Signs posted at the entrance to Hampton Ponds State Park would seem to make it clear when the park is closed to visitors. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – City police have reported that the issue of persons who have found themselves, and especially their vehicles, locked inside the grounds of Hampton Ponds State Park has been “an ongoing nightly issue.”
Officer Seth Florek was dispatched to the park Monday evening shortly after the park’s 7 p.m. closing time and reports that he found nine vehicle inside the park and 40-50 persons still inside.
His supervisor, Sgt, Jeffrey Baillargeon, subsequently reported “The DCR staff locks the gate at 1900 without regard to the amount of people or vehicles still inside the park.”
Sgt. Eric Hall, the commander of the department’s community policing unit, said that the problem is not so much that the park staff doesn’t inform patrons of the closing hour but that the patrons refuse to act when they are told.
Hall said that the hands-on staff at the beach in mostly comprised of young and inexperienced workers who are stymied when they meet resistance and are unable to cope with opposition from a crowd of adults on the beach.
Not knowing that they could call city police fore help, Hall said the young workers typically lock the gate and go home at closing time.
Baillargeon said that he asked Hall to contact the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which operates the park along with all the other parks in the Commonwealth, to offer the city’s help “on a short-term basis.”
Baillargeon said that a city officer and cruiser could assist in removing patrons by warning them that their vehicles could be locked inside the park overnight and they could be charged with trespass if they ignore the clearly marked and lighted signs pointing out the closing time and remain in the park.
Florek points out that many of the persons found in the park after closing time on Monday had parked across the street at the nearby shopping center. Those patrons may have parked there so that they would be able to linger in the park after the staff left without complications due to vehicles locked in the park’s parking lot.
Hall said that he believes that the park’s senior management had been unaware of the problem but said “they reacted well” and “they’re making a better effort.”
Bill Hickey, the acting press secretary for DCR who responded to repeated phone calls and e-mail messages with an e-mail message of his own, said “The hours at Hampton Ponds State Park are clearly posted to prevent visitors from staying beyond closing hours.”
He went on to say “DCR park staff make every effort to communicate with park visitors who remain in the park at closing hours, to ensure that they are not locked in.”
He also said that staff members are unable to contact patrons who are boating at closing time and can only leave them a notice on their car informing them that they must call the Russell State Police or the Westfield Police Department, to be let out.”
Hall said that it appears as if informing the park management of the problem may be effective.
“We haven’t had a problem with that since” they were informed although he acknowledged that it has only been a few days since the concerted effort to resolve the issue began and said that the real test will be the weekend which may bring a crush of visitors to the beach.
Capt. Michael McCabe said that, when he read Baillargeon’s report, he forwarded it to a DCR counterpart, Ranger Lt. Peter Michaels.
McCabe said that Michaels has taken action which includes the creation of additional signage which, he said, would be posted this weekend to help get the message out that persons who linger in the park after closing time are trespassing and may be charged accordingly.
