Bartlesville police crack down on repeated vandalism at city parks

Police in Bartlesville say city parks have become long-time targets for vandals, and with summer just beginning, they’re asking the public to help put a stop to the damage.

From graffiti to broken windows and even arson, officers say they’re responding to reports of vandalism in Bartlesville parks nearly every day.

“Just about every day there’s some sort of vandalism in one of the parks in Bartlesville,” said Lt. Chris Neal with the Bartlesville Police Department.

Neal says the destruction ranges from trash and tagging to major damage to public property, including restrooms and recreational buildings.

At Sooner Park, David Kieselhorst says he likes to visit often, but the vandalism takes away from the experience.

“When somebody vandalizes something like this, it don’t look good,” Kieselhorst said.

Neal says the cost of the damage isn’t just monetary, it affects parkgoers and city staff.

“I don’t think they understand the magnitude of what they’re doing and the amount of trouble they’ve put in to other people coming in,” Neal said. “If you talk about your everyday person going to the park and they start seeing vandalism and graffiti, that could make them uncomfortable.”

To address the issue, police say they plan to increase patrols this summer, using bike officers and a small truck that can easily move between city parks and the Pathfinder trail.

“We have mountain bikes, we have some bike cops, we have a truck that’s small that can go on the Pathfinder so they can come and go between the parks and the Pathfinder,” Neal said.

The city is also offering a $500 reward to anyone who helps catch someone in the act of vandalism. Officers are urging park visitors to report suspicious activity right away.

Police say anyone caught vandalizing city property could face arrest and even felony charges.