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The incidents took place in Dutchess County in the town of Pleasant Valley at the Mill Site and Memorial Park.
According to Pleasant Valley Town Supervisor John DelVecchio, the park has always been a nice spot with an Eternal Flame statue to commemorate veterans and a gazebo, along with other amenities.
When the "innocent" graffiti began to change to gang signs, as confirmed by police, the situation quickly escalated to include broken windows, a damaged gazebo, and the destruction of the Eternal Flame which can not be repaired due to its age, DelVecchio said.
Other damage included broken lights, holes in walls, the destruction of signs, and more.
That's when the Town Board voted to install the cameras in order to hold those responsible for the damage accountable.
"We are hoping by charging fines we can recoup the monies needed to repair or replace what was damaged," DelVecchio said. "This is major destruction happening and I believe if you break it you pay for it."
The four cameras have only been installed for a day, but the town supervisor said they work great and the next step is to add brighter lights so residents can enjoy the park at night.
"Unfortunately, we don't live in those times where you don't have to take these kind of steps to be able to enjoy a park," he added.
The cost for the cameras was around $10,000, which is less than much of the damage caused.
"Our job is to protect the assets of the town," DelVecchio said. "We had no other choice."
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