls.  Graffiti creates an atmosphere that people are not welcome, this territory is claimed, and people who come here are not safe.  Likewise, Vandalism generates a surrounding of abandonment and neglect, which can also cause a feeling that the area is not safe.

The parks are important to the community.  In a NRPA parks survey conducted by Penn State University, Americans cherish their local public park and the community wants a park that they can escape to, away from the everyday mundane routine.  Whether it is biking, walking the dog or taking the kids to the playground, people need to feel safe. People will not use the parks if it does not put out a feeling of safety.

Parks Directors and Rangers know the importance of parks.  The responsibility of keeping the parks safe is huge and heavy.  The tools are what gives the Parks Department the upper edge against nuisance crimes.  Surveillance can watch but does not stop crimes.  The Parks Department needs tools that stop the crimes from happening in the first place.

Don’t let the gloom and doom bring your deterrence efforts to a slow down.  With students exiting the schools by the droves, now is the time to get into full gear.  Mischief is just around the corner, are you ready with the right tools to deter?

School Safety in the Beholder’s Hands

School Safety in the Beholder’s Hands

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School safety has improved with modern technology. Camera systems, target hardening (strengthening the target), and other crime prevention systems will not secure schools if they are not used properly. One may think that technology is better, therefore the security will be better, but that is only if the beholder uses the security systems properly.

As it states in the Police Chief Magazine, “As good as modern security technology is, it cannot replace common-sense systems of visitor and vender control.” Police Chief Magazine suggests that schools should use both “technology and CPTED” for school security. CPTED is an advanced principle that stands for crime prevention through environmental design. CPTED has been a proven effective method of crime prevention, but is only as good as the beholder’s judgement.

Effective crime prevention tools can provide school safety only when the right people are in place. Tools like crime prevention are good but the person has to use them correctly. Proper training and having the correct people using the tools can make effective use of modern technology. Structures like CPTED are good, but criminals can still find a way in, and it is necessary for administrators and security officers to be aware of the limitations and use good judgment accordingly.

When the right resource officers and school administrators are in place and are trained correctly, tools like crime prevention camera systems can be proven as an effective tool for school safety.

Parks- Prevent Illegal Activity at the Pool

Parks- Prevent Illegal Activity at the Pool

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Spring is in the air, and summer is just around the corner.  Is your Parks and Recreation Center ready for the influx of pool attendees of the newly remodeled pool?  What about after hours?  Does the pool area have adequate protections, such as fencing and alarms, to keep mischief away before it turns into a tragedy?

According to the Red Cross, “over 200 young children drown in backyard swimming pools each year.”  And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning.”, CDCP also states, “non fatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage.” Every death and accident is a tragedy but even more so if it could have been prevented.

When summer heat is upon us, everybody will be heading to the pool.  And when the crowd goes home, the teens find their way back, still looking for relief from the summer heat.  They will be jumping the fences and thinking it is an adventure to swim in the dark of the shadows.  Sometimes this illegal trespassing activity will include alcohol, which will most likely increase the chance that someone will get hurt.

Some protections that will help include:

  • Signs: Warnings posted that trespassing is illegal
  • Fencing: High enough that will deter most intruders
  • Lighting: To expose the illegal activity
  • Alarms: To scare the intruder away and bring awareness to the illegal activity
  • Cameras: To capture the intruders on film to deter the illegal activity or if needed prosecute

 

  • The deterrent features should change the behavior of anyone seeking adventure, making the illegal activity not so “fun”.

What safety deterrent features does your pool have?  Is your pool ready for the summer rush? Don’t let the illegal trespassing risk ruin your summer.  Learn what you can do to Protect your Pool and prevent illegal activity.