Following an incident where individuals pointed guns at each other at Freedom Springs Aquatics Park, officials are adding a security presence at the pool indefinitely.
Greenwood Police were called to Freedom Springs around 6:10 p.m. June 3 on a report of shots fired. No shots were fired during the incident, and it was later determined to be an incident involving the pointing of firearms, according to a Greenwood Police Department report.
Around 7:30 p.m. June 3, Greenwood officers were contacted by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department that they had pulled over the vehicle suspected to be involved in the firearm-pointing incident. There were four people inside the vehicle, including a man who was carrying a gun without a holster, the report says.
During the traffic stop, the IMPD officer said one of the occupants had mentioned that the group had just left Freedom Springs in Greenwood. A Greenwood officer attempted to speak with the man, but he did not want to speak to the officer, the report shows.
Officers spoke with one of the witnesses of the incident, who confirmed that the man was involved. When officers later asked the witness to come identity the man through a lineup, the witness declined. They said they no longer wanted anything to do with the case since police did not find all four men believed to be involved, according to the report.
The case was later closed due to a lack of cooperation from the victims, the report says. No one was charged in connection to the incident.
Other incidents
Since Freedom Springs first opened for the season on May 27, Greenwood police have been called to the facility 16 times as of June 3. The calls ranged from directed patrols — when officers are patrolling an area more frequently in response to an uptick in crime or infractions— to an investigation. Three calls involved theft, two involved juvenile problems, and one call each involved a disorderly, lost property, a disturbance and a family dispute, according to police records.
One of the juvenile problems calls involved a report of a large fight on June 2, However, when officers arrived, they did not see a fight. Multiple people were asked to leave the area though, according to a Greenwood Police Department report.
A disturbance at Freedom Springs was reported on June 2. Someone reported that there was a group of juveniles beginning to fight, according to another report.
No criminal action was observed, but the people involved were trespassed from the property, the report shows.
On the day of the June 3 gun incident, listed as investigation, there were two other calls: a directed patrol and a family dispute. No one was arrested in either incident.
More security
Following the gun incident, Greenwood Parks and Recreation Executive Director Rob Taggart says a security presence will be implemented at Freedom Springs going forward. The presence will be in the form of sworn law enforcement officers, who will be working off-duty.
“This is just an extra measure to ensure that visitors of Freedom Springs not only are safe, but feel safe as well,” Taggart said
Police have started extra patrols in the area, and officers are frequently patrolling the aquatic center’s parking lot, said Jim Ison, Greenwood police chief.
“The police presence out there, both on-duty officers and officers hired to work off-duty … will be increased significantly,” he said.
This is not the first time the parks department has asked to have a security presence at one of its facilities. A security presence has also been visible at some of the department’s special events, like Adult Night, and the concert series, Taggart said.
Though Freedom Springs has been open for only a few weeks, crime seems to be more of an issue this year, Ison said. It also appears that a majority of the incidents have involved people that don’t live in Greenwood, he said.
“We’re jumping on this problem very quick because we built it so that it would improve the quality of life for our residents, and make it a nice place for people to come and spend the day and enjoy themselves,” Ison said. “That’s what we want, and if people can’t feel safe there, then it’s defeating our primary goal of building it to begin with.”
People feel safe
Freedom Springs was filled with people on Thursday afternoon trying to cool off, relax and have a good time. This includes Whiteland resident Heather Little, who has already been to the pool several times this season.
“I don’t ever feel unsafe when I’m here,” Little said.
Little usually only comes in the mornings on weekdays to walk in the pool’s Lazy River. She believes most of the issues tend to happen during weekends and evenings, she said.
“It seems to be more crowded on the weekends and then it gets more crowded in the evenings when people are off work,” she said. “But during the daytime for me, it seems like mostly moms and kids so I don’t really have an issue with it.”
Greenwood resident Jane Whitecotten came to the pool for the first time this season on Thursday. She also felt it was pretty safe, she said.
“I know that there’s always going to be concern for safety anywhere that you go when there’s a large crowd of people and things like that, but for the most part I think most of the people that attend are respectful of others and the purpose of why we’re all here,” Whitecotten said.
Whitecotten has several friends whose children are employed at Freedom Springs, and through conversations with them, they feel like it is safe to work at the pool as well, she said.
Ison said the mayor’s office, the police department and the parks department are all committed to correcting the issue and making sure the aquatic center is safe for everyone. He encourages everyone to obey the city’s laws and ordinances, and call police if they see something unlawful.
“If someone sees anything that is unlawful or just doesn’t look right, report it to either a lifeguard or an employee of Freedom Springs or call the police directly,” he said.
While there have been some “unfortunate altercations” at Freedom Springs, Taggart stressed that it is not an unsafe facility and the incidents are not a direct reflection on the facility or its operations.
“We are taking measures to ensure that it not only remains a safe facility, but also that the patrons that are visiting Freedom Springs feel safe at that facility,” Taggart said.
