Portsmouth takes action to address vandalism at beach, park

Traffic restrictions, extra police patrols and cameras ordered

By Jim McGaw
Posted 6/11/19

PORTSMOUTH — The town has taken steps in hopes of curbing the rise of vandalism and abuse at Sandy Point Beach, Glen Park and McCorrie Point.

“People are deliberately damaging the …

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Portsmouth takes action to address vandalism at beach, park

Traffic restrictions, extra police patrols and cameras ordered

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — The town has taken steps in hopes of curbing the rise of vandalism and abuse at Sandy Point Beach, Glen Park and McCorrie Point.

“People are deliberately damaging the stone walls, parking on sports fields, damaging lifeguard chairs, sabotaging restrooms, littering the beaches, speeding on access roads and leaving human waste in public areas,” Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr. told the Town Council Monday night. 

Last week, Mr. Rainer said the town started taking the following action:

• enforced a vehicular traffic ban in those areas from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

• strengthened enforcement of the town’s open fire permit ordinance, with the Fire Department sharing the fire permit data base with police dispatchers.

• authorized overtime for an extra police patrol on Friday and Saturday nights.

• authorized the purchase of two motion-activated surveillance cameras.

• placed additional no-parking signs on Linden Lane at Glen Farm, with tickets issued to violators. 

Additionally, the administrator said, the town has communicated its concerns to the presidents of local sports leagues and asked for their help in enforcing good behavior. 

Rebuilding a stone wall is a meticulous skill and can be expensive when hiring a contractor for the job. To that end, two Department of Public Works employees have been sent “to a stone wall repair course,” the administrator said.

The town also plans on purchasing two radar-activated speed-control signs next month, he said.

“Our hope is that all these measures together will help us get ahead of the problem and mitigate the abuse of our parks and open spaces,” Mr. Rainer said.

Glen Park, McCorrie Point, Sandy Point Beach

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