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Youth soccer leaders press board for camera, patrol and documentation steps after vandalism at city fields
Summary
Pensacola Youth Soccer and board members discussed rising vandalism at Hitzeman (Hitsman) fields, including broken goals and restroom damage; the board asked staff to gather incident reports and coordinate with police to evaluate patrols and camera options.
Pensacola Youth Soccer told the Parks and Recreation Board on Nov. 18 that vandalism at city fields has increased, leaving broken goals, damaged restroom fixtures and torn fence partitions and prompting requests for improved security measures.
Travis Peterson, a league vice president, said incidents had intensified after the season ended and asked whether the league could install its own cameras or participate in a city camera program, or whether the Police Department could increase drive‑by patrols. “We would like to request that we be allowed to either put up our own cameras or if there's a camera system that you guys use at your other parks that we're able to participate in,” Peterson said.
Board members and staff discussed legal and operational concerns about private cameras on public property, the cost and monitoring obligations of city‑run systems, and privacy implications. Several members favored the safety benefits of cameras and noted existing cameras at Exchange Park and Legion Field; others urged caution and asked for incident documentation before prioritizing camera installs.
The board requested that the youth‑sports organization and staff provide documented incident reports to strengthen requests for additional patrols or camera prioritization. Staff agreed to sit down with the organization and representatives from the police department to evaluate possible responses, including increased patrols, camera options and signage.
