Resident starts fund to nail vandal
Vandals struck twice at Tullamore Park in Post Falls, inserting a screw into the slide surface; local resident Starr Kelso has stepped up to help catch the culprit
Photo courtesy of Justin Killingsworth via Facebook
POST FALLS — A malicious act of vandalism at Tullamore Park has the public's attention.
And at least one is putting money behind his anger.
After reading that someone had inserted a sharp screw into a park slide — positioned so it could seriously injure a child — attorney Starr Kelso contacted The Press on Thursday. With a $200 donation, he's starting a fund with the newspaper as a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit.
If the vandal isn't caught soon, Kelso said, the money could be used to help the Post Falls Parks and Recreation Department purchase security cameras.
“This is totally outrageous,” Kelso said. “It needs to be stopped quickly. This shouldn’t be permitted to go unresolved.”
Twice in the last week, vandals inserted a screw up through the bottom of the slide surface and one child has already been injured.
Post Falls police are investigating the matter.
Post Falls Parks and Recreation staff monitor all public parks in the city on a daily basis, but they need the public’s help, too.
The parks department said late Thursday that no further incidents have been reported at Tullamore Park. During a 1 p.m. inspection Thursday, everything looked good.
“I am hopeful that there are others who are outraged by such an anonymous attack on our area’s children, and will contribute to the fund,” Kelso said.
“(The parks) are social community spaces that reflect the character of the places we call home,” said Parks Manager Bryan Myers. “We all have a role shaping them.”
Nearby residents may have security cameras in front of their homes that caught footage of the vandals in action, Kelso suggested.
“Cameras can be a good deterrent,” he said.
Myers said many parks in Post Falls already have security cameras and that “a plan is being developed to place a system at our sites where there are dramatic increases in vandalism — including Tullamore Park.”
Any information leading to the identification of the vandals should be reported immediately.
“We can’t accept this as normal behavior,” Myers said. “Engage the police when needed. There’s no harm in calling.”
Post Falls Police can be contacted at 208-773-3517. Citizens wanting to contribute to the reward fund may reach out to The Press at 208-664-0227.