Bring back the parks patrol!

I usually hate when people categorize "kids" as being blatantly disrespectful. They all get thrown into one lump sum and branded as "troublemakers" or "punks." That's not what I'm going to do in this story, so don't get me wrong. I'm going to place the responsibility the parents who force the adult population that encounters them to pass judgment.

I have a problem with what I lovingly call "the pit" in South Veteran's Memorial Park. At what I understand to be the encouragement of the present administration the local youths have been allowed to turn the garden into a dirty pipe with assorted internal hills and jumps. This appears to have been an olive branch gesture to appease some youths that were intimidating walkers on the trail. I assume that if they were to leave the walkers alone they got a bike park.  Why the reverse psychology that has allowed those who intimidate walkers on the trail to receive an official place to congregate in a city park and annihilate what I consider to be beautiful grounds puzzles me.

I understand that biking and skateboarding is a hobby, and I understand that the youth of our community are forced to be a little creative about how they spend their free time since there isn't much to do here. However, I find it sad that once given a little leeway, a mile gets taken in the course. For instance, I was taking a walk in the park the other night, and the kids are down in "the pit" doing their usual bike stunts, calling each other "m-er f-ers" in the presence of quite a few young kids, and oh, get this, using a shovel to dig a hole in the middle of the "pit" in order to make a dirt mound. I can’t imagine this what our city fathers had in mind when he allowed "the pit" to be used for this purpose.
 
And it's maddening as a parent when you pay taxes for the city parks, and you don't feel comfortable enough to take your children to the park because of instances like this, or perhaps, maybe like the one a few weeks ago when I was told by a teenager to "f-ck off" after I asked him to watch his mouth and stop throwing rocks in the presence of toddlers. I guess that's just out of line.

If you're a parent whose child congregates in this park, I ask you to teach your children just a bit of respect. Maybe if one or two listen, others will follow suit. In the meantime, I'm going to go to Wal-Mart and buy a swing set so I don't have to deal with the drama. Thus, I am officially throwing the taxes I pay toward the parks away.

Questions:

1. Who is liable if someone gets hurt on the dirt pipes?

2. Are there park safety standards, or can you build your own equipment?

3. What happened to the Parks Patrol?

4. Can we afford another “settle out of court”?

5. What happened to the oversight my tax dollars pay for?

Comments

[Robert Johnson]

I am sure they will say do to budget issues, they had to cut it back. ;)

[parenting 101]

"If you are a parent whose child congregates in the park, I ask you to teach your child just a bit of respect" That's the whole problem! Parents WON'T teach their child to respect others. Often the children hear this language as part of their every day life at home. They are not shown any examples of respect by their parents. They are taught that the world owes them something, and they don't have to do anything or "take any crap" (even if the "crap" is a simple request.) It is sad, but true.

[Full Disclosure]

I have to agree. I sat in my living room trying to watch tv while my neighbor, who was in their house spouted off obscenities at their 12 and 10 year old children at an alarming pace. It is bad enough that they are saying these things to young children, but it is worse that they are yelling them loud enough that I am forced to listen to it. What is happening to our society?

[RG]

Solution to the park problem and the smart mouthed punks: TASERS!!!

[local by birth not choice]

I am a mother of a 15 and 13 year old. I wont allow my teens to go to the park , not because I am afraid that they will cause trouble but because I don't want them grouped with the kids who do hang out there. I know that some that go are fine and just enjoying themselves the way that kids always have. I also know that there are those that go just to make sure that they ruin others time. I say put a patrol out there and put out warnings to everyone that they will be ticketed for repeat offenses . Instead of it being a monetary fine make it a community service fine. Put the offenders to work cleaning up the destruction they have caused . It will do 1 of 2 things , they will quit coming or behave when they are there and if not then free labor for our parks.

[Mark Sloan]

Excellent recommendation,local. Could be the first time these troublemakers will have faced manual labor. And congrats RT on stirring the pot enough here to rate inclusion in the 2009 Briar Patch show. It's hilarious and I urge all to attend for some fun entertainment.

[Mr Goodcat]

If they won't start up the park patrol again, why can't a few Dads or guys who care start their own? I would love to volunteer for a neighborhood watch.

[scott]

The problem with that is some of those kids would cuss you out and ignore you. You need the authority of having police backing. I would bet their parents would also cuss you out.

[parenting 101]

Scott-you are absolutely correct. Foul-mouthed parents would not see the problem with their little darlings expressing themselves. I was at a ballgame yesterday and heard a 5 year old say "get that bee off of my freakin' little sister". 4-5 adults were standing nearby, and not one of them reacted. Now, I realize that "freakin" has become an accepted part of our language, but is this the only way a 5 yr old can express himself? And by age 8, I'll bet "freakin" will not be his word of choice.
I have also had these park punks get really young kids (3-4 yrs old) to say perverted things to me as I walk through the park on the fitness trail.
My teenage son came home a few days ago complaining that a park punk was threatening/harrassing him. The punk also enlisted his buddies to help "teach my son a lesson". Thank God my son had the good sense to ride away and not waste his time fighting this trash. I have told him time and time again, it is not worth it! Thank God (again) he listened!!!

[parenting 101]

Oh and yes, I would love to police the park...but you are correct again, the kids would just laugh and cuss at you. I witnessed this last year when an older gentleman was patrolling the park. The kids were laughing and riding their bikes as fast as they could at the man, narrowly missing hitting him. Best of luck coming up with a solution!!!

[scott]

There is an easy solution, you just need to get the Mayor and Police Chief to admit there is a problem. Considering neither really spend time in public except at their favorite watering holes, I doubt it will happen.

Someone months ago had a great idea of starting a parks patrol with RPD backing. A couple of months of that and most of the issues posted here would be over. But the City ignored it. Guess they have more important things than to make the parks more liveable. I guess we need to remember this next election.

[Boilermaker Guy]

How about the taxpayers agree to pay the police officers overtime so that they may sit in civilian clothes in undercover cars and help fix the problems.

[scott]

Why, do the cops not make enough money sitting in marked cars in uniform? Why not have volunteer civilians with limited enforcement powers with RPD back up enforce the rules?

[Mr Goodcat]

What would Walker Texas Ranger do?