Raymore officials show video of repeated park vandalism, outline prevention steps

City staff and the Raymore Police Department on Monday showed the City Council video of repeated vandalism at several city parks and described steps they are taking to identify suspects, seek juvenile referrals and reduce future damage.

At a council meeting, Parks Department staff member Mister Fearborn introduced the clips and said the department "we've done our best to try to block out some faces since we are talking about in every instance, juveniles here who are involved." The videos, which officials said are only a sample of incidents, show damage to play equipment, spray-painting and removal of fixtures at Hawk Ridge Park and other city sites.

Parks staff and Police Chief Nathan Mustin (parks staff and the chief narrated the footage) described several specific repairs and cost estimates. "That particular piece of equipment estimated to replace and, to remove and replace is about $6,400 for that piece," Mustin said of a broken percussion “flower” instrument. For a damaged merry‑go‑round and the poured surface beneath it, staff said a full replacement could cost as much as $55,000 depending on whether the steel frame or the concrete foundation is damaged.

The police described investigative steps toward referral to the Cass County juvenile office, including interviewing suspects and witnesses captured on video. The chief said the city had begun interviews and that one juvenile confessed to breaking a soap dispenser; other juveniles have refused to speak and the department plans to "present that case down the road to the Cass County juvenile office," the chief said. Officials noted a statutory limit on recoverable juvenile restitution: "We might as well plan on $4,000," the chief said, citing conversations with Cass County juvenile staff.

Because restitution likely will not cover large replacement costs, staff said options for recovering larger losses include insurance claims or civil suits against parents. Parks staff noted their insurance partner (Midwest Public Risk) works with a vendor called WeTip that can produce tip flyers and pay rewards; staff said the partner can provide rewards “up to a thousand dollars” and that the vendor’s lower threshold information included figures such as $100 and $1,000 in the materials staff reviewed.

City staff summarized remedies they plan to request council support for: clearer signage explaining how to use equipment and how to report vandalism (including emphasizing 911 for emergencies), motion‑sensor cameras to alert police after hours, consideration of more-mobile Condor cameras, selective lighting (with attention to avoiding intrusive illumination of nearby homes), continued increased park patrols and school‑based education through the school resource officer. Staff also said they will interview witnesses and suspects on camera to build referral packets for juvenile court.

Police provided some activity data: since March 1 the department logged 267 park checks, 26 vehicle checks in parks and three pedestrian checks, figures staff said demonstrate ongoing patrols despite the incidents.

Council members offered input on the remedies. Several members endorsed stronger signage and camera deployment; one council member suggested showing vandalism signs at damaged equipment so park users know an item was broken by vandalism rather than normal wear. Staff said they may return with a request for a budget amendment if the council approves purchase of additional Condor or other cameras.

Officials emphasized investigation limitations when juveniles are involved and the time required to build cases for the juvenile office. The council did not take a formal vote on a specific ordinance or budget at the meeting; staff said they would return with implementation details and any budget requests.

Ending

Staff said manufacturers would inspect damaged equipment this week to determine whether repair or full replacement is needed and that the city will follow the juvenile referral process once interviews are complete.