Community calls for action after drug items found near school

Community members are raising concerns after drug paraphernalia was found at a nearby park that's in close proximity to a local school that hundreds of kids attend every day. 22 News reporter Aretta Odia has been following the story and has why a city counselor is saying a nearby prevention center is the cause. That's right, Nick and Sara. Needles, drugs, and alcohol bottles have all been found at the park next to Rebecca Johnson Elementary School. And one city counselor tells me that this is due to the Deborah Hunt prevention and education drop-in center. Rebecca Johnson Elementary School sees about 700 kids every day. But right across from the school is the Deborah Hunt Prevention Center. And next to the school is Rebecca Johnson Park where the city says that alcoholic bottles, needles, and other drugrelated items are being found. That's a really urgent situation. So we want to make sure that um we our students and staff are safe, you know, on their daily and and and we shouldn't have staff going out putting themselves in danger by picking up these type of of paraphernalia. School officials want the park closed during school hours and protected with more fencing and gates. But who owns the park? It's under the city of Springfield. Parks and Rex director Tom Ash recently learned of the school's wish to renew the fencing. City Park is an open space provided to the public and so there's an expectation that that anybody would have access to a park. That's a little bit of a a unique situation because there's a school uh attached right to it. Um but again working we're happy to work collaboratively with with the school department. When I spoke with Ward Forward city councelor Malo Brown, he tells me that there's a bigger problem at stake. The neighboring Deborah Hunt Center. The Deborah Hunt Center is ran by the new North Citizens Council and very close to where kids play. Brown says that one of the cent's state funded programs allows individuals access to dangerous materials to quote help them in recovery. When I have talked to the Dber Hunt Center um and of course you'll get a list of great things that they're doing, but in between those great things, they'll also squeeze in the fact that they're providing uh needles and crack pipes. Brown is working with state rep. Bud Williams on legislation to move the cent's location far away from children as it's not in the city's purview. Now, there are clearly many working hands of officials focused on the safety of the Rebecca Johnson Park and hopefully among them a resolution can be made. working for you. Ora Odia, 22 News.