Vinton Police speak after criticism surrounding skate park

By Lindsey Ward

Published: July 15, 2008

Many in the community accused Vinton Police of not patrolling Gearhart Park or enforcing the rules.

“That’s the reason we have police officers to make sure that rules and laws are followed,” said one resident at Monday night’s public hearing.

Vinton Police Lieutenant, Mark Vaught, spoke up at the public hearing and tells us on each 12 hour shift between three officers they stop by the park six times, but as for officers catching any illegal activity that’s the problem

Police say by the time they get to the bottom of the hill the skaters vandalizing and doing illegal activity escape through the back of the park through a hole in the fence.

“When we’re coming down the hill we can’t see the skate park at all, by the time we get out of the car, they’ve heard the car door, they’ve heard us coming through the gravels,” explained James Testerman, an officer for Vinton Police.

Testerman even says the teens will post someone at the top of the hill to be on the look out for police.

Besides the visible vandalism, they also find evidence of under-age drinking and drug-use in the park, but in general the lieutenant supports skaters.

“No body is picking on anybody, nobody’s saying skate parks are bad or evil,” said Lt. Vaught, adding he just wished the kids would follow the rules posted at the park.

However, they’re a board of rules that may be taken down soon anyways.