Posted on 03/07/2006 11:21:59 AM PST by DBeers
You might expect to see cameras taking pictures of beautiful scenic shots at a park. But installing surveillance cameras to prevent lewd behavior would be a first for the city.
Last year, nearly 300 people were cited for indecent exposure in various Metro parks.
So common are the complaints, it's earned Cedar Hill a reputation.
"This is about families taking their children to feed the ducks in the afternoon and being accosted by men doing things that you and I wouldn't even talk about on TV,” said Metro councilman Michael Craddock.
But that hasn't stopped the talk at city council meetings, where members unanimously approved surveillance cameras for parks to prevent public indecency, stopping public sex acts.
"Deviants. That's what these are. There's sexual deviance and you know Cedar Hill Park is listed on national Web sites for homosexual behavior as a place to go for an encounter,” Craddock said.
Cedar Hill is one of three parks that will get the new cameras.
That's where Lisa Osburn walks her dogs twice a week.
"It's hard to stop people from doing what they're going to do if they want to do it bad enough,” Osburn said.
That kind of persistence has kept police busy. Last June undercover officers arrested 12 people at the park for indecent exposure.
And last fall, 92 arrests were made for similar offenses. New surveillance cameras have some critics, but parents who bring their children to play at the park said it's about time.
"When you go out in a public place, I don't think, and when it's got to do with kids, I don't think it's infringing. Not when that kind of reputation's been developed. No,” resident Tom Terry said.
A reputation both parents and city leaders want changed.
"At some point, we're going to take the park back and give it to the people that own it. We're not going to let these deviants have this park,” Craddock said.
The cost for 10 to 15 cameras will be around $20,000. Cedar Hill, Hamilton Creek and Two Rivers will be the first parks to get them.
Cameras are likely to be installed in 60 to 90 days. The parks board is waiting on funding
or Bendover Park...........
Yeah, I hate those MetroSexaul s.......
I heard he offered to be bait...
I would imagine some of them will want copies of the tapes for their own personal enjoyment. LOL
Not being in the article may not necessarily mean it isn't. Hopefully, it means all metro parks.
While these folks keep telling us, they are just like us, this is just another example that shows, well, no they aren't. If the public school systems and the teachers unions have their way, more heterosexuals will act this way, but so far, parents are prevailing!
Our city has a lovely, large walking park in an upscale neighborhood. Unbelievably, the same thing is happening here. Local LEO walk the park in plain clothes, and when propositioned, they arrest the man. The names of those arrested (some of which are professionals - architects, etc.) are listing in the local paper, and the resulting publicity has severely hampered the occurrences.
But selling the tapes on Ebay might be quite profitable...
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Especially seeing George Michael over and over.
With high quality cameras becoming relatively inexpensive I'm guessing there will be a lot of them out there some time soon.
You may be right, but I'd be inclined to overstate the number of places where the cameras were going to be so as to discourage the behaviour more or less pre-emptively. I'd rather stop the behaviour through intimidation than have to use the video in a prosecution which will bring in all the ACLU types.
They ought to take the camera shots of the convicted pervs and show their ugly mugs on the 6pm local news. Or better yet, place their faces on a billboard next to the park, advising people to be aware of the pervs known to frequent the park.
ah... this place sounds like Atlanta's Piedmont Park
The city council should consider how much they could charge for Internet access to the cameras. Maybe make a few bucks while they do a "study" of the situation.
My guess is that it's more a factor of maleness than gayness. You rarely hear about public anonymous lesbian sex. Except on Cinemax at 2AM. But I digress.
Right up there with "mopping the floors at a peep show." (From the movie Kingpin).
I'd rather ride a garbage truck.
These are the people who want you to accept their perversions as "Normal". They see nothing wrong with hanging around parks and publice rest rooms showing themselves and trying to pick up your kids.
At least women are a bit more discreet, they just become Phys ed instructors and glom the girls in the shower.
Fruits wont be happy till there are peep holes in every high school gym in the land.
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