Police release more info on safety issues plaguing Hanson Pines playground

The Hanson Pines basketball courts (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - Police now characterize illegal activity at the Hanson Pines tennis court and playground as "chronic," including fighting, suspected alcohol and drug use and other suspicious activity.
Rochester Police Capt. Todd Pinkham told The Rochester Voice that area residents in part prompted police to begin regular patrols near the courts.
"A few weeks ago the Rochester Recreation Department changed the hours the lights would be activated and a release was put out on that change, lights off at 8 p.m. as opposed to 10 p.m." Pinkham said. "This change was made in part due to the amount of calls for service Police received to that area and the types of activity we were responding to."
Last Friday police installed a mobile camera unit at the Hanson Pines courts to address the uptick in recent incidents.
Pinkham said that some investigations into specific individuals are ongoing, but most incidents involve juveniles.
He said he expects juvenile proceedings will result, but "since they're juveniles details that can be released are limited."
Other issues that have become commonplace are loud noise, motor vehicle related issues and disorderly conduct.
Police deployed another mobile camera unit at the former Ben Franklin plaza last month after July vandalism left several plate glass windows smashed at a cost of more than $7,500.
Both surveillance trailers record audio and video.