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Sheriff: Linear Park hours changed after overdoses; Narcan kits and bike patrols deployed
Summary
Sheriff Figueroa said the county and City of Kingston changed Linear Park hours and deployed Oracle and Narcan kits after a cluster of overdoses; officials plan informational bike patrols and will focus enforcement on congregating that causes public-safety problems.
Sheriff Paul Figueroa told the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee on June 30 that county and city officials altered hours at Linear Park and deployed Oracle in response to loitering complaints and a recent cluster of overdoses.
"We've...changed the park hours because of the issues that we've been having there," the sheriff said, describing coordination among the sheriff's office, the county executive and the City of Kingston Police Department. He said the county is also coordinating with the Department of Mental Health to offer assistance where needed.
Figueroa credited expanded availability of Narcan boxes on the Linear Park trail with saving lives after an uptick in overdoses: "...Oracle giving out more boxes of Narcan that are on the linear...trail that that really has helped saving lives," he said, adding that reduced 911 calls in some instances may reflect bystanders using those kits.
The sheriff said the department plans informational bike patrols in partnership with the City of Kingston and would step up enforcement only when necessary to address congregating and property-damage complaints. He clarified the intent is not to restrict commuters who use the corridor for transit: enforcement will target people congregating and causing problems rather than routine travelers.
Figueroa also told the committee the county jail remains short-staffed by about 30 corrections officers, which has increased reliance on mandatory overtime during the summer months.
The committee heard questions about camera upgrades; the sheriff said county-supported camera-system upgrades for Linear Park are underway but that the funding did not originate from his department's operating budget.
What happens next: the sheriff's office will continue to coordinate with Kingston and county agencies, roll out bike patrols for outreach, and report on the progress of the Axon pilot and policy development to the committee.
