Vandalism and disturbances at city parks has been a long-time concern for many residents of Winnemucca. From litter and fighting to loud music and fireworks, officers at the Winnemucca Police Department receive numerous calls every week in regards to the parks.
An ordinance proposal that would close the City parks between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in order to address these issues was approved at a Winnemucca City Council meeting on Sept. 6.
Mayor Rich Stone said at the meeting that vandalism has cost the City of Winnemucca at least $10,000 in repairs over the years. The destruction of property and lack of respect for the parks has gotten worse and worse.
Members of the community, including residents who live near Highland Park—which is especially busy during dark hours—were present and wrote letters of support. Officials from the Winnemucca Police Department (WPD) were present to support the approval of the ordinance and according to City Manager, Alicia Heiser, employees of the Public Works Department are also in support of the ordinance.
Maurucio Sahagun, a Winnemucca resident who was present at the Council meeting, explained that he and his family are frequently woken up in the middle of the night by engines revving and fireworks going off at Highland Park.
An ordinance is essentially a law set by municipal authorities. This ordinance will make being in a park after it is closed a misdemeanor offense, which will allow police officers to ask people to leave or ticket them if they do not. Without an ordinance closing the parks at night, officers can do very little unless someone is actively committing a crime at the parks.
“Any time something is new, we take the stance of education first,” said Winnemucca Police Department Lieutenant, Jeff Murdock, at a later meeting.
The Winnemucca Police Department receives four to five calls about vandalism and disturbances at the City parks per week, according to Lt. Murdock, which pulls officers away from other pressing calls.
Just recently, a camera costing almost 2,000 was stolen from the Splash Pad, but was recovered with the help of the community, according to Lt. Murdock. Other incidences of vandalism, like newly-planted trees being ripped from the ground or broken at the Winnemucca Municipal Golf Course, have raised concerns about vandalism in the community.
Larger cities, such as Reno, NV, close their parks late at night for reasons similar to those proposed. Lt. Murdock explained that the WPD has been in favor of closing the parks at night for more than a decade and the ordinance gives the department another tool to work with in order to keep the City safe.
The ordinance could take effect by the beginning of Nov., according to City Attorney, Kent Maher. Based on City Official comments, the ordinance is likely to include all City parks, including the Winnemucca Sports Complex.