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Marcus Fiesel's search, death has impact on community
BY LIZ CAREY |
COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER
ANDERSON TWP. -- Liz Carroll's claim that her
foster son was missing has impacted more than just the justice system.
Anderson Township officials are reviewing just what kind of an impact
the search for the boy had on the township.
On Aug. 15, Liz Carroll claimed to have passed out in Juilfs Park. At
that time, she said, her 3-year-old special needs foster son, Marcus
Fiesel, wandered away.
Within hours of Marcus' alleged disappearance, three alerts went out to
area residents, each covering a greater distance from Juilfs Park.
It was the first real test of the CodeRED system adopted by Anderson
Township in November 2005.
According to Township Administrator Henry Dolive, not only did it pass
the test, but it did so with flying colors.
Its success, in the light of an emergency situation, is part of the
fallout from the four-day search for Marcus Fiesel in Juilfs Park.
Since the search, the number of residents signed up for the service has
increased by 380 people, said Suzanne Parker, township assistant
administrator, at the township trustee meeting on Aug. 17.
The township is also considering what its options are in covering the
estimated more than $13,000 spent on the search for Marcus.
"For now, those expenses will be absorbed," Parker said.
"What's going to happen with that, I don't know."
Parker said the trustees have not yet discussed suing the Carrolls to
recoup those losses.
In addition to talks surrounding those expenses, Parker said the
township administration staff would look back at how the search was handled
and what could be done differently next time, if not what implements should
be put in place now to prevent a similar situation in the future.
"We haven't had that specific discussion yet, but now that the dust
has settled... we will be having de-briefing talks as part of our next
staff meeting," she said.
Molly McClure, Anderson Park District executive director, said the park
district was making changes too, especially after one camera in Juilfs Park
failed to provide investigators with any images of Liz Carroll in the park.
"The camera at Juilfs Park has been replaced. Our process for
determining functionality of our equipment now includes a daily check for
each park," McClure said in an e-mailed response to questions.
"But keep in mind that even with a daily check, equipment can fail at any
time. There is no guarantee that equipment will work all of the time."
McClure said the park board would continue to monitor its security
systems for the safety of park users.
"Surveillance is only one of our tools for park security," she
said. "Patrol by the sheriff's department's deputies and observation
and action by our employees, volunteers, park visitors and park neighbors
are our best methods of providing safe and secure parks. ... The contract
with the sheriff's department has netted the community far more coverage
than we were able to achieve with our previous ranger department because of
the patrol we enjoy by all of the officers who are assigned to Anderson
Township."
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Press & Recorder » Marcus Fiesel's search, death
has impact on community
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