By Kaelyn Johnson
During the week of Sept. 24, the city of Marion implemented park security for Marion’s 13 parks to reduce the likelihood of vandalism.
Rose Cadena, park office manager, said she noticed multiple instances of vandalism during the 18 years she has worked for the city.
“Vandalism happens at every park, whether it be graffiti or just tearing up equipment, vandalizing restrooms,” Cadena said.
Cadena said some of the vandalism occurred in the restrooms at Matter Park.
“We just remodeled bathrooms at Shelter 3. They have needed it for years. Our new mayor made it possible, and the very next day, all the hand soap and hand towels and everything were busted off the wall. We’re talking about a $55,000 remodel that was needed, like I said, hadn’t been remodeled since I’ve been here, and people destroyed it.”
A woman at Matter Park, Courtney Mellendorf, said she thinks vandalism is cruel.
“I think it’s cruel because I think that they do so much to keep this park pretty and upbeat,” Mellendorf said, “so I just think it’s pretty cruel that people come here to vandalize pretty flowers and statues.”
Cadena said three part-time security people have been hired to patrol the parks regularly to remedy the problems caused by vandalism.
Drew Tittle, captain on day shift at the city of Marion police department, said the security personnel will have the ability to radio the police department if they notice suspicious activity.
“They’re not sworn law enforcement officers, just civilians that’ll be doing patrols throughout all the parks. Not just Matter Park, but through all the different parks that we have,” Tittle said.
Tittle said if security contacts the police department, a sworn in Marion police officer would respond to the situation and handle it accordingly.
Cadena said she has already noticed a difference in the number of vandalism instances and in the overall cleanliness of the park.
“We’ve already seen a huge difference in vandalism in our parks and cleanliness, because not only is it their (the security’s) duty to go to each park on a daily, (it is also) to check out facilities and safety issues and all of that stuff,” Cadena said. “And now we have all locked facilities where people can’t get in unless they break in, which we haven’t had anybody do. So it definitely doesn’t leave it open for vandalism to happen on a nightly.”