From: Frank Schoenfeld
Sent: Thu Apr 25 16:22:39 2019
To: Andy Peters; Dan Huff; Gerald Fisher
Cc: Adam Shultz; Chris Long
Subject: RE: Parks Issue
Importance: Normal
Andy,
We want to be careful when it comes to disposing of items, because it can and has come back to bite some departments from a legal standpoint in the past (the old, what looks like garbage to some is something of value to others situation). I would say if your staff comes by anything that looks like drugs or drug paraphernalia, have an officer respond for collection and proper destruction for safety reasons. I would say the same for anything that looks like a potential weapon. If you discover someone’s property and we can’t locate a would-be owner, we can take a found property report on it, hold it for the required 30 days and dispose of it. Most definitely call us if you have a gentleman that was acting in this manner.
We just arrested a transient today that had two black plastic garbage bags full of what she said was, “her only belongings.” These items had to be logged and placed into our property room because she was going to jail. By law we have to have these items readily available to her when she is released unless she waits too long and the holding period lapses, at which time we dispose of them.
I would say just give us a call in these situations and we can come access, that way your guys can just keep doing the great job they are doing and we can deal with the riff-raff for you.
Frank
From: Andy Peters <apeters@cityofmolalla.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2019 1:17 PM
To: Dan Huff <dhuff@cityofmolalla.com>; Gerald Fisher <gfisher@cityofmolalla.com>; Frank Schoenfeld <fschoenfeld@molallapolice.com>
Cc: Adam Shultz <ashultz@cityofmolalla.com>
Subject: Parks Issue
Gentleman,
While out in Fox Park by the Fire Station an hour ago my Utility Crew showed me these abandoned items, saying this is a chronic problem. The pile included drugs left out on tables, more drugs in a wheel chair, electronic equipment, some kind of device that looked like a spud gun mabe, and mysterious luggage – basically stuff I classify as being unsafe for a 5 year old in the park to touch.
I started taking these pictures so we could figure out how to handle it when suddenly this guy came storming out of the Adult Center screaming obscenities at me and accusing me of “going through his stuff”. No big deal, I just matched his volume, and told him he had two hours to remove it or I would throw it away.
If I could make an internal policy for the Maintenance Division on this it would be: first, anything that looks like drugs, electronic equipment, spud guns, or anything else that a 5 year old shouldn’t touch, should be confiscated and disposed of at the City Shops Dumpster. Second, anyone yelling and screaming and spitting in the face of one of my employees gets ejected. Third, anything left in the park should be considered “abandoned”, and will be thrown away.
It’s pretty tough when my crews are busting tail on their own initiative to make parks which have never looked better – but they are unsafe for 5 year olds.
Thoughts? Legality? Something I’m missing?
Andy Peters
City of Molalla
Public Works Operations Supervisor
(503) 829-6855 x220
Cell: 503-793-0507
117 N Molalla Ave
Molalla, OR 97038