Taking care of our gem, the Felton Covered Bridge Park, is a community affair. Centrally located, it is one of the first things you see when you arrive in Felton. It is the visible focal point for many who live in the area or who visit Felton. The park is easily accessed by all routes in and out of the valley whether by car, bus, bike or foot. The park nestles in next to many businesses making it convenient to shop for goods and services.
Basically, the park is open during daylight hours. That should make it easy for people, both residents and visitors, to enjoy the park’s many features. It is a beautiful spot.
Anyone in our community can enjoy this little green spot and lots of people do so. It is a communication center for many where they can meet with friends, walk their dogs, or take their families for outings. However, it has been reported that some members of the community are engaging in other types of activities that are of a nature to be cause for concern.
Sergeant John Habermehl, Sheriff-Coroners Office, in Felton, said that there has been a recent increase of incoming calls from people reporting drunk and disorderly conduct being seen in the park. He observed that when good use of the park is replaced by a bad use of the park, then the whole community suffers and the park deteriorates in terms of usefulness to families and other peaceable visitors.
“We want to encourage a good use of the park. When the community takes good care of the park by using it for proper purposes, criminal activity is discouraged. It is much more likely for visitors to engage in wrong when there is no one to see it,” he said. “We encourage people in the park who see criminal behavior to call and report it. The people in the park are our eyes and ears,” said Habermehl.
“Homelessness or class distinction is not the issue, behavior is. People who live in a big house and have wealth can get drunk too — proper use of the park is the issue,” said Habermehl.
Asked how the Sheriff department responds to reports of misconduct in the park, Habermehl described the legal process the deputies must follow. Drunk and disorderly conduct are misdemeanors. As such, circumstances of the violator are taken into consideration as to the outcome of the incident.
Frequency of encounter with the person, and circumstances will influence a deputy when called to a scene when drunkenness is the problem. Maybe, the person is taken to a ‘sobering center’ where they can sleep for a few hours and then be released if this infraction merits the treatment. Otherwise, the person may be arrested and may have to go to court. There is a range of conditions and circumstances that are considered by the law enforcement agencies when it comes to non-violent misdemeanors. It is also possible for the arresting deputy to recommend that the person be allowed to participate in the ‘serial inebriate program’ for substance abuse counseling. “Most people who get drunk in public and are arrested do not end up in court. They stay in jail until they sleep it off. In that instant, it is the safety of the person that is important,” said Habermehl.
The repeat offender is the person who receives different consequences. For non-violent misdemeanors, it is possible for an arresting officer to request prosecution and/or issuance of a stay-order from district attorney and the judge. “The repeat offender is a community problem.” At first, “the repeat offender is given the circumstances that could help them make different choices,” explained Herbermehl. He said the goal is to help them to make right changes.
When asked about the repeat offender that does not respond to those opportunities, Habermehl explained that there is a County wide system of allied agencies that have to examine each situation on a case by case basis for effectiveness. He described a series of actions that can occur for repeat offenders that range from requesting that the judge include certain conditions in sentencing. He said “the judge can issue an order for them to stay away from certain locations, such as where alcohol is sold, or into the entry of a park.”
“If a persons record shows they have been arrested five or more times within a six month period, they could qualify as a ‘serial inebriate’ candidate or they could get a higher level of stay order and bail,” said Habermehl. It is the type of evidence that qualifies a person for specific sentencing outcomes.
Habermehl outlined what Jim Hart, Sheriff-Coroner, is doing about the situation. He said “we have a new ‘serial inebriate’ program; a ‘sobering center’; and Sheriff Hart is working to get another deputy for peak hours.”
In caring for our park, our community’s increasing number of calls resulted in increased arrests. Habermehl acknowledges that the drunk, disorderly and drug problem continues. “I encourage the public to continue calling in their reports. The people are our eyes and ears,” he repeated. “We will follow up.”
The community is encouraged to call 471-1121 to report criminal activity at the Felton Covered Bridge Park.
