March 29, 2024

Police increase patrol at Maytag Park

Following numerous complaints and an increase of activity at Maytag Park, the Newton Police Department has increased its patrol through the area.

“There have been a couple of fights and we arrested someone recently that had alcohol and marijuana. I do know that this past summer (Maytag Park) had vandalism,” Newton Police Chief Jeff Hoebelheinrich said.

In response, Hoebelheinrich has asked officers to patrol the park more and to make sure they are seen by those in the park.

“I think that you always have teenagers and young adults that will mess around on the playground equipment. All we ask is that they remember it is for the younger children. We won’t tell them they can’t be on it or anything but they need to be respectful,” Hoebelheinrich said.

Nathan Unsworth, Newton administrative park superintendent said there has been an increase of disrespectful behavior at the park.

“Maytag Park, just like any park, is a place that can have a lot of stuff going on. Lately, we have been seeing more kids hanging out in the park again at night, right after school,” Unsworth said. “When you get a group of kids together they start making poor choices sometimes. Between loud music and disrespectful comments to others and just some minor vandalism with the park shelter and park benches.”

Most importantly, Unsworth said the park board, staff and city staff want citizens to feel safe in the parks and recently that has not been the case.

“Now that it is kind of quieter in the park since there’s not anything (activities) going on, kids are hanging out there,” Unsworth said.

If park patrons do see any type of criminal activity, whether it be harassment, obscenities or other illegal activity, Hoebelheinrich asks that citizens call the police right away.

“We do ask that they call the police department when it happens. It doesn’t help so much if they call us the next day. We can’t make charges unless something happens in front of us or we have a witness,” Hoebelheinrich said.

Overall, the past summer has been one of the best since he started, Unsworth said.

“This year hasn’t been as bad at all, like we saw a few years ago. Just to make sure we don’t get to that point, we’ve asked the police department to make a few more trips through there,” Unsworth said.

Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.