Lewd activity at White Rock Lake spurs police warning
Posted on 05/06/2002 7:41:06 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Lewd activity at White Rock Lake spurs police warning
Don't let children use restrooms alone, parents advised
05/06/2002
Dallas police have a warning for parents visiting parks at White Rock Lake: Don't let your children go into public restrooms alone.
For decades, the parks have attracted more than families who enjoy picnics while watching spectacular sunsets over the downtown skyline and recreational enthusiasts who use the miles of trails. It's also a destination for people cruising for anonymous sex, police and residents say.
The area has been listed on Web sites devoted to sexual tourists, police and residents say.
Starting Monday, lake officers will be working undercover to arrest those who visit the parks seeking sex in the latest effort to keep unwanted visitors away from the lake.
The new push is coming as warmer weather brings more visitors to city parks. Mother's Day this Sunday typically is one of the busiest days at White Rock Lake, said Deputy Chief Bill Turnage. He advised parents not to allow children to go into park restrooms unescorted.
Patrol officers will don street clothes to arrest those who visit the park and solicit others for illicit purposes, said Chief Turnage, who oversees the northeast Dallas patrol area. The undercover work is a difficult assignment for officers, he said.
"It's the epitome of dedication to go out and take an assignment like that," he said.
The illegal activities occur throughout the year. Police have made 153 arrests for public lewdness and sexual activity at the lake since January 2001, including 32 in December alone.
"Once a location becomes popular for that kind of activity, it goes on year-round," Chief Turnage said.
Megan Capshaw, who has lived near White Rock Park about 10 years, said she's disconcerted by and at times suspicious of men driving slowly through the area. The activity is actually most common during business hours on weekdays.
"Sometimes you can't tell if it's a guy cruising for his own personal satisfaction with a consenting adult, or if it's a pedophile," she said. "Winter, rain, ice storms you've still got people cruising the park."
The situation near her house improved about two years ago when residents pressured city leaders to eliminate some parking spaces near homes.
"We've had vice officers chase people through our back yard," she said.
Mike Traylor, who was throwing a stick to his dog Saturday afternoon with his 6-year-old son and his 4-year-old daughter, said he supports the police effort since he's heard rumors about crime at the park.
"I think it's absolutely a good idea that the police are reminding people about taking precautions," he said.
Deb Lawson, who was fishing with her 5-year-old son Saturday, said she would not come out to the park after dark.
"You would hope that wouldn't be happening, but you can't let your kids out of your sight for a minute," she said.
Public lewdness is a Class B misdemeanor that carries punishment of up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000, and indecent exposure is a Class C misdemeanor with punishment of a fine of up to $500. Although the crimes are misdemeanors, the threat of arrest can be a deterrent, because many of those caught would be embarrassed if their activities were known, police say.
City Council member Mary Poss, whose district includes the lake, said similar enforcement efforts have had an impact for several years, but the behavior returns unless the police presence continues.
"I would say there will always be some kind of ongoing activity like that at a recreation area that large," she said. "Police have to go back in on an intermittent basis."
Staff writer Nancy Calaway contributed to this report.
E-mail rtharp@dallasnews.com
As long as all parties are adults, how can asking for sex be illegal?
What "H" word?
BINGO. Anyone who's been around the DFW area has heard the stories and previous reports about homosexuals lurking at this park (and others). How PC of The Dallas Morning News...
Is that sarcasm? I can't tell anymore.
Someone please make me understand the homosexual+parks+outdoor sex connection. I really don't get it. Aren't there gay bars for this sort of thing?
And finally, who has this kind of time?
I don't get it. Women are sneaking into the "Men's" restrooms? Are men are sneaking into the "Women's" rooms? What?
Couldn't you just station someone outside the doors to make sure that doesn't happen?
</sarcasm>
I guess we’re supposed to believe that if homosexuals commit most of this type of behavior, it’s just a coincidence.
If we pointed out that homosexuals are more likely to participate in deviant sex acts (multiple partners, public areas, child molesting) it might give people the false impression that homosexuality is a mental illness. That wouldn’t be good for the agenda.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
I was driving near White Rock Lake late one evening, when before me I saw a beautiful young lady, alone by the side of the road. Now, normally I don't stop, but she seemed to be in need of a friendly helping hand, so I slowed and offered her a ride. She climbed into the car with me, and we were off.
But before we could get to the address she had given me, she motioned to me, and indicated that we should stop the car along a secluded side road. Of course, I did - this was in my young and foolish days. And she...did things to me that I'll never forget for the rest of my days. I may not have known her name but I'll certainly never, ever forget what she could do in that back seat.
In any case, after a suitable period of time, I returned to the front seat of the car, in order to take her home, but she remained in the back seat. But then the eeriest thing happened. As we pulled up to the house she had directed me to, I turned to tell her that we were there. But there was no one in the back of my car - just a small puddle of water on the seat. Mystified, I went up to the door of the house and rang the bell.
Ah, yes, the gentleman who answered said. That was my daughter - she drowned out at White Rock Lake several years ago, on this very day, during a freak watersports accident. The same thing has happened to several other men on this date over the years since then.
So now, on that same day, you know where I'll be - picking up hitchhikers out by White Rock Lake. But only on that one day of the year.
A true story from a transplanted Dallasite, for all those who are still down there in God's country ;)
Here in Austin, Texas there's a beach at an area lake that queers used to flock to. And right there in the sand, they'd perform their little acts of faggotry, often to the dismay of straight families (unfamiliar with that area) who were looking for a nice, quiet spot to have a picnic or such. Well, the complaints pouring into the sheriff's office would reach a sort of critical mass, and then the deputies would go out and hold a RumpRammer Roundup, usually netting about 25~30 of the pervos. I used to work at Motorola in Austin, and whenever the leftist rag of a newspaper deigned to print the story about the sweep, it was always good for about 2~3 days of joking with co-workers - "See you got your name in the paper", "Didn't know you could outrun the sheriff's department", etc. But that was before Moto decided that hiring and coddling queers and transgendered freaks was good corporate policy; nowadays such levity could easily cost you your job, or at least get you some mandatory quality time with their HR ThoughtPolice - explaining very carefully that if you don't like having anal sex with other men AND think that the idea is disgusting and loathesome, then YOU'VE got the problem! Who's running the asylum, anyway?
And finally, who has this kind of time?
Well, when I read the article, I noticed this and figured it was warning about pedophiles:
Dallas police have a warning for parents visiting parks at White Rock Lake:
Don't let your children go into public restrooms alone.
That's why I put the "Pee Wee Herman" comment, etc......
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