AUBURN — City officials hope to enlist residents’ help in cutting down on crime and vandalism in city parks.

Police Chief Phil Crowell and Parks Director Ravi Sharma unveiled a new Park Watch program Monday night during the City Council meeting.

Crowell said it’s an effort to get the people who know Auburn’s parks best to tell the city when there are problems.

For example, Crowell said he spoke with one mother who complained about graffiti on a slide.

“I said, how long had it been there and she said ‘Oh, more than year’,” Crowell said. “But it was located inside the slide. Nobody going by would actually see it. But she hadn’t called, until that point.”

The sign lists 333-6601, ext. 2108 as the phone number for the Parks and Recreation Department, making it easier for park users to tell the city about maintenance and cleanup issues. It also includes a QR code that links smartphone users to the Police Department’s online reporting system.

“We’re just trying to elicit people to say, if I see something, I’m going to call,” Crowell said.

Sharma said the signs should begin appearing in city parks this month. A sample will be on display at Festival Plaza on Tuesday night during the National Night Out event.

Police are also hoping park users will sign up to be a part of the program and sign a pledge to report crimes or suspicious activities.

“We just hope people take some ownership of the parks they frequent,” Sharma said. “If they see something unsafe, like a piece of equipment, or if they witness suspicious activity, they will know who to tell and how to report it.”

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