9.2.C. PRSR 07-11-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Kiver Police Department MEMORANDUM TO: Bill Maertz, Parks Director FROM: Jeffrey A. Beahen, Chief of Police DATE: June 27, 2007 SUBJECT: Lions Park Band Shell The band shell at Lions Park has always been a problem spot and a constant location for activity that is both undesirable and illegal. The primary draw for this location is the concealment that it offers juvenile or young adults from the supervising eyes of either park staff or local school officials and even the patrol officers who drive by-day or night. The problems of recent months include: Location of numerous after school fights, both middle school and high school levels. Often used by students as a place to use during school hours for smoking, including tobacco and marijuana. An attractive place for illegal activities of all kind to occur-basically out of sight, out of mind. (We have found meth pipes, marijuana pipes and hypodermic syringes inside the shell itself) • We have two calls in the past three weeks of transients sleeping inside. Both were removed without incident, but one was identified as potentially being involved in an indecent exposure incident at two other locations in the City. • Becomes a hang out at night for large groups of juveniles and young adults. • Is difficult to approach this area without being detected due to the orientation of the shell. When police surveillance of the problem area does occur, we do it with high powered viewing devices from afar, and then have to sweep in quickly on foot to make the contact or arrest. In short, the band shell is used very seldom for any sanctioned event, and the value of keeping it there is far outweighed by the daily illegal and unwanted activity that occurs there. Removing it would clean up that area of the park, and make the general park a safer place for all to be.