By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper gave a report to the City Council this week on the park patrol.
"We started the park patrol, security patrol, basically January 1," Hooper said. "In January, just the park patrol units themselves spent about 56 hours in the parks. Over 20 of those hours were specifically in Orchard Park. Only one issue was discovered in Orchard Park and it was a pickup truck driving recklessly in the area and park patrol called for a police unit to respond and they did and we were able to get that person stopped."
Last month, they weren't up there as much.
"In February, those hours were basically cut in half because of the cold spell that we had," Hooper said. "We spent a little over 20 hours in our parks during the month of February. We did have one incident up at Orchard Park specifically with about a dozen cars parked up there, but they weren't doing anything. They were just kind of hanging out, talking. You know that we've had that car group that's been up there."
The hard part is striking the balance between figuring out what could result in potential damage or problems and what is acceptable activity among groups, because you want the public to be able to use the park, as long as they don't abuse it.
"We patrol the parks a minimum of four hours a night Sunday through Thursday with one person and one patrol," Hooper said. "On Fridays and Saturday nights we expand those hours to anywhere between 6 and 8 hours we have two patrols out during those times."
Hooper said they would evaluate if they need to expand the hours as the weather warms up. This is separate from any work done in the parks by police themselves.