Los Angeles County has taken steps to implement a community-informed public safety strategy for parks.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a motion authored by Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas, 2nd District, and Janice Hahn, 4th District, authorizing the acting chief executive officer and the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation to address a gap in public safety services caused by Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s recent decision to potentially close the Parks Services Bureau. The board is seeking a report back with alternative solutions, including the implementation of alternative crisis response staffing.

The supervisors want to prioritize a more equitable, safety-focused and anti-racist framework to reduce an over-reliance on law enforcement in parks. The initiative also makes further investments in alternative crisis response and violence prevention strategies.

Since 2009, the sheriff’s department has provided community policing through its Parks Services Bureau. However, Villanueva recently announced plans to eliminate the program entirely and reallocate funds elsewhere. As a result, the board is also calling for appropriate fiscal safeguards to ensure that funds provided to the sheriff’s department for park services are used for the intended purpose.

“Parks make life better, but they can only do so if they are safe spaces, and we are committed to working with the families and stakeholders we serve to make sure that we continue to evolve and strengthen our strategies for community-focused policing strategies to ensure that is the case,” said Norma Edith García-González, director of County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation.

For information, visit bos.lacounty.gov.