By KEITH UPCHURCH

kupchurch@heraldsun.com.; 419-6612

DURHAM -- Police are holding off on ticketing skateboarders at the city's new skateboard park who fail to wear required helmets and pads. Instead, they are advising them about the importance of staying safe.

Last month, police said they would soon start issuing citations against skateboarders who don't wear the safety gear at the park, which opened Nov. 7 at Durham Central Park downtown.

"What we're doing is focusing on the safety of the skateboarders, and somebody from the station goes over every day and talks to them and hangs out with them," said Durham Police Capt. Loretta Clyburn, who works out of the substation across the street from the park.

"Of course, there is a city ordinance that they could be cited for not wearing safety equipment. But right now, our focus is on the safety of the participants of the park and preventing any type of injuries.''

On a recent afternoon, about a dozen people were skating, and no one was wearing helmets or knee pads. Many skaters have made it clear they don't like wearing the gear.

Jalen Shaw of Durham, 14, said helmets and pads are too restrictive.

Skating without the gear "makes you feel free, man," he said. "I mean, I can see like if I was going to jump these stairs, I would go put on my helmet. But I know I'm not going to do that today, so there's no need for the helmet."

He said many people would probably stop skating at the park if tickets are issued.

"You're not going to have people out here," he said. "It's going to be a waste of the skatepark."

Another skater, 15-year-old Kevin Johnson, said he believes skaters should be allowed to skate at their own risk. "And if you think you can't do something, wear a helmet."

If skaters start being fined, he said, "I guess I'll just leave and skate somewhere else."

Ervin Ballard, a co-owner of Ujamaa Boardhouse at 719 N. Mangum St., which sells skateboards, said he didn't know anyone who had been cited for not wearing helmets or pads.

"But I've heard that they're thinking about enforcing it," he said. "I feel you should be able to skate at your own risk. You skate within your ability, and you'll be all right. You have to know the risks and accept the fact that you can get hurt."

Ballard said fining violators will ruin the sport for most skaters.

"I believe kids will be all right," he said. "I mean, you can look around now and see that these kids are having the most fun that they've had ever, riding a skateboard. And if they start enforcing pads and handing out tickets to kids, it's going to ruin it. Skaters are going to disperse back across the city like they were doing before."