Security Cameras Possibly Coming to Children's Park

Councilwoman Jane Bonner said that after a reported arson at Children's Park in Sound Beach last week, security cameras could be coming to the park that one resident at Monday night's Sound Beach Civic Association meeting called "the worst park in all of Brookhaven."

Bonner called the park a "tremendous source of pride," recalling that shortly after she entered office, work on improving the park was one of her first projects. With town parks employees coming back nearly on a weekly basis, she said, it's not the park itself that's a problem – it's the vandals marking the property with graffiti and destroying what's there.

"It's very, very frustrating," she said. "Some parents tell me there's nothing to do in town with their kids. There is – but people keep destroying it."

As a result, she said, an incident one night late last week led the county arson squad to the park to investigate foul play. Another local recalled another recent incident where it appeared that some teens had exploded something inside a microwave at the park, popping its doors open, as she walked nearby with her granddaughter.

Bonner said in an interview on Tuesday that she's since been in touch with county leaders and is working toward installing cameras near the park, as well as increasing patrols in the area.

Details still need to be ironed out, Bonner said, as she's hoping some cost sharing would be possible as the cameras may ultimately save county police resources. 

Do you think cameras are necessary at Children's Park?