65C - PARK RANGER OPTIONS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Park Ranger /Ambassador Options and City Manager Recommendation February 3, 2015 Page 2 In 2013 the City began making plans on developing a solution that would enhance the safety of the park and recreation system and at the same time enhance customer relations to the public. These planning efforts concluded and the recommended option (Option A) is to deploy the Park Ambassador Program and add a park enforcement focus area to the Police Department's Field Operations Special Enforcement Team. The job flyer for fifteen part time Park Ambassadors is attached. Funding for the part time Park Ambassadors is provided for in the FY 14 -15 approved Parks and Recreation Agency budget. Once the City Council approves the creation of the Park Ambassador Job Classification, Personnel Services will proceed in facilitating the selection of the Park Ambassadors. The one non CalPERS Park Ranger will be offered the opportunity to continue working on park and recreation customer relations. The four CalPERS retiree Park Rangers were given a 60 -day notice of termination with February 18 being their last day of employment. The Rangers have done an excellent job throughout the years. The most efficient way to continue and enhance the Ranger's law enforcement duties is to transfer this responsibility to the Police Department. Unity of command and follow up to crimes in parks such as investigating patterns of vandalism in the park system and other crimes will ensure safer park and recreational facilities. The Police Department has assigned a corporal as the full time Park Enforcement Liaison Officer who will take direction from the Department's Field Operations Special Enforcement Team. Safety and security of the City's park and recreation facilities will be enhanced through the benefit of the Police Department's resources such as dispatching of regular patrol services, horse patrol and crime analysis support. When the transfer of park law enforcement responsibilities from the Parks and Recreation Agency to the Police Department was discussed at the October 27 Parks, Recreation, Education, and Youth (PREY) Council Committee meeting, the Police Chief reported on a crime analysis study of calls for public safety services and self- initiated activity at City parks. An estimated 11,000 calls for services were received in the last five years with Santa Ana Police patrol officers handling 82% of those calls while the Park Rangers handled 18 %. This statistic confirms that the majority of Park Ranger duties do not involve public safety services. The full -time corporal assigned as the Park Enforcement Liaison Officer will help make sure that the parks and recreation facilities become even better served by Police services. In addition, efficient risk management of armed personnel should be under the Police Chief's direction. The City's resources for proper training and supervision of armed personnel are in the Police Department. A recent survey conducted by staff showed that this is the standard approach in all cities in Southern California. There are no armed park rangers in any city in Southern California except for three armed Park Rangers in the City of Long Beach and they now report to the Police Department. Option B, would require rescinding the 60 -day notice of separation to the four part time Park Rangers so they can continue to perform their duties. Whether they continue in Parks and 65C -2