While I would expect our police officers to respond exceptionally to a situation like that at the Rollins Park playground recently (Monitor front page, May 1), their actions still deserve to be recognized as a reminder of the professionalism of those who serve our community.

And now to the crux of the issue.

This incident had nothing to do with sheltering in place or loss of personal freedoms. The city’s code of ordinances specifically gives authority to the director of parks and recreation to establish rules regarding the use of the city’s recreation facilities.

While the closure of the playground is directly related to the COVD-19 virus, the authority to regulate the use of recreation facilities is at the discretion of the director of parks and recreation. This has nothing to do with violating constitutional rights or government overstepping its authority.

The actions and behavior of those who acted out and ignored the closure of the playground were not a protest or an attempt to reclaim their rights. It was simply a violation of our city’s regulatory authority approved long before the onset of the current situation.

The people involved in the incident at the park should be ashamed of their actions, the example they set for their children and the time that they took away from our law enforcement officers. They owe our officers and our community an apology. And an explanation to their children that they acted inappropriately, so their children won’t repeat the same type of ignorant behavior of their parents.

Here is the portion of the city’s code that provides specific authority to the director.

“6-1-9 – Parks and Recreation Director.

“It shall be the duty of the Parks and Recreation Director to issue regulations:

“(a) Fixing the times when the recreation facilities or parts thereof shall be open to public use.

“(b) Designating recreation facilities and parts thereof as restricted to the use of certain portions by the public at certain times as the Parks and Recreation Director sees fit.

“(c) Providing for the issuing, under uniform conditions to be prescribed by the Parks and Recreation Director, permits for regulated uses as enumerated in this Chapter.

“(d) Fixing the charge, and collect such fees and deposits for the use of recreation facilities or privileges as the Parks and Recreation Director deems advisable to help defray the expense of the recreation facilities.

“(e) Providing for the use by permit of a recreation facility by vehicle carrying merchandise, passengers for hire, hauling equipment, appliances, or towing a trailer.”

(Allan Herschlag lives in Concord.)