A Popular Park Faces Shutdown Over Escalating Threats

*Robert Morris Park in Comstock Township may close to the public through the Fourth of July weekend after a string of violent threats against park staff. The Comstock Charter Township Parks and Recreation Commission held a special meeting on July 1* to address what officials described as an immediate safety crisis.

Parks Director Katie Bush recommended closing the park. She told the board she did not feel the situation was safe without a solution in place.

"It is my recommendation that we close," said Bush. "I do not want to have to close the park for these reasons. I just don't feel in this moment that it's safe... unless we come up with a solution."

The Board's Decision

The commission authorized Bush to seek emergency funding from Township Supervisor Ben Martin to hire private security for the holiday weekend. If the funding is not approved, the board also gave Bush authority to either close the park or keep it open without staff, according to the meeting minutes.

Board members present included Chair Teresa Young, Vice Chair Marc Rizzolo, Secretary Bret Padgett, Treasurer Judith Joling, and member Patrick McVerry.

What Sparked the Crisis

The tensions trace back to a dispute with the Kalamazoo Aces (K'ACES) disc golf league, which had played at Robert Morris Park for more than five years. Ordinance Enforcement Officer Dakota Szczepanski told the board the league had been violating park rules for years without enforcement. He said a recent 90-minute patrol turned up 18 rule violations related to smoking and drinking. Those violations could have totaled $9,600 in fines, though only warnings were issued, Szczepanski said.

League coordinator Larry LaBond told News Channel 3 the core problem was a lack of communication. He said he received no warning before the township began enforcing new rules.

"The biggest problem here is communication," LaBond said. "It would have been nice if they reached out to me and said, 'hey, we have a problem with your group. We have a problem with disc golfers.' And I could have helped calm the situation down."

LaBond said he had been given a key by the previous parks director to lock the gate after hours. He claimed the park's closing time was sunset, not 9 p.m. Szczepanski disputed that timeline and said the league was told to leave at 9 p.m. LaBond said he was then blocked from returning to the park.

Threats Escalate

After the enforcement action, Bush told the board that social media posts about the incident drew what she called an overwhelming number of violent comments, including death threats against Szczepanski. The park was closed for one weekend as a result. When it reopened, staff continued to face threats.

Bush described one incident in which a driver approached a park attendant and said he was going to blow the worker's head off if things were not "good."

"There was a threat that somebody was going to shoot one of our workers," said Bush.

Szczepanski told the board he handled 24 incidents at Robert Morris Park alone since June 11, with additional complaints at Merrill Park and Celery Park. He said staff told him they did not feel comfortable making direct contact with the public after one particularly difficult weekend.

A Thin Law Enforcement Presence

Szczepanski noted the township relies on a single Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office deputy. He said he has no physical authority to enforce rules and expressed frustration with the lack of police support.

"I can put the odds of winning the lottery above getting them to do what I want," Szczepanski said.

Bush requested a sheriff's representative attend the special meeting. None appeared. Vice Chair Rizzolo acknowledged the challenge.

"I wish that they were here. It'd be great if we had more support from police, but I know their hands are full too," Rizzolo said.

What Comes Next

The commission discussed longer-term solutions, including hiring a second ordinance enforcement officer, adding surveillance cameras, and equipping staff with body cameras. Board member Bret Padgett said he would push to place funding for an additional enforcement position on the agenda for the township board meeting on July 6.

The commission's next regular meeting is July 13 at 6 p.m. The Township Board meets July 6 and July 20. Public comment is available at those meetings.

According to WOOD Grand Rapids, Robert Morris Park remained open for the weekend following the meeting.

Sources: