Fentress Park Cameras To Deter Vandalism

Fentress County will purchase security cameras to place at South Fentress Park after multiple instances of vandalism.

County Executive Jimmy Johnson said the park’s playground equipment, concession stand, and bathrooms have all been damaged. Johnson said this is not the first time the park has experienced a heavy volume of vandalism.

“It’s just something that we need to do to find a remedy to it,” Johnson said. “If we can find out who is doing it to prosecute in some way to help slow this down because everyone knows that playground equipment especially durable playground equipment is very very expensive.”

Johnson said the cameras will help the county get some sort of information on those who vandalize the park. Johnson said the county plans to use ARP funds to cover the costs of the cameras.

“We don’t know how many we will be able to buy,” Johnson said. “Hopefully we will get enough to be sufficient and they will be located in places that they need to be.”

Johnson said he believes the vandalism is happening because some people have nothing to do.

“They get bored of doing something so they start doing something else I guess,” Johnson said. “Tearing something else that doesn’t belong to you to be able to do something  that just doesn’t go real well.”

Johnson said he is not sure the county will receive the cameras but he hopes this will be a better solution to solving the vandalism issue. Johnson said the county will prosecute those who are caught vandalizing.