Monday, September 8, 2008

Safe or Not?

After tonight's Coffee with the Chief, I spoke with two men who were at the meeting. The topics were Ryder's Woods and Dick Tracy Park. Are these places safe?

No and yes (maybe).

The resounding "No" was for Ryder's Woods. There seem to be many cars parked near entrances to Ryder's Woods at all hours of the day and night. Especially the night. Like, the early morning hours - 4:30-5:30AM. Now, why would cars be parked near the Woods at those hours?

Let's see.... you can park on the street (legally) for up to 30 minutes. The Woods are closed during those hours, and no one is walking the streets near the cars. Could they possibly be in the Woods? What would someone be doing in the Woods at those hours?

Don't stand downwind; OK?

Where is our Woodstock police officer and his trusty dog, Brinx? What a perfect place to go for a little midnight stroll. Taking Brinx for a run through Ryder's Woods ought to clean out the trash - pronto.

Do we still have a K-9 unit? Why wasn't Brinx used last Friday morning? Wouldn't there have been a good scent in the bushes where the man with gun was? Did arriving officers contaminate the crime scene? It's interesting that a search on the City's website for "K-9" or "canine" does not result in any information. Brinx, where are you? Come on, boy!

And Dick Tracy Park? Residents claim Park users park on both sides of Dick Tracy Way? Do they? Well, how about some tickets??? And those hooligans who swing on the park equipment after dark? Come on, officers. ID them and move them along. Parks close at dark; right? But ID them first - every time.

4 comments:

woodstockmom said...

I grew up close to both of these parks(although dick tracy park wasn't built yet).

My mom DID NOT allow us into Ryders woods and in fact the first time I had the "guts" to go into it was with a high school class for a biology project. It was broad daylight and because we travelled in numbers the fear was low. But...it was still there.

Now that I am a mother I would NOT allow my children into that park or even near the enterances. I have always thought that someone could pull another person into that park fairly easily with little to no chance that anyone who see the event.

I honestly haven't thought about it in quite awhile but now that you mention it, this park really does need to be changed.

As far as the dick tracy park is concerned I would bring my children and have brought them to that park. I think it is safe and so close to the police station if anything were to happen. I think that perhaps even the "hooligans" might be safe. Especially if they are willing to hang out so close to the cops. I would highly doubt that they are snorting lines of coke with such defiance.

Unknown said...

Really, you think Dick Tracy Park is safe. You want to bring your children to play at a park that is less than 100 yards from where criminals and societies throw aways are bonding out on god knows what charges.

woodstockmom said...

Yeah...because most criminals are so excited to be in jail that they stick around after they are bonded out.

Richard W Gorski, M.D. said...

In these days there are no perfectly safe places you can go. There is also no one that you can entirely count on to protect your wellbeing but yourself. Sad state of affairs but true.