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- Please keep my friend Tom in your thoughts & prayers -
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Thursday, June 01, 2006
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Park could see more security
Thursday, June 01, 2006
By Scott Hagenshagen@citpat.com -- 768-4929
The mob beating of a sheriff's deputy could lead police to plan increased patrols at future fireworks shows at Sparks Foundation County Park.
Both the county and city intend to examine law-enforcement staffing levels for fireworks shows and other events in the park because of the incident that sent a deputy to the hospital Saturday night.
"It's important to have visible, adequate staff there," Jackson County Sheriff Dan Heyns said. "It's prevention."
The sheriff's office deployed 10 deputies for the fireworks show; eight city officers were present.
The beating occurred when Deputy Thomas Schuette, 28, lurked into a crowd of about 2,000 people hanging out on Brown Street inside the park for the Weekend in the Park fireworks.
People were fighting in the crowd, and there were reports of women and children being shoved.
Once inside the crowd, a few young men started beating Schuette and stripped him of his baton, handcuffs and chemical irritant. An attempt to remove his pistol was unsuccessful. Schuette suffered spinal and shoulder injuries, as well as abrasions and bruises to his head and face. Additional officers and deputies arrived and the crowd dispersed.
Schuette was treated at Foote Hospital and released Sunday morning. He returned to work Tuesday. A $1,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the attackers.
Officials said attendance at the fireworks show, estimated in the thousands, was among the highest ever on a Memorial Day weekend because of the summer-like weather. It rivaled crowds from July 4 fireworks shows.
Earlier in the evening, a staffing problem at the city prevented a full compliment of eight officers from attending the event until later that night. Police officials said it likely did not lead to the assault on the deputy.
"We rectified the situation as the fireworks were ending," Jackson Police Deputy Chief Matt Heins said.
News of the beating stunned some community members, though many said it wouldn't deter them from attending the Fourth of July fireworks show.
"It's sad. I think they sincerely need to look into more security at future events," said Claire Schulcz, who brought her two daughters, aged 8 and 2, to the Memorial Day show. "No matter where you go these days, there's going to be someone doing something stupid."
For some, the attack of a member of law enforcement put society in perspective.
"It makes me angry that people don't have respect for anybody anymore. And instead of talking about it, they act and react and everything is physical," said Doug Babcock, who lives on West Avenue.
"It's sad. To be honest with you, we're trying to sell our house and get out of here."
Kim Conant, director of entertainment at the Cascades, declined to comment. Jackson County Parks Director James Guerriero was not available for comment.
The sheriff's office is currently reconfiguring its mounted division -- absent from the fireworks show last weekend -- and could deploy it for the Fourth of July show, Capt. Kevin Stellingworth said.
"Usually at the fireworks, 99 percent of the people are there to have a good time, to enjoy the show," Heyns said. "The key is having enough personnel there to handle it."
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1 Comments:
Praying for him. He's a really funny dude.
HB
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