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City deputy marshal reports park enforcement trends, trailer camera deployments
Summary
The city's Department of Public Safety reported ward-by-ward enforcement statistics, explained common park violations, and said a trailer camera was relocated to Doolittle Community Center while two others are temporarily out of service.
Lieutenant Cheryl Manning, the Department of Public Safety’s new parks liaison, summarized park enforcement activity and equipment updates during the Feb. 4 Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission meeting.
Manning gave a ward-by-ward breakdown of calls for service: Ward 1 recorded 70 calls; Ward 2 had 34; Ward 3 had 195; Ward 4 had 76; Ward 5 had 132; and Ward 6 had 50. She said the top violations across parks included trespassing, park violations tied to after-hours presence, lodging without consent, warrants, narcotics enforcement and other offenses. "Park violations can vary. For example, you know, parks have opening and closing times. So if somebody's there after hours, that could be a park violation," Manning said.
Manning also described proactive deployment practices under the department’s evidence-based policing approach: analysts identify "hot spots" and hot times and marshals are scheduled to match those periods. She noted that proactive patrols and foot patrols are not reflected in the raw call-for-service statistics. Manning said the department moved a trailer camera in January to Doolittle Community Center at Metro's request and that two other trailer cameras are temporarily down for service while the department works to bring them back online.
Commissioners asked for clarifications: Commissioner Stitt praised recent community-oriented events and asked what qualifies as a park violation; Manning listed after-hours presence, alcohol, weapons, graffiti and attempts to live in parks among common examples. Commissioner Keller asked whether higher arrest and citation counts reflect changes in enforcement or increased incidents; Manning replied the rise was driven in part by targeted patrols during identified hot times rather than only an administrative counting change. Commissioner Robinson asked for specifics about pedestrian-traffic notations near Firefighters Memorial Park; Manning said she would follow up with a clarification.
Manning left contact information for follow-up: (702) 229-1096.
