Easton to continue park ban

Two Easton parks will remain off-limits to most teenagers for the rest of the summer, and that restriction might expand to other parks in the fall, officials said Wednesday.

[Easton resident]

Yeah, now they are all hanging out at the Chinese restaurant at 12th and Northampton.

[oh boy]

When the gangs are at the park. Why don't they bust them and break them up or run them out of town if they know they are selling drugs and fighting harrass them and there parents fines jail run them out of town why do we tolirate this bullsh-t

[Disgusted]

This is a bandaid on a gaping wound. It does not solve anything, it just moves the problem from one spot to another. It is like closing a "problem bar." The bums will just find a new bar to ruin, but the real problem of the bums remains.

[Screwy Louie]

Maybe now we can get better drugs from the 13 yr. olds..?

[der fuerhrer]

are you part of the "change" that is trying to be jammed down our throat? you should be ashamed!

[deweylouie]

they re hanging out at the chinese restaurant on 6th street.
and also by the walnut ave. park.
its amazing that i actually witnessed a drug transaction a few days ago...with a cop car driving pass by....guess he was on his way to dunkin donuts.
these cops knew where all the hangout spots are,they dont need the residents to point them out.
its a shame that the resident care more about easton than the city does.

[Ryan R]

deweylouie wrote:

they're hanging out at the chinese restaurant on 6th streetand also by the walnut ave. park. its amazing that i actually witnessed a drug transaction a few days ago...with a cop car driving pass by....guess he was on his way to dunkin donuts. these cops knew where all the hangout spots are, they dont need the residents to point them out. its a shame that the resident care more about easton than the city does.

BINGO! I haven't seen any reason to really trust the Easton police leadership and the union leader only seesm to be happy with leadership it can maintain control & influence with. A little history of some of there reluctant response: In the mid 90's, while going to college after returning from the Navy, I worked summers for the city (back when they actually hired summer workers to help maintain the parks and pave the streets.) One afternoon a co-worker and I were trimming bushes and lawn mowing at the city's Southside firehouse. I discovered a jean jacket folded up underneath shrubs next to the building, as thought it had been quickly stashed there. I picked it up and it felt heavier than it should. I then discovered it had an inside pocket sown into which concealed a loaded handgun!

First thing I did was call the Easton police and identify myself and that I was an city Summer Worker and told them what I found and the circumstances of how I found it.

I don't remember all the specifics of the conversation but I do remember having to convince them to send an officer over. I remember the officer was reluctant to have to dispatch someone for this and even asking me to check if it was loaded and bascally suggesting I could dispose of it myself! I actually had to say "excuse me, are you telling me the police are too busy to answer a call from a city resident about a concealed, loaded handgun stashed on city property? Unbelievable." I also had to call back after 20 minutes, to say I was still here with the gun and not going anywhere until an officer came.

They're protecting us? With what, a token drug raid here or there every 5 or 6 years and splashed all over the news? Or by eliminating half the city's kids from the parks becuase they can't keep a handle on the gang activity & deadbeats without labeling every teenager in the city as delinquent that needs to be banned from the parks.

This is bare minimum or lowest common denominator policing we're getting. Accreditation? Big deal, nothing's really changed, only the window dressing.

I'll bet the same couple drug runners will be within 20 feet of the old payphone at the corner of 7th & Northampton today. We won't see many cops there but we'll see a big presence around the circle.