Arrests show park security cameras doing their job well

Thanks to new security cameras and the eagle eyes of the park staff, two men have been arrested on drug charges at Greencastle’s Robe-Ann Park recently.

Friday evening the camera pointed toward shelterhouse No. 5, west of the tennis courts, caught a male suspect, later identified as Coty A. Gray, 28, Indianapolis, seated at a picnic table. Park officials said he was witnessed “snorting drugs off the table.” They also watched him hide the rest of the apparent stash of drugs he brought to the park.

Park staff members told the Park Board Wednesday night that they called Greencastle City Police, not only giving them a detailed description of the suspect but being able to tell them where he put the rest of his drugs.

Park Board President Cathy Merrell praised their actions, suggesting that it was important the remaining drugs were recovered lest they fall into the hands of some unsuspecting youngsters.

The presence of security cameras, Merrell said, “makes it safer for everyone. I’m glad we’re being proactive about it.”

Gray was taken into custody and housed at the jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

City officers also subsequently arrested Sigmund A. Croan, 30, Danville, at the park that night. He was booked into the jail for possession of methamphetamine.

Those arrests, however, aren’t the only recent result of the use of park security cameras. The surveillance equipment also captured video of two young men recently scaling the fence at the Aquatic Center and, in the words of Park Director Greg Ruark, turning the drained pool “into a skatepark.”

At one point the two young men “looked straight into the camera,” Ruark said, indicating he was able to forward a detailed video of the pair to City Police. Ruark said he has not heard anything about the case from GPD since handing over the video.

Discussion of security camera benefits came during a report that two additional cameras have been purchased for the park for $1,384 from S5 Security Solutions.

Ruark explained that the two new cameras will focus on activity at shelterhouse No. 1 (the large shelter overlooking the bandshell area) and the Bob York Splash Park. Ruark said he can’t really explain how shelter No. 1 was overlooked in the initial installation of security cameras, saying it seems a natural location for them that somehow got overlooked in the original planning of 12 cameras that went operational the first week of last December

Seen as a deterrent to vandalism and other nefarious activity at the park, the cameras can be monitored by employee cellphones, while the camera feed also goes to park employee computers as well. The dozen cameras in place are situated to observe activity around the skatepark, Emerald Palace, tennis courts, pool and other areas 24 hours a day.

Board member Doug Hutchison asked if it might be wise to post “you’re under surveillance” signs at locations around the park.

“We have them,” Ruark said, indicating other park issues have taken precedence over their posting but that will be taken care of shortly.

Meanwhile, the Robe-Ann Park restrooms, often the target of vandalism but not a location where security cameras can be used inside to combat issues, are in the midst of renovation.

Ruark said the restrooms “look gorgeous” from the outside as the project continues toward completion by the end of October.

Mayor Bill Dory, who joked that he wished security cameras could be installed there to ward off vandalism, pointed out the restroom renovation is “a pretty significant investment” of more than $140,000.

The restroom renovation is being funded partly through a grant from the Department of Natural Resources and the city’s share of riverboat money, the proceeds of gambling funds the state shares with local governments.

Merrell and Hutchison were joined for the meeting by fellow board member Joanna Muncie. Member Tim Trigg was absent.

Other information from the September Park Board meeting will be included in a subsequent article.