MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) – Manitowoc Police has been dealing with an increased number of complaints at one of the city’s parks.
Captain Jason Freiboth shares the year-to-date stats on calls from Red Arrow Park.
“We’ve handled 61 incidents at Red Arrow. In that same time period last year, we only had 43 incidents.”
Freiboth notes the issues have included noise violations, drug and alcohol complaints, and domestic disturbances.
“Loud arguments, physical fights, we had some threats that were made involving allegations that somebody pointed at a handgun at somebody (which later turned out to be an airsoft gun).”
Freiboth says there have also been issues with vandalism and property damage, including to the recently-renovated parking lot area.
“From some of the vehicles accelerating excessively fast, they have caused some minor damage to that fresh blacktop.
The captain is unaware of the cost estimate for that damage.
Freiboth says the department plans to step up patrol at Red Arrow, taking a ‘zero-tolerance approach.’
“We’re going to instruct our officers to either make arrests or issue citations (when city ordinances are violated or laws are broken).”
Freiboth notes there is also a city policy that allows for people who violate rules to be suspended from city parks for up to one year, depending on the infraction.
While there have been issues at other parks, Freiboth says the majority of their problems have been at Red Arrow.
