Security at sport pools
 

I am trying to post information about security at our sport pools.
Is this the correct way?

So far, so good. Congrats on your :eclipsee_gold_cup:post!

Rumor a Women was attacked while showering in a sports pool.
 

Was told this afternoon that a women was attacked while showering in the Lake Miona sport pool showers, sometime last week. The lights were turned off and a man grab her and tried to remove her. Her screams brought in 2 swimmers from the pool area...Man ran away...I have made several calls to try and confirm this...but cannot confirm....Can anyone out there confirm this?

Hi There PromisesKept.

How upsetting to hear this. From whom did you hear it? Was it from someone who knew someone who was there? I am curious about who you called to find out about this. There are so many people present at the pools that I wouldn't think there is a security problem, generally. Please tell us more about this. What time of day etc.

AND more importantly, Welcome to you. I hope you enjoy TOTV and I hope you find answers to your questions. I am sorry that your first post had to be about something troubling.

Kind wishes,

Gracie

hi

I found out from one of the swimmers at the pool today..I swim at colony,seabreeze and laurel manor.....There is no security inside the bathrooms , shower room or locker room....Once you enter one of these rooms there is no way out but the door you entered through! ........I was always a little leary about showering ....and when I do I am usually the only one using the showers....people are using the pool however.............
Its just unbelievable but anyone can enter the bathroom,shower,or locker room and then just wait... A women in my water class, her clothes were taken from the locker room last week...she reported it to the Rec center and was told in the future not to leave anything in the locker room...she wanted the police contacted but was told they dont do that!

The woman at Lake Miona; I was told it happened during the day.....
Pass on to any women's swim group/club/blog/activity to be aware... hopefully we can have security at these sport pools...

I'm suspicious - this post has a familiar ring like several weeks ago considering it is a first post.

whats that mean?

I think that she means that it is unusual for someone to have a first post with a rumor about something going wrong here.

Sometimes there are those posters that like to color this place with a dark pencil. I am certainly not saying that it true of you at all.

The Villages is a very successful development and I am sure that the competition, some of the developments close by find it hard to keep up with all of the things that The Villages has to offer. I sometimes suspect that some posters come on here and make things up to make people who are considering this beautiful and safe place, have second thoughts.

I am quite sure that you are genuinely concerned about this rumor that you heard and wanted everyone to be warned. The person who had this happen should have contacted the authorities herself. Once called the police would come and take a report from the victim. The manager of our Odell center is usually quite responsive to anything told her.

I think I would go home to shower if I were you.

I have never used the sports pools but many do who read this forum and I am sure they will be grateful for the warning.

It means were not buying it . If an incident of that magnitude happened in this place the rumors would be all over the place in a matter of hours.....I called a friend of mine who is in a position to know and he said this is the first he had heard of it .........In my opinion your getting bad information.........

Good point
 

Good Point Gracie. I shoulda noticed that!!

GRACIE

I agree..there would have been a police report or something other than a rumor to support this claim. Even the Villages would not have contained an attack as described here. I use the sports pool alot and just exactly what kind of security does one expect at this pool or any pool or any facility for that matter. It is a public facility for Villagers...but anyone can walk in. Rather than spreading rumnors I would have hoped the OP contacted the REC center where the "Alleged" incident occured to confirm.

The locker issue ...simple bring a lock with you.....if it was a real issue why didnt this person call the police.

I hate to say it but if something of sorts did happen maybe a guy was distracted or simply did not know the facility and simply walked through the wrong entrance door, was not paying attention, started to change or just walked upon this lady taking a shower and scared the hell out of everyone. "trying to remove her" is a bit tooo much.

Thank you, PromisesKept, for sharing your information/rumor with us. If any of the members of TOTV hear anything similar, we will certainly be talking about it. If it is true that a woman was attacked, she most likely would have reported it by now. You can call the Villages Recreation Dept. if you have any questions about the operations of the sports pools.

Welcome to Talk of the Villages!

It's possible
 

Whether or not the above report is true, it is possible that such a dreadful thing could happen in the sport pool locker rooms.

Perhaps the doors could be kept locked and opened with a card key reader (swipe our resident ID card to open the door)? That would also monitor usage by people not allowed to use these pools.

Practicality and common sense play a role here.
 

All public rest rooms any where in the world have no more security than commented in the original post. One way in and only one way out.

Without checking with the involved authorities it is nothing more than a rumor.

And an interesting subject of choice to debut on TOTV.

btk

I agree.

Lake Miona sport pool
 

Thanks all...But in fact Lake Miona staff confirmed that a women was in fact attacked while showering at the sport pool there...What saved her were her screams...
My point was and is to notify as many women as possible about this. Not to judge the women attacked or for me to be judged by fellow villagers..
I use the sport pools and I am FOREVER grateful to the swimmer who told me yesterday about the attack. Thank You again. And I will tell all ....swimmers, water aerobics, volleyballers, dancers, and walkers I meet at the pools..If anyone knows of of sites for those that use the sport pools please pass on to them..

Stop in at Lake Miona and ask..

Unless you are simply trying to discredit the " messenger" , why not just thank the messenger and inquire at Lake Miona Rec Center? Why would anyone make up a story like this?
Also, there are no enclosed Lockers, what good are Personal padlocks?
Also, women, not men pretending to be women, would know that most rapes go unreported...this could have been the case here.
Again, why question the messenger's integrity? What is your agenda?

I still cannot believe if Someone was "ATTACKED" using your words, and that the local police department was not involved.called either by the TV Rec staff or the person herself.

The Official Story
 

Here is the Official story,,...I contacted the TV Director of Security and copied Janet Tutt...I heard back from the TV Director of Recreation within 2 hours with this response. The Local police were in fact contacted, a man was in the womans lockeroom, but to use the term "ATTACKED" appears to be a exaggeration....at least based on this report. Here goes!!

************************************************** ****

I would like to respond to the email regarding this incident. Lake Miona staff was approached by two females that there was an alleged male in the women’s restroom shower. When staff was notified they went to the parking lot to see if there was anyone that met the description. Staff then went to get additional details from the two females who reported the incident. As soon as staff went to get more details from the two females, they had left the facility without providing any additional details or their names or contact info to staff. Staff notified the manager of the incident who called 911. Sumter County Sheriff’s Department responded and filed a police report. As of today’s date there are no other details or confirmation regarding the two residents or the alleged male. If any new details are provided, we will communicate this information to the proper authorities. Recreation Staff, Community Watch and Sumter County Sheriff’s Department have all been made aware of alleged incident and concern by our residents. We will continue to monitor our facilities. We encourage residents to notify recreation staff, community watch or 911 if they need assistance. If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.


John B. Rohan

Director of Recreation

Thanks for the good info 784!

Thanks for the good info PromisesKept and 784. If you felt in any way other than welcomed and credible, then let me apologize to you, PromisesKept. It is very obvious from your very first post and those that followed, that your intent was to inform others and to find answers. For goodness sake, you did say it was a rumor. To me, your posts did not appear to be anything other than well-meaning. So, I'll say it again: :welcome: and thanks for the heads up.

Guess the women weren't too upset if they left the scene. Maybe the guy was confused and went into the wrong area? Even so, I would like to thank Promises for trying to warn us. Like many stories, it sounds like it became exaggerated but that doesn't make the incident any less worrisome and it is always good to get reminders that we need to be careful, even here.

As to thefts occurring when items left in the locker rooms, I have heard of this happening a few times. I was talking to one of the rec assistants and he recommended that all clothing, etc. be taken with you and left at poolside.

Good deal 784caroline! Thanks for the detail and taking the time to do the research.

Bill

Thanks PromisesKept for the info & 784 for further looking into it. I am happy that there was no "attack" but it is just a reminder that we should always be aware of our surroundings. Please don't take this wrong and think that I am bashing TV's, I have been here a short time and I truly love it here and I feel very safe here. But regardless, bad things can and do happen in the best places and I am just happy that we have a place to post or simply ask if anyone has heard of situations that could in anyway affect our safety. Thanks again!

Excellent investigative work. It shows you how rumors spread.

I doubt we will ever here any more about it.

Thank goodness.

Now, let's get to know you PromiseKept. Are you coming to the next Crispers meeting??

:clap2: CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, GG!

The title "perspicacious pundit" is appropriate!

5,000 -- WOW:bowdown:

Perhaps a lesson to be learned.....do not embellish a rumor.

And just who "embellished" the rumor?

Annabelle

"If any new details are provided, we will communicate this information to the proper authorities. Recreation Staff, Community Watch and Sumter County Sheriff’s Department have all been made aware of alleged incident and concern by our residents."


John B. Rohan

Director of Recreation[/QUOTE]


After reading this thread it would appear that the information was "communicated" to everyone but the residents of TV.

Annabelle

Security at Sport Pools
 

[QUOTE=PromisesKept;295598]

"Unless you are simply trying to discredit the " messenger" , why not just thank the messenger and inquire at Lake Miona Rec Center? Why would anyone make up a story like this? "

Exactly! Apparently, it's less messy to shoot the messenger than deal with the problem. (Annabelle)

"Also, there are no enclosed Lockers, what good are Personal padlocks?"

Obviously, the person who suggested the lock, has never set foot in this locker room. (Annabelle)

"Also, women, not men pretending to be women, would know that most rapes go unreported...this could have been the case here."

Since it is still unclear what happened to this woman, hopefully the attack did not reach that point. Nevertheless, your post was well intentioned and it is troublesome to read all the negative comments directed towards you. Alas, this is not the first time this has happened on TOTV. If someone posts anything deemed "unflattering" about TV that person is immediately excoriated as an "enemy" of TV by the "safety patrol" on TOTV. (Annabelle)

"Again, why question the messenger's integrity? What is your agenda?"

In my opinion, the "agenda" by some (not all) on this site is to protect their "investment" and/or their "fantasy." (Annabelle)

PK, thank you for taking your valuable time to alert the residents of this incident at Lake Minoa. Nice to know that their are residents in TV who are concerned more for the "welfare" of their neighbors than the "image" of TV.

Annabelle

A few months ago we were visiting our son and went to a new restaurant. I excused myself to use the restroom, went in used the stall, came out and started washing my hands, looked over and saw a urinal!!!!! You guessed it, I was in the men'sroom!!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked:
Soooo it does happen that we wander into the wrong room sometimes. Not to make light of anything that has been posted here as I am a very cautious person myself.....well most of the time:laugh::laugh::laugh:

************************************************** ****

According to the Dept of REC , "Lake Miona staff was approached by two females that there was an alleged male in the women’s restroom shower". NO WHERE is the term ATTACK used or even implied as it was used in the original post. I think that qualifies as "Embellishment" since attack truly implies a significant and serious event.

Do you think the REC staff should make the all TV residents aware of every incident where a male unknowlingly walked into a female restroom or locker area or a female into a male area??? Lets get real ..its happens...not condoning it but it happens! Most likely there were screams from shock or surprise...not fear. The fact that the ladies involved in the incident did not follow through by providing their names to the Rec staff and/or a "first hand" police report should speak for itself.

:popcorn: This just keeps getting better and better...

Perhaps you would suggest just how you would "communicate to everyone" the pertinent information. The fact pattern seems to be that two unidentified, unknown, anonymous women may have seen a man in the women's locker room shower at the Lake Miona pool. Staff apparently immediately checked the area in question but could not locate any suspect or victim in the facility. When staff returned to further question the women who reported the alleged incident, they were gone. All appropriate notifications were made to management and police. To date, apparently no victim has been located by staff and no victim has emerged to validate the report. Given the facts as reported and the inferred rapid response by staff, you would have thought an "attack" victim would have been evident at the scene.

Should local TV have broadcast a warning based on this info?

Should the Daily Sun report the incident and warning based on this info and absent an identifiable victim and/or witness?

Should alert posters, based on this somewhat vague, unverified report, be posted at all mail stations?

I'm not being facetious, but I do not understand exactly what you mean when you seem to suggest fault for communicating the info to "everyone but residents".

While I support your right to express your opinion, I believe I am entitled to take exception to your characterization of my friends, neighbors and TOTV posters in your somewhat bombastic "wisecracks", to wit: "Alas, this is not the first time this has happened on TOTV. If someone posts anything deemed "unflattering" about TV that person is immediately excoriated as an "enemy" of TV by the "safety patrol" on TOTV". (Annabelle)"In my opinion, the "agenda" by some (not all) on this site is to protect their "investment" and/or their "fantasy." (Annabelle)

The issue here has nothing to do with "unflattering", "enemies", "agendas" or TOTV "safety patrols". It has everything to do with the search and need for credible public information to dismantle rumors that may cause undue alarm and/or anxiety. The case in question does highlight the positive impact TOTV has as a conduit and median for Villages related information. The selfless, stellar efforts of 784caroline, as well as many other contributors who take the initiative, the time to research and the concurrent effort to post important. accurate information, demonstrates that TOTV is a limited but effective tool for exposing damaging rumors and conveying accurate information to subscribers. From recent reports regarding subscription increases, that limited aspect is shrinking as more Villagers participate in the dialogue.

Yup. :popcorn:

Let me get this straight- Can't locate a victum, can't identify or locate a perp.
Lacking more relyable info, I and skeptical.

a line from Cabo35 says it all to everybody:
 

"It has everything to do with the search and need for credible public information to dismantle rumors that may cause undue alarm and/or anxiety."

btk

[quote=Annabelle;295718]I agree that there does seem to be an agenda from some people on this forum regarding their fantasy land. I live here in TV and think it is wonderful, but it is not perfect. Some posters have said they think competition of the Developer has come on and made things up to make people who are considering this beautiful and safe place, have second thoughts.
Vice versa, I suspect representatives of the Developer have come on to sing the praises of the Villages, to help entice people to buy. Why wouldn't they - its a perfect marketing tool. I take everything I read on TOTV with a grain of salt is all I'm saying.

Competitors of the Villages have posted before and made various attacks on the Villages. I believe when discovered the Administrators have banned these people who usually have very few posts when they start making these attacks.

On the other hand, the developers probably also have posted on TOTV but they would be a lot harder to spot because so many TOTVers love the Villages.

I do though see that victims of crime should have an avenue to speak up about incidents that have occurred in their community without having their motives questioned. Many crimes especially those involving attacks on women go unreported just because the victim is put on the defensive just for broaching the subject. http://womensissues.about.com/od/vio...inst_Women.htm


Crimes do occur in and near the Villages. It is best for people in the Villages to look out for one another because a sexual assault could occur near the sports pools.

I doubt if the Villages media would take any kind of proactive steps to prevent these kind of crimes from happening given how much the Villages official media seems to be committed to the selling of homes.