Park Ranger Program Dallas Park and Recreation Board November 1, 2018
Presentation Overview • Purpose/Background/Overview/Hours of Operation • Fiscal Year 17/18 “Hot Spot/Routine” Park Visits • Fiscal Year 17/18 Total Park Visits/Special Events • Partnership with Results (DPD/ACS/PKR) • Park Ranger Overview “Partnership with Results” • Comparisons & Information • Proposed Park Ranger Timeline/Next Steps 2 Dallas Park & Recreation 2
Park Ranger Program Purpose & Background Park Ranger Purpose • To support the Department mission by providing efficient and effective services to park visitors that embody public safety and security, while fostering environmental stewardship Park Ranger Background • 1986 - Park Police Program disbanded and merged with DPD • 2004 - Park Ambassadors hired as necessity for athletic field reservations (rogue play, lights and gates) • 2014 - Park Ambassadors were switched to “Service Agents/Park Rangers” due to: • A need for other park related assistance (alcohol consumption, illegal vending, sleeping in public, loose dogs, parking on turf, etc.) • To be a liaison to other COD Departments and Park Maintenance and Operations 3 3 Dallas Park & Recreation
Park Ranger Program Overview • Started in 2014 • 9 Park Rangers • Area – Any of the 397 Parks located in the COD • Defensive Equipment – OC Spray (coming soon) • Citation Authority – Limited • Mode of transportation – Trucks, foot patrol and UTV (coming soon) • Providing extra eyes and ears for PKR, DPD & COD 4 4 Dallas Park & Recreation
Park Ranger Hours of Operation Summer (May – August) • Monday – Friday 1:30PM – 10PM • Saturday/Sunday 10AM – 6:30PM (ES) & 1:30PM – 10PM (LS) Spring/Fall (March/April/September/October/November) • Monday – Friday 11:30AM – 8PM • Saturday/Sunday 10AM – 6:30PM (ES) & 11:30AM – 8PM (LS) Winter (December – February) • Monday – Sunday 10:30AM – 7PM 5 5 Dallas Park & Recreation
Hot Spot and Routine Park Visits Routine Park Visits Hot Spot Park Visits • Random daily park visits • Established based upon reoccurring reports of infractions • Visited on a daily basis when going to/from Hot Spot • 311 calls, City Council, Park assignments Board, Park Management and • various calls or e-mails, etc. Account for approximately 44% of Park Ranger visits. • Assigned to Park Rangers on a • daily basis and account for As staffing increases so would approximately 56% of Park the number of routine park visits Ranger visits. • As staffing increases so would the number of Hot Spot Park visits 6 Dallas Park & Recreation
Fiscal Year 17/18 Park Visits # of Parks Visited (Hot Spot/Routine) 1367 1287 1230 1223 793 786 646 635 588 553 541 522 Oct '17 Nov '17 Dec '17 Jan '18 Feb '18 Mar '18 Apr '18 May '18 Jun '18 Jul '18 Aug '18 Sept '18 Total Park Visits = 10,171 7 Dallas Park & Recreation
Special Events Total Special Events attended = 36 8
Collaboration with Results Target • Park areas with consistent complaints and issues of loose dog incidents Program • 12 weeks (1 day per week/3 hrs. per day) coordinated sweeps w/ DPD, ACS, and PKR personnel working together Results • In ONLY 36 hours; a total 57 citations were issued encompassing a total of 94 violations 9
Peer City Comparisons Number of Park Rangers 160 140 120 100 80 150 60 40 38 55 53 43 20 42 21 9 0 Dallas Austin Houston San Antonio Denver* Phoenix San Diego Total Park Rangers Total Park Police *Includes part-time Park Rangers * 2016 Data 10 Dallas Park & Recreation
Peer City Comparisons Park Ranger Budget ($M) $8.000 $7.000 $6.000 $5.000 $5.70 $4.000 $3.000 $2.000 $3.30 $1.000 $1.50 $1.30 $0.670 $0.000 Dallas Austin Houston Denver Park Ranger Budget Park Police Budget *2016 Data 11 Dallas Park & Recreation
Peer City Comparisons Estimated Number of Parks 450 50.0 44.1 45.0 400 397 40.0 350 375 35.0 340 300 330 308 30.0 250 25.0 200 20.0 200 150 15.0 5.2 7.9 7.9 100 6.8 10.0 3.8 50 5.0 0 0.0 Dallas Austin* Houston Denver Phoenix San Diego Total Parks Avg Number of Parks per Ranger *Austin includes Park Police * 2016 Data 12 Dallas Park & Recreation
Peer City Comparisons Estimated Park Acreage (K) 45 2500 2222 40 40K 2000 35 30 1500 30K 25 25K 20 1000 20K 755 20K 698 20K 15 476 455 339 10 500 5 0 0 Dallas Austin* Houston Denver Phoenix* San Diego* Total Park Acreage Avg Number of Acres per Ranger *Austin includes Park Police *Phoenix includes undeveloped acres *San Diego includes only areas of responsibility * 2016 Data 13 Dallas Park & Recreation
Peer City Comparison Chart City Positions Number Est. Acreage Budget Citation Defensive Equipment of Parks Authority DALLAS 9 397 20K $670K Yes (Limited) – Oleoresin (OC) Parking Citations Training/Spray only and “Loose but not mandatory Dogs” next. Austin 21 (+38 308 20K $1.3M Yes - Only Oleoresin Capsicum Park ($5.7M Parking Citations (OC) Spray only but Police) Park Police not mandatory Houston 55 375 25K $3.3M Yes - Only Health Batons Dept. Ordinances on Park Property Denver 42 330 20K $1.5M Yes - Only Park OC Spray, Ballistic Rules on Park Vests, Batons, only for Property self defense purposes Phoenix 53 200+ 40K – Unknown Yes - All City Batons and OC Spray including codes but only undeveloped on Park Property San 43 340 41K – Only Unknown Yes - Public OC Spray Optional Diego responsible Officer under the * 2016 Data for 30K CA Penal Code 14 Dallas Park & Recreation
Proposed Timeline Phase II (1-2 Years) Phase I (Current) Phase III (3-4 Years) • 8 Add’l Park Rangers • 9 Park Rangers • Dispatch & Radio • 1 Chief Park Ranger • Limited Citation Communication w/ • Bike Patrol Authority DPD • DPD (OT) / Security • Issue OC Spray Officer Assistance 15 Dallas Park & Recreation
Next Steps • Continue building the program through additional positions, additional trainings/certifications and outreach • Continue developing partnerships with other City Departments (Animal Care Services (ACS), Code, Dallas Police Dept. (DPD), Office of Homeless Solutions, Etc.) • Implementation of DPD (OT)/Security Officers to provide greater coverage of parks citywide • Continue to explore new technologies to enhance park security 16 Dallas Park & Recreation
Park Ranger Program Dallas Park and Recreation Board November 1, 2018
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