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Police swarm park once beset by vandals, boozers
| Saturday, Sep 6 2008 12:00 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Sep 8 2008 9:06 AM
Deputies on bicycles. Late-night law enforcement sweeps. Dozens of citations issued.
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Kern County Sheriff's Deputy's Senior Deputy Kenny Williams, left, and Alfred Juarez, far right, patrol the Panorama Bluffs Thursday morning. The Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff's Department and Kern County Parks Rangers have increased efforts to control tagging, vandalism and drinking at the park.
The Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Sheriff's Department and Kern County Parks Rangers have increased efforts to control tagging, vandalism and drinking at the park.
Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Alfred Juarez, left, and Senior Deputy Kenny Williams patrol the Panorama Bluffs Thursday morning.
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People who walk the trails at Panorama Park, and residents who live in the neighborhood have noticed a dramatic increase in the police presence at the northeast Bakersfield park.
“It’s good to see them here,” park user Carlos Gonzales said Thursday morning after chatting with two bike patrol deputies. “I’m happy about it.”
“It’s been a swift response,” added longtime resident Louis Vegas. “I’ve talked to about 15 of my neighbors and everyone is thrilled.”
A lot has been going on since a story about troubles at the park was published last month in The Californian.
Panorama residents and park users were outraged in mid-August after an onslaught of graffiti, destructive vandalism and beer binging at the park. Vandals weren’t above spray painting the trunks of palm trees, ruining park benches, pushing over young trees and partying well beyond the park’s 10 p.m. closing time.
“We decided to hit it from a couple of different angles,” said Sheriff’s Cmdr. Bob Gooding.
The Sheriff’s Department, the Bakersfield Police Department and county park rangers have coordinated their efforts, using late-night sweeps through the park, morning bike patrols and other tactics to get a handle on the problem.
Bike patrol Senior Deputy Kenny Williams said bikes offer the advantage of stealth. The two-wheeled patrol vehicles also bring deputies face-to-face with hundreds of law-abiding park users.
“This gives us an advantage we don’t have in a car,” Williams said.
Deputies on bikes were in the park the day after the story hit the streets, adding a friendly, community policing component to the effort, deputies say.
They also patrol the surrounding neighborhood and parts of Oildale.
“Now we’ve got the helicopter lighting up the park when its flying over the area,” Gooding said. “And there are some covert enforcement efforts we really can’t talk about.”
Lt. Robert Boardman, the highest ranking Kern County park ranger, said parking in or alongside the park after 10 p.m. is also off limits. His officers have written more than 100 tickets at the park since the push began, Boardman said.
“It’s all about education and protection,” he said.
Retired Bakersfield College professor Bruce Meier walks his dog, Radar, at the park nearly every morning. Meier said he was incensed by the graffiti and vandalism. But he was encouraged by recent efforts to keep the park safe and beautiful.
“You know our county takes a lot of criticism,” Meier said. “But there are some outstanding things here.”
Meier cited the Kern River bike path, Hart Park and Panorama Park as three local gems that deserve special attention and protection.
He suggested installing a security light in the park’s small parking lot at Panorama and River Boulevard — where it wouldn’t affect area residents — and possibly a second light west of the parking lot opposite Greenlawn Cemetery.
On Thursday, area resident Monica Pepper pushed a stroller along the park’s path. Beneath the stroller’s sun shade, slept Pepper’s 7-month-old daughter, Ella.
Her response to the visible police presence was not surprising.
“I’m glad to see them,” she said.