PALM BAY, Fla. — Three people were arrested last week in a special operation targeting Palm Bay Parks.
Operation Safe Parks yielded the arrests for lewd and lascivious behavior Thursday at AIS Trail Park on Hickory Avenue, police said.
"This type of behavior in our parks is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Palm Bay police Chief James Rogers.
Keith Andrew Smith, 55, who is a nurse from Sebastian, and Kevin Robert Valdakis, 50, a commercial driver from Melbourne. were accused of exposing themselves to an undercover officer.
Terry Lee Wilson, 61, who was also arrested, is accused of telling an undercover officer that he was looking to have a sexual encounter.
The increased patrols in area parks also led to the arrests of juveniles accused of breaking into cars.
"This police department is very progressive. We look at a problem and we look at a way to solve it," Rogers said.
The department has beefed up its youth service unit from two to five officers.
AIS Trail Park is where @PalmBayPD arrested 3 for lewd & lascivious behavior. It's a secluded area with a dock & hiking trails @WFTV pic.twitter.com/e6sXT8tLTo
— Cierra Putman (@CierraReporter) June 26, 2017
"Our Youth Services Unit this summer is made up of five officers and has already completed over 130 juvenile probation checks, recovered five missing or runaway youths and made 29 arrests," said Sgt. Clifton Graves.
The school resource officers are brought in to interact with kids they already know from working in the schools. The officers are building relationships with teenagers by hanging out in parks and playing basketball with them, police said.
Heading to Palm Bay where @PalmBayPD says it's summer crime strategy is working to protect parks & cut down on youth related crimes. @WFTV
— Cierra Putman WFTV (@CPutman_WFTV) June 26, 2017
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