Gadsden police make arrests in wildlife park

The Gadsden Special Projects Team routinely patrols the James D. Martin Wildlife Park after its posted “sunset” closing time to roust those trespassing in the park  located between the back parking lot of the Gadsden Mall and South 11th Street.

 The team did its most recent sweep this past Saturday , ticketing five adults and arresting even more juveniles there for criminal trespass.

The weekend operation came after the police department received some complaints. Some of those came from parents,  who have become aware of two YouTube videos showing 30 or 40 people fighting in the park.

Fighting is one of the infractions that sometimes occur there after hours. Russell said police also are concerned about drug use, drinking and sexual activity there.

Police say that apparently some parents take their children to the mall and drop them off, leaving them unsupervised.

And then, it seems, some of those juveniles leave the mall, heading across the back parking lot to what’s commonly called “the bird sanctuary.”