“Hello Red Phone, I walk my dogs every day in Las Animas Park. I have for years. Without fail, almost daily, there are weed smokers and drinkers drinking alcohol (40’s in paper bags) hanging out in the picnic area (by Mantelli) in front of the dog park area under the trees. Now, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a simple police sweep through the park would scatter these undesirables away like little mice. However I have never seen a police presence in the park. If it wasn’t for the security of my dogs, I wouldn’t feel safe walking through Las Animas Park and that’s a shame. Parks are supposed to be for kids and families, not trouble makers and drug dealers.”
& Red Phone: Dear Unsafe In Parks, It is a shame when people can’t feel safe in local parks. There are many different people that use parks, and all should feel safe. Police do patrol through the parks when they have the time, said GPD Sgt. Chad Gallacinao.
“Patrol officers, as time permits, do patrol areas within their assigned beat(s),” Gallacinao said. “Las Animas Veteran’s Park routinely receives patrol checks, since there has been concerns regarding gang activity, quality of life issues and graffiti in the past.”
But the police also rely on the community to keep them informed if they notice any illegal activities in the park or feel unsafe.
“The PD is committed to ensuring our community is able to enjoy our local parks,” he said. “Police presence, in combination with education and enforcement procedures, will continue to promote safety at our local parks – so all can enjoy what our parks offer.”
And yes alcohol is prohibited except at designated picnic areas. That means that people could receive a citation for having an open container.
You can contact the police department at 846-0350 with any concerns.
