Photo: Getty Images
Lancaster City Police have responded to claims made by Councilwoman Janet Diaz about drug use in city parks, specifically Crystal Park. Diaz, who is running for mayor, called for increased police patrols and surveillance after residents reported seeing used syringes in the park. However, police records show no service calls for drug violations at Crystal Park in the past year.
Diaz first heard about the issue during a public comment at a November council meeting. She later received a Facebook message from a resident about syringes and other drug paraphernalia found in Musser Park. Diaz attributes these issues to rising drug use and homelessness in the city. "We're having more homelessness issues," Diaz said. "We're having more drug addiction issues, and we need to fix it."
Despite these concerns, a photographer from WGAL found no evidence of syringes at Crystal Park. Community Engagement Sgt. Todd Grager stated that officers did not respond to the park because no one reported the incident. "Any time that someone calls us because they find something illegal in the park, our officers will respond," Grager said. "But we have received no such calls."
Police Chief Richard Mendez assured Diaz that officers would increase vigilance and monitoring efforts in the parks. Sgt. Grager noted that officers have conducted five proactive checks in the last month without receiving any service calls. Diaz plans to address the issue at the final council meeting of the year, emphasizing the need for immediate action.