Effective immediately, anyone who provides information that results in an arrest in connection with vandalism in a City-owned park will be eligible to receive a reward of up to $500.
The problem
The City owns 17 public parks, including Sooner and Frontier swimming pools, two splash pads and the Price Fields Sports Complex — at least one of which is defaced, damaged or otherwise vandalized nearly every day, according to Public Works Director Keith Henry.
“We get everything from graffiti, trash, broken light fixtures and damaged playground equipment, to restrooms being set on fire and toilets stuffed with various items until they are no longer operable,” Henry said. “Just last weekend we had someone break into the Sooner Pool facility and break some windows. Things like that are pretty much an everyday occurrence.”
The cost
Public Works Building Maintenance Supervisor Mitch Lucas says the cost to repair and replace property damaged by vandals is extensive, both in money and staff time.
“The cost to repair the restrooms after they were set on fire a couple of years ago was more than $40,000,” Lucas said. “And it was another $38,000 to install security locks on the restroom doors so we could lock them at night to try and prevent it from happening again. The locks themselves have been vandalized as well, resulting in thousands of dollars in repair expense.”
Other expenditures include several thousand dollars in paint to cover graffiti, which is also a common occurrence in the City’s parks, and extra security measures in an attempt to protect structures.
“We had to install cinder block wall dividers in the Jo Allyn Lowe Park restrooms to keep vandals from kicking over and destroying the partition walls and doors. That cost a couple thousand dollars,” Lucas said. “We also had to build custom shutters for the cabin at Jo Allyn Lowe park because someone kicked out the glass windows. And we had an AC condenser gutted for all the copper at Frontier Pool a couple years ago that cost around $7,800 to replace.”
The most recent vandalism, at Sooner Pool, will cost about $800-$1,000 to repair, Lucas said.
The reward
Henry said the Parks Department has exhausted efforts to catch the vandals in the act, and while each incident is reported to the Police Department, arrest and prosecution has been difficult. He said Parks Department employee Travis Jones came up with the idea to offer a reward for information.
“If we can reduce the damage that is done to our park facilities by offering a reward for information that will result in arrests for these crimes, it will be well worth the money,” Henry said. “Hopefully, people will start coming forward with information we can use to prosecute the people committing these crimes.”
If you have information about vandalism in City-owned parks, contact the Police Department at 918.338.4001 or the Parks Department at 918.338.4130, 918.338.4154 or 918.338.4151. You can remain anonymous and collect up to a $500 reward for information provided that results in an arrest.
Photos: Vandalism to the cabin at Jo Allyn Lowe Park is just one example of the nearly daily discoveries of damage to City-owned park facilities.