Souderton Police Chief Brian Newhall and Borough Council President Tracy Burke are expressing frustration over ongoing vandalism at Souderton Community Park.
Much of it, authorities say, can be traced to a small group of known teenagers.
However, some have not been caught in action. While there are video cameras in the park, not every angle is covered.
Police have stepped up patrols of the park, which reduced some of the destruction, and the chief and council president are asking the public to say something if they see something wrong at the park.
“The Souderton Community Park has been subjected to graffiti and unnecessary destruction of bathrooms and newly installed equipment,” Burke said. “Some seem to think it’s funny to kick holes in walls at our public facilities, smear their feces on those same walls, flush things that shouldn’t be flushed, and smash or otherwise intentionally try to destroy beautifully installed equipment. Someone even try (tried) to damage the newly poured, painted and sealed basketball court. I personally find these childish pranks unconscionable and I hope that everyone in the community helps us to self-police and spread the word in an attempt to prevent this senseless vandalism. We’re all paying the price for the reckless few.”
Newhall advised that, “When we have caught juveniles, thus far we have contacted parents/guardians as we are legally required to do, and they have been made to clean up any mess that they have made. In the future, we will be trespassing offenders, which means they will be banned from the park. If they violate the ban, they could be charged with Defiant Trespass, a second-degree misdemeanor.”
“We don’t want it to come to that,” he said. “Many people have worked very hard and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to make the park beautiful and fun location to visit. We want the public to appreciate it and understand that it is their park, and when damage is done, they should take it personally because someone will have damaged something that belongs to them, and tax dollars will have to be spent to make repairs. We’re asking that everyone treat the park with respect, and if they see property being damaged to call 911 immediately.”
The vandalism has led to occasions in which the bathrooms at the park have had to be temporarily closed so the damage could be repaired.
In other police-related news, borough council in June approved the hiring of a new full-time officer, Dayne Hagey, and the department recognized retiring 17-year veteran Officer Martin Divergigelis with a retirement badge.
Borough Council is also considering bids for the Community Park rain garden and has approved the purchase of a pick-up truck for the public works department at a cost not to exceed $50K.
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